Alexander Gustafsson (18-5) is a 32-year-old mixed martial arts combatant who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight division. For his next outing, “The Mauler” will headline opposite Anthony Smith at UFC Fight Night 153. It will take place at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 1.
As we approach the bout, here are five moments that have come to define the career of Sweden’s most famous MMA export.
LESSON LEARNED … In his sophomore appearance with the Las Vegas-based promotion, Gustafsson faced Phil Davis at UFC 112 back in April 2010. The boxing-centric Swede looked to keep the action on the feet against the former collegiate wrestling standout. But late in the first frame, “Mr. Wonderful” secured a takedown. Having punished Gustafsson with elbows, he transitioned to the fight-ending anaconda choke, which elicited the tap with only five seconds remaining in the first round. This was the first occasion that “The Mauler” had tasted defeat.
TKO TRIUMPH … Gustafsson was on a two-fight winning streak when he met Matt Hamill at UFC 133 in August 2011. The Swede’s previous two contests had been with striking-orientated pugilists, and this was the first time he had been paired opposite a wrestler since his loss to Davis a little over a year earlier.
Hamill had no answer to Gustafsson’s fleet footwork, crisp boxing and impeccable takedown defence. Nearly four minutes into the second stanza, Gustafsson sealed the victory via TKO.
IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE … “The Mauler” challenged reigning light heavyweight king Jon Jones at UFC 165 in September 2013. Although Gustafsson had won his last six fights in impressive fashion, he was a heavy underdog against Jones. However, from the outset, it was evident that this would not be an easy fight for Jones. Gustafsson proved to be effective at closing the distance, landing boxing combinations and defending takedown attempts. After 25 minutes, there was little to separate the pair, but the judges all sided with the American. Still, the epic clash was voted 2013 Fight of the Year and many regard it as the greatest light heavyweight title fight of all time.
HARD EARNED VICTORY … In May 2017, “The Mauler” fought promotional veteran Glover Teixeira at UFC Fight Night 109. Buoyed on by noisy home support in Stockholm, Sweden, Gustafsson poured on the pressure against the gutsy Brazilian. The end came via a Gustafsson boxing combination which culminated in a right hook that vanquished Teixeira in the fifth round. The bout was given Fight of the Night honors as Gustafsson consolidated himself as the number one contender at light heavyweight.
DISAPPOINTMENT … In his next bout, “The Mauler” finally met Jon Jones again in December 2018. This time around, Jones came well prepared. Although Gustafsson attempted to utilize his impressive boxing skills, the American effectively used his formidable reach to keep him at bay. The Swede cut an increasingly frustrated figure as the contest wore on. In the third frame, Jones took Gustafsson down and found himself in the back mount position. From there, he unleashed a barrage of punches for which Gustafsson had no response. The referee eventually called a halt to the contest at the 2:02 mark of the third round. Gustafsson’s career is now at a crossroads.