Alexander Gustafsson looking forward despite narrow losses in title fights

Alexander ‘The Mauler’ Gustafsson has arguably been on the wrong end of two of the closest decision in UFC history.

In the main event of UFC 165 in 2013, Gustafsson and Jon Jones put on what many consider to be the greatest light heavyweight title fight in the history of the sport. Unfortunately for Gustafsson, after 5 hard-fought rounds, the judges awarded Jones with a unanimous decision win.

Fast forward to 2015, and Gustafsson was stepping into the Octagon to fight Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 192 for the light heavyweight championship. Once again, after 5 hard fought rounds the judges scored the fight in Gustafsson’s opponents favor, this time in the form of a split decision.

Now, ahead of his return to the Octagon this Saturday against Jan Blanchowicz in Hamburg Germany, Gutafsson is ready to look forward, despite the setbacks.

He spoke to UFC.com:

“(Deciding to continue fighting) was pretty easy. It was just learn from the loss and get better next time; that’s how I thought. I’m still 29 and I still see myself with a lot to learn, so I’m still working on certain things, and those close decisions are going to be to my advantage next time.

“I’ve been training the whole year,” he adds. “The whole year I’ve been away, I have been training and training, developing my skills. It was well needed and felt good; I had room for progress.”

In regards to his loss to Jon Jones, Gustafsson stated:

“I don’t even think about that anymore,” Gustafsson says of a do-over against Jones. “For me, that’s just a good memory. I’m looking forward and all I see is my next challenge, nothing else.

“It is what it is – some circumstances made it so that it didn’t come true, but that’s just how it is. I’m looking forward to every other fight and take it from there.”