The Mauler has known better days.
Alexander Gustafsson finds himself at loose ends after Saturday’s first-round TKO loss to Anthony Johnson at UFC on Fox 14. Once thought to be among the biggest threats to light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, he now faces a long road to rebuilding his standing in the fight company’s marquee division.
It’s been a precipitous drop for a guy who appeared on the verge of winning the gold for 20-odd minutes at UFC 165, back in September 2013. But at 28 years old, he’s obviously far from done.
Here are the most likely places matchmakers will look to find Gustafsson his next fight.