THE MAULER ANNOUNCED TO THE CROWD IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS LOSS TO ANTHONY SMITH THAT HE WAS RETIRING. HE TOLD THE CROWD THAT “THE SHOW IS OVER” AND PUT DOWN HIS GLOVES.
Photo Credit: Unknown
Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson has retired after 12 years of MMA competition. He made the decision immediately after a submission loss to Anthony Smith on June 1, 2019 at Stockholm.
Gustafsson (18-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) fought for the UFC light heavyweight title on three occasions. After losing to Smith (32-14 MMA, 8-4 UFC) he left his gloves in the center of the octagon at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm. After removing his gloves he said “the show is over.”
Gustafsson, 32, lost four of his last six fights. In his final fight he was submitted by Smith in the fourth round by a rear-naked choke.
“I’m feeling that it’s pretty much a done deal,” Gustafsson said during a post-fight interview. “If you don’t feel you have it in you anymore then it is what it is. I had three title fights and, like I said, it’s been a great journey. This is it.”
Gustafsson had two title fights with Jon Jones and one title fight with Daniel Cormier.
“I feel like I don’t do this for the money or because of anything else,” Gustafsson said. “I do this because I want to be the best and beat the best and if I can’t do that then it is what it is. . . . It feels like I don’t have it in me anymore. It’s like a confirmation to myself because I lost my three title fights.”
Cormier released a statement after Gustafsson’s retirement: “Alex, you will forever be one of the biggest players in my journey. . . . You made the sport better. You are a warrior and will be truly missed! . . . Congrats on a great career my man!”
Cormier’s win over Gustafsson was a narrow split decision. Cormier called it his most difficult fight.
During Gustafsson’s career he had stoppage wins over Glover Teixeira, Jimi Manuwa and Matt Hamill together with decisions over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Thiago Silva and Jan Blachowicz. His wins over Teixeira and Silva both took place before his hometown fans at Ericsson Globe Arena. He said that the “two really good wins here in the Globe” will be remembered by him for “the rest of my life.”
Gustafsson added: “I felt it’s an honorable way to tell the crowd and the audience here tonight that this is a decision I made. It’s still so fresh and everything. . . . I don’t know what to do to start winning again. Maybe if I have that feeling in me then there’s no point for me to continue.”
He said: “I’ve been traveling around the world, I’ve seen so much good places and I have so many new friends in my life. I am living a life today that I am very pleased with and happy with because o the UFC and the sport.”
GUSTAFSSON’S RETIREMENT WILL GIVE HIM MORE TIME TO SPEND WITH HIS FAMILY. HE IS PICUTRED WITH HIS THEN-FINANCEE, MOA JOHANSSON, IN 2016. THEY ARE NOW MARRIED AND HAVE A CHILD. GUSTAFSSON PROPOSED TO MOA IN THE OCTAGON AFTER BEATING GLOVER TEIXEIRA ON MAY 28, 2017.
Photo Credit: Unknown
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