President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Dana White And Electronic Arts' Executive Vice President And Head Of EA Sports Andrew Wilson (L)
President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Dana White and Electronic Arts' Executive Vice President and head of EA Sports Andrew Wilson (L) unveil EA Sports UFC during the Electronic Arts news conference as part of E3 in Los Angeles, California June 4, 2012. Reuters/Gus Ruelas

UFC President Dana White can’t believe the ease with which Anthony Johnson handled Alexander Gustafsson in the UFC on FOX 14 main event on Saturday. Although White was not in attendance during the fight, he’s baffled over the shocking turn of events when the UFC light heavyweight No. 1 contender scored a devastating first-round knockout over Gustafsson.

"It's crazy," White said on The Jim Rome Show. "If you look at Anthony Johnson, Anthony Johnson started at 170 pounds, right? So he goes from 170 to 185. It's not like he was a world-beater at 170 or a world-beater at 185.”

Dana White, who was clearly blown away by Johnson’s victory, explained that every time a fighter moves up into a weight class, they lose a little bit of knockout power, but it has been the exact opposite for Johnson. For White, it’s unbelievable for Johnson to knockout someone in the 205-pound division and beating Gustafsson the way Johnson did makes no sense. White said that he is excited for the upcoming fight of Johnson against Jon Jones.

Anthony Johnson’s first-round knock-out marked his sixth time in seven fights at light heavyweight that he finished his work without the judges’ decision. As such, the UFC President expects his headhunting style when he fights Jones for the 205-pound strap, likely at a UFC event in May.

Originally, the traditional Memorial Day Weekend event is a featherweight title showdown between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor but McGregor’s trainer, John Kavanagh announced that the fight could take place as late as July 2015. The decision opens window for Jones vs. Johnson fight to be the main event on May 23, UFC 187 in Las Vegas.

Jon Jones, who recently had drug issues, last defended his title at UFC 182, in a five-round unanimous decision over Daniel Cormier in Las Vegas. Jones has successfully defended his title eight times since earning the belt with a win against Mauricio Rua at UFC 128.

To report problems or leave feedback on this article, e-mail: d.ramos@ibtimes.com.au

RELATED STORIES