Ryan Bader (19-4 MMA) was booked to fight Daniel Cormier in the headlining bout of this weekend’s UFC Fight Night 68 event in New Orleans.

However, fate intervened and “DC” was called up to fight for the UFC’s vacant light heavyweight title against Anthony Johnson at May’s UFC 187 pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, a fight which he won via third-round submission.

Shortly after his championship earning victory over “Rumble”, Cormier was called out by Ryan Bader who just so happened to be at the UFC 187 post fight press conference.

There seemed to be some legitimate beef between “Darth” and “DC”, leaving many fight fans with the belief that a Cormier vs. Bader title fight was just around the corner.

Unfortunately for fans of Bader, the UFC decided to go a different direction and announced that Alexander Gustafsson would be the next man to challenge “DC” for the belt.

The news came as a bit of a surprise, considering Bader is currently riding a four-fight win streak while “The Mauler” is coming off a TKO loss to the aforementioned Johnson.

Ryan Bader’s manager spoke about the let down in an interview with FOX Sports yesterday:

“It’s a little disheartening, but it’s also educational in understanding that winning isn’t necessarily everything in MMA,” Ryan Bader’s manager David Martin told FOX Sports on Thursday. “Entertainment clearly is the most important factor and it’s something I’m going to have to discuss with a number of my fighters who come from wrestling backgrounds where winning is the only thing that matters.”

“Darth” also gave the following response when asked about the news:

“I’m not fighting for the title next, that’s all I know,” Bader said while declining any further comment.

Do you agree with the Gustafsson vs. Cormier booking? Or should Ryan Bader have received the next shot at UFC light heavyweight gold? Sound off Penn Nation!