Rescoring the fight: Jones-Gustafsson 1
In 2013, Jon Jones put the UFC light heavyweight title on the line against Alexander Gustafsson. Jones entered the bout as a massive favorite, but Gustafsson pushed him to the limit in one of the greatest fights of all time.
Jones walked away with a decision victory, but it was a disputed result and still is seven years later. theScore's Nick Baldwin revisits the instant classic in hopes of putting the debate to rest.
Event: UFC 165
Date: Sept. 21, 2013
Location: Toronto, Canada
Official result: Jon Jones def. Alexander Gustafsson via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
Round 1: Gustafsson got Jones' attention early in the fight. The Swede hit Jones with several shots, including a left hand that cut Jones above his right eye. Jones fired back with punches and several kicks of his own, but Gustafsson got the better of the striking exchanges and avoided danger when the champion pressured him. Gustafsson became the first man to take Jones down in the UFC late in the round, but he didn't do much with the position. theScore gives the round to Gustafsson, 10-9.
Round 2: Jones tried to bring Gustafsson to the mat multiple times in the first minute of the round, but the dominant champ didn't succeed. Instead, they battled it out on their feet for the entirety of the frame. Jones' spinning kicks started to add up. He landed a flush head kick that forced Gustafsson to run and reposition himself. Gustafsson caught Jones with a solid right hand at the end of the very close round. Jones had a bit more volume in those five minutes, while Gustafsson probably landed the harder shots. theScore gives the round to Jones, 10-9.
Round 3: This round was similar to the first two. Jones worked on doing damage with kicks, while Gustafsson looked for straight rights. The challenger stung Jones with a jab before going for the champ's body. Jones attacked with a head kick and continued to chop down the challenger's leg. Gustafsson fired back with a pair of leg kicks. Later in the round, Gustafsson landed two strong shots and backed Jones up with a stiff right. Jones then moved forward and caught his opponent with a powerful left hook. They continued to trade shots on their feet, and late in the round, Jones connected with a spinning elbow. This round could've gone either way. theScore gives the round to Gustafsson, 10-9.
Round 4: Jones came on strong in the fourth round, as he's become known to do. It's possible he had a feeling he needed to win the last two rounds to keep his belt. Jones loaded up on a powerful straight right that landed flush and tagged Gustafsson with a pair of left hands. Gustafsson began to find his range two minutes into the round, landing a couple of shots, but Jones continued to march him down. Gustafsson landed two strong lefts that backed Jones up and scored a nice uppercut. Jones stunned Gustafsson with a head kick and just missed with a straight left. Late in the round, Jones hurt Gustafsson with a vicious spinning elbow and started to tee off on his opponent. Jones landed punches and knees but Gustafsson survived until the end of the frame. That late blitz solidified the round for Jones. theScore gives the round to Jones, 10-9.
Round 5: Jones landed a powerful left and cracked Gustafsson with a pair of elbows. Jones took Gustafsson down and for the first time, the bout was on the canvas. However, Gustafsson quickly stood back up. Jones landed a head kick and Gustafsson missed with a spinning elbow of his own. Jones went back to the leg kicks, scoring two of them. Gustafsson landed a nice uppercut in the clinch. "The Mauler" turned up the heat in the last minute of the fight, knowing he likely needed a finish. Jones connected with a flying knee and an elbow to end the fight. It was a clear Jones round - he landed with more frequency and more power. theScore gives the round to Jones, 10-9.
theScore's scorecard: 48-47 Jones
Did the judges get it right?
With a fight that close, it's difficult to have a bad scorecard. I believe the judges got it right, but even if I'd given Gustafsson another round, I wouldn't necessarily disagree with their call, either.
I was confident in giving the fourth and fifth round to Jones and the first to Gustafsson. But the second and third round were complete toss-ups. If I gave them both to Gustafsson, I'd have him winning 48-47; if I gave both to Jones, I'd have him winning 49-46. So, going by that, any scorecard between those would be acceptable.
You can't please everybody, but realistically, fans should spend their time praising the heart, grit, and determination Jones and Gustafsson displayed that night rather than complaining about who walked away with the victory.