UFC Hall of Fame star Alexander Gustafsson weighs up another Octagon return: ‘Time will tell’
Former three-time light heavyweight title challenger, Alexander Gustafsson has remained coy on a potential return to mixed martial arts competition as he returns to training following his stunning opening round KO loss to Nikita Krylov back in July 2022, however, has failed to slam the door on a UFC comeback.
Gustafsson, a former perennial contender at the light heavyweight limit, challenged for 205 pound gold on three separate occasions during his tenure with the promotion, failing to strike title spols on any of those occasions.
Sidelined since July 2022, the Swede most recently dropped a first round knockout loss to Ukraine contender, Krylov, which followed consecutive losses to both former champion, Fabricio Werdum, and Anthony Smith.
Challenging for gold against current heavyweight champion, Jon Jones back in 2013 in the annum’s consensus Fight of the Year, Gustafsson pushed the pound-for-pound ace the distance in a decision loss.
Then dropping a 2015 title fight charge against former two-weight champion, Daniel Cormier in a split decision loss, Gustafsson was finished with severe ground strikes against Jones in a vacant title rematch at UFC 232.
Alexander Gustafsson weighs up UFC comeback
Returning to training amid his London knockout loss to Krylov, Gustafsson claims that while he’s not concentrated on a comeback, he failed to rule out the materializing of one.
“I’m going to be here much more now and focus a little bit on myself and my own training and mainly get back in shape,” Alexander Gustafsson told FrontKick Online. “I don’t think about the competing part so much. If it comes, it comes, so time will tell.”
“If a fight is on the table, let’s talk about that and see how it feels and take it from there,” Alexander Gustafsson continued. “I have the contract with the UFC. I have been with the UFC since 2009, so it’s been a while. I’m still in the business. I’m still under contract. If I fight, it would be in the UFC.”
Without a victory since 2017, Gustaffson’s most recent win came in the form of a brutal uppercut KO win over former champion, Glover Teixeira on home soil in a UFC Fight Night Stockholm main event.
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