When most fighters retire, it should always be taken with a pinch of salt. However, Alexander Gustafsson feels he is truly done with the sport.
Gustafsson suffered a shock submission defeat to Anthony Smith in their UFC Stockholm headliner on Saturday. In his post-fight interview, he claimed the show was over before laying his gloves in the Octagon.
Many were skeptical as to whether his “retirement’ would hold up given how Gustafsson was in the moment. However, in the post-fight press conference, he confirmed it was a done deal.
“I’m feeling that it’s pretty much a done deal,” Gustafsson said (via MMA Fighting). “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.”
Of course, Gustafsson hinted at retirement before the fight as well, claiming if he lost, maybe he didn’t have it in him anymore. “The Mauler” also added that his three failed title pursuits were a factor.
“I feel like I don’t do this for money or because of anything else,” Gustafsson explained. “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. I lost to Jon and that was the third title fight and I felt like because I got a little bit of an injury in that fight and I didn’t get to show my capacity.
“So I had some hope in me still and I felt this Anthony Smith fight would be a great comeback and start climbing again. But now I lose to Anthony too. 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.”
Jones Pays Tribute To Gustafsson
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones paid tribute to Gustafsson following the latter’s announcement that he was retiring.
“Honestly, I don’t believe you, but if you’re serious, thank you for everything,” Jones wrote. “You held the division to a standard and made us better. Go kick a*s with that family.”
Two of Gustafsson’s three failed title attempts were against Jones. The first one was a back-and-forth war in 2013 in which many felt the Swede had come out on top.
The second one was at UFC 232 in December where it was a more one-sided victory for Jones.
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