UFC 141 Results: 5 Fights to Make for Alexander Gustafsson

With Alexander Gustafsson's convincing first-round TKO over the always-tough Vladimir Matyushenko, Gustaffson showed why many consider him to be one of the best prospects in the light heavyweight division.

Gustafsson has shown improvement with every trip to the Octagon, and it is clear that he is ready for a step up in competition. After Jon Jones dismantled Matyushenko, he stepped up in competition to beat Ryan Bader then bear Shogun Rua to capture the title.

While Gustafsson may not be able to on that kind of run quite yet, it is definitely time for him to make a jump up in competition. There are plenty of good matchups for him.

Loser of Ryan Bader/Rampage Jackson

The UFC generally tries not to pair a loser of a recent match against a winner but for this fight they could make an exception.

Should the loser be Ryan Bader it would set up as a very similar matchup for Gustafsson as Matyushenko but Bader is more aggressive and more skilled.

Bader could provide the wrestling test that Matyushenko failed to do for the fast rising prospect.

Should Rampage Jackson lose it would give Gustafsson his most well-known opponent and a chance to really step into the spotlight with a winnable fight. Gustafsson could use his range and striking much like Jon Jones did to stop Rampage.

Either of these matchups would be winnable and a good step up for Gustafsson.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

This matchup makes a lot of sense.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, aka "Little Nog," is coming off of a high-profile TKO victory over Tito Ortiz after dropping two straight bouts to Ryan Bader and Phil Davis. Gustafsson also has lost to Phil Davis so this fight would give Dana White a sense of just how far Gustafsson has progressed since his loss.

Stylistically, Little Nog could challenge Gustafsson with his great boxing skills and should Gustafsson take him down he would have to deal with Nogueira's excellent jiu-jitsu.

A win for Gustafsson over Little Nog would be a definitive step up the ladder from prospect to contender.

This fight would be a great headliner for when the UFC comes to Gustafsson's home country of Sweden.

Stephan Bonnar

If your looking for someone to test Gustafsson's cardio in his next outing, look no further than the "American Psycho" Stephan Bonnar.

After losing three straight and appearing to be done, Bonnar has won three straight now and is willing to fight anybody, even a quality prospect like Alexander Gustafsson.

Bonnar is a high volume striker that could not only take Gustafsson into deep water and see how he fights when tired, but could also find and test his chin. This fight makes sense for both fighters as the winner would be in position to take on a high caliber contender.

Gegard Mousasi

This matchup isn't likely as Gegard Mousasi is still on the Strikeforce roster and it isn't likely he will be signed by the UFC but he has expressed interest in doing so. If he does in fact get signed a fight against Alexander Gustafsson would be a great way to welcome him to the octagon.

Throughout his rise in the UFC Gustafsson has displayed great range and striking skills but has never fought a great kick boxer. Mousasi has the kind of kick boxing that could negate Gustafsson's range and make him work to earn a win.

A win for Mousasi would set him up for a fight with one of the UFC's elite. A great place to be for a guy currently gunning for the Strikeforce title.

Shogun Rua

This would be a HUGE step up in competition but one that he could possibly make. Shogun has struggled recently and many have questioned if he still has anything left in the tank.

This fight would answer questions for both fighters.

Is Alexander Gustafsson for real?

Does Shogun have anything left?

Gustafsson's striking would certainly be tested in this bout and it would be interesting to see how he can handle the spotlight of fighting in the spotlight as this would potentially be a co-main event.

A win for Gustafsson would instantly make him a contender.

A win for Shogun would get him back on track after dropping two of his last three fights and three of his last five.

The fans would win to see both strikers swing for the fences against each other.