Alexander Gustafsson doubts Daniel Cormier will spoil potential rematch with Jon Jones

While the rivalry between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier continues to heat up at an incredible pace, Alexander Gustafsson plans to make a quick recovery and resume silently stalk his prey.

Gustafsson, who had worked his way back to the position of the division's top contender, was scheduled to meet Jon Jones in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 178 in Las Vegas, but suffered a knee injury that forced him out of the contest. That brought about the decision to slot undefeated former Olympian Daniel Cormier in the main event on relatively short notice.

Although the Swede proclaimed that the injury was far from "serious", he was simply not willing to take the risk of not being at 100 percent for his title rematch.

"[It's] not serious at all," Gustafsson stated on The MMA Hour. "It's actually one of the easiest knee injuries you could have. It's a very easy operation, it takes maybe 15-20 minutes. The recovery time is just a few weeks, and you can walk home from the surgery. It's not a big deal at all. The thing is, it's one of those things where it's a small problem that can get very big if you don't do anything about it.

"For me to have a 10-12 week camp against Jones, I need to be 100 percent. I can't go into that cage knowing that something is hurting. I need to be 100 percent. We decided that I needed to have that operation."

When asked whom he was rooting to win the fight, Gustafsson gave an all-too-obvious response:

"No disrespect to DC, I think he's a very great opponent and a great athlete, I think he's a very tough fighter and a hard-working guy, but I believe Jones will win the fight," he said. I see myself fighting Jones," he said. "That's what I want. Nothing else. That's what I want. I'm not saying anything else, and I'm really, really hoping that I get my chance.

"I will do my operation, and I'll have my few weeks of rehab, and I'm going to come back stronger than ever. When my knee is healed, I'm going to be 100 percent. I'm going to be better than ever. I'm really hoping that I get my title. I want my title."

Transcription taken from MMAFighting.com.