In terms of career – not to mention emotional – peaks and valleys, Alexander Gustafsson has experienced more in the first half of 2015 than most fighters will enjoy in a lifetime. And while it almost cost him everything, “The Mauler” is ready to turn things around.
“It was really bad,” Gustafsson told MMAjunkie. “I lost fights before, but this fight was the fight I couldn’t lose.
“I was supposed to win this fight, but I didn’t. I was thinking about that, to quit the sport. I was really depressed after the fight.”
Gustafsson, of course, was on the verge of a UFC title shot earlier this year when he faced Anthony Johnson at January’s UFC on FOX 14 event. The landmark event was contested in front of 30,000 people in Gustafsson’s Swedish homeland and appeared custom-tailored to launch him into superstar status.
Then Johnson knocked him out in the first round.
“It was a really bad blow for me – for my career and my personal life,” Gustafsson said. “It was a tough hit to take. The fight I couldn’t lose, I actually lost.”
Gustafsson, who’s ranked No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA light-heavyweight rankings, admitted his life briefly spiraled out of control, and he considered walking away from the sport. He simply couldn’t find the motivation to carry on, and he had no desire to address his failures in the public eye.
“My motivation was gone, basically, so that was the toughest part, to keep on training with no motivation,” he said. “I just wanted to escape from everything, escape from Stockholm, from the media, from everything. I didn’t want to see the gym. It was tough.”
The 28-year-old said there may have been some benefits to the dark times since he was able to clearly see who among the people around him ultimately had his best interests in mind.
“You know who the real people are when it’s going really bad,” Gustafsson said. “When it’s going downhill, then you know how it really is for you.
“It was pretty bad, but now I’m here. I’ve got my family. I’ve got my friends, my teammates. I’ve got real support, and now I’m back and feeling great – better than ever, actually.”
Of course, it wasn’t just an emotional revelation that helped Gustafsson return to full strength. Earlier this month, UFC officials revealed Gustafsson (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will be newly crowned light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier’s (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) first title challenger. The two meet at a date yet to be announced later this year.
“My motivation is on top,” Gustafsson said. “I feel great. I feel great to be back in training, and everything is so much fun.
“I’m just a happy guy right now. Everything is fun. Training is fun. Doing everything that comes with MMA is fun right now. So I’m just enjoying my time.”
And with that opportunity, Gustafsson plans on putting his recent setback behind. He’s had brushes with greatness in the past, but he said things are different this time.
“I just see this as a second chance, as an opportunity for me,” Gustafsson said. “I won’t even go into why it happened or why I should fight him. I’m just enjoying my time.
“I just know that I got a second chance, and I will do the best that I can and show everybody that I can be the best guy in the world.”
To hear more from Gustafsson, including how he plans on preparing for Cormier and why it’s imperative he gets a rematch with Johnson down the line (not to mention another fight with Jon Jones), check out the video above.
And for more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
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