Gustafsson: ‘I do not want to be a journeyman’

Two-time UFC light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson does not want to become a journeyman in the sport of mixed martial arts.

“The Mauler” recently spoke with Swedish news outlet Allehanda, where he stated that he will continue to fight as long as he has the potential to be the best. His words (transcribed by BloodyElbow):

“I will continue as long as I know I have the potential to be the best,” Gustafsson told Swedish outlet Allehanda. “If there comes a day where I feel I can not go any further than this, that day I stop. Then I put the gloves on the shelf. But I feel that there’s more to achieve. I know I can be better. I know I have the potential to beat ‘DC’. I know I can beat Jon Jones.”

He continued:

“I do not want to be a journeyman. I do not want to be a fighter that people should beat to get a title fight. I do not want to be in fights where people see me as an obstacle on the road. I want to be the man challenging. I’m not satisfied with being ranked second and third. I’m such a self-critic, that I find it hard to give myself credit for something.”

As for his most recent performance against Daniel Cormier at UFC 192:

“Sure, it was a good fight against DC. It was a good fight against Jones, but I didn’t win. So that is not a good fight. It is not enough that I’ve put Sweden on the map. I’ve heard a hundred times how good that was,” he said. “I appreciate what people say to me and that they give me credit. But for me personally, it’s not enough. I want to go all the way.”

As for what comes next for the 28-year-old Swede:

“We’ll see what the future looks like now,” Gustafsson sad. “I spoke to Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta on Friday. ‘Big plans’, was all they said. We’ll see what they have to offer. I am 28 and I see myself involved with this a few more years. I want to go some more years.”

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