Four Reasons Light Heavyweight Is A Mess No Matter Who Wins ‘Rumble’ vs. Bader

The return of Jon Jones is great for the sport, but not good news for prospective title contenders like Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Ryan “Darth” Bader.

The two light heavyweights will fight one another this weekend at UFC on FOX 18, serving as the main event in what can partially be considered a No. 1 contender’s bout. But in reality, whoever wins the contest will undoubtedly be a step behind the division’s elite.

Adding in fighting styles, past performances, and scheduling, Bader and Johnson don’t offer much in the 205-pound title picture. While their presence within the weight class helps add depth to a declining roster, fighting for UFC gold might not be their cup of tea.

Here are four reasons why the winner of Bader vs. Johnson this Saturday means nothing to the light heavyweight title scene.

The return of Jon Jones

Having never technically lost his light heavyweight title inside of the Octagon, the majority of pundits around the sport still consider Jon Jones champion. And considering Jones is still the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, those experts would be correct in saying so.

With his return, tentatively scheduled for the first half of 2016, Jones immediately steps into a championship rematch opposite Daniel Cormier, the same man he defeated via unanimous decision back at UFC 182. While some fighters in year’s past haven’t deserved an instantaneous opportunity to fight for gold upon reentry to a division, Jones has earned his right by previously defending his title eight-straight times.

As a result of all of this, guys like Bader and Johnson are going to take a backseat to the rematch. Much can be said about their ability, or lack thereof, to actually contend alongside the likes of Jones and Cormier, but the first obstacle is actually getting into the cage with one of them. The way the schedule is shaping out, due in part to the UFC’s attempt to host the rematch in New York in April falling apart, Bader and Johnson may not even be able to lock down a title shot until later this year.

So while their upcoming battle at UFC on FOX 18 can be labeled a No. 1 contender’s bout until the cows come home, nothing is set in stone until Jones gets his hands on Cormier again.

Bader’s lack of finishes

There’s no disputing that Ryan Bader’s current five-fight win streak is impressive. It’s so difficult to string together strong performances in today’s game, especially in one of the most ruthless divisions.

But despite his recent success, Bader’s lack of finishes is a cause for concern. The 32-year-old has recorded only decisions during his current win streak, including a split-decision win over Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 14.

What makes things worse is that he had multiple chances to go in for the kill, but opted to play it safe. In his fights with Anthony Perosh and Rafael Cavalcante, Bader’s strong wrestling and imposing top game made both light heavyweights look like fish out of water. Yet despite absolute and complete dominance, Bader was still unable to escape the judges’ scorecards.

This inability to seek out a finish is truly going to hurt “Darth” moving forward. Fans do appreciate his skill set and respect his overall game, but it’s not enough when you step inside the cage with a champion. It just doesn’t possess the attractive qualities that top contenders usually possess.

“Rumble’s” forgettable title shot

It seems as if people are already forgetting that Anthony “Rumble” Johnson had his shot at divisional gold back at UFC 187.

The lack of remembrance is completely contingent on Johnson’s effort and performance opposite Daniel Cormier during that fight. Besides landing a flush power shot in the first round, the 31-year-old did nothing to impress onlookers or suggest he belonged in a championship bout. Sapped and drained by Cormier’s pressure, the out-of-gas Johnson was physically unable to ward off the champ’s rear-naked choke attempt in Round 3.

Johnson’s quick energy dump and bewildering acts on the ground were a throwback to his days as a welterweight. While athletic to a point, “Rumble” still has a lot of work to do to get to the level of Cormier and Jones. And considering he’s fairly one-dimensional, he may be the easiest top contender in the division today to gameplan for (wrestle him into the second round), which is a reason why Bader’s pressure wrestling may be enough to win this weekend.

In any case, Johnson may never equip himself with the necessary tools to achieve greatness at the light heavyweight level. It’s crazy to think that he has fought all the way up from 170 pounds because his shortened explosiveness and one-round gas tank is better suited for the heavyweight division.

Swedish power

No matter how hard Bader and Johnson try, they will never possess the perennial momentum and achieved respect that Alexander Gustafsson has.

Even considering Johnson defeated the towering Swede back at UFC on FOX 14 via first-round knockout, he’ll never equate in skill or potential. That’s one of the main reasons why it’s going to be difficult for Bader or “Rumble” to leapfrog Gustafsson without “The Mauler” pushing back.

If the promotion completely had it their way then Jones, Cormier, and Gustafsson would alternate title shots for the foreseeable future. Having put forth undeniably epic battles opposite one another on equally impressive occasions, they arguably represent the greatest trio to ever actively compete in the same division. Because on any given day, Gustafsson can beat either Jones or Cormier, and vice versa.

Having said that, Gustafsson is currently riding a two-fight losing streak, which makes it difficult for the UFC to rationally grant him another championship fight, or even a No. 1 contender’s bout. But with Jones vs. Cormier II up in the air at the moment, it’s conceivable that the winner of Bader vs. Johnson will have to get past Gustafsson prior to earning a title shot.