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Weighing the Options of Alexander Gustafsson

Now 0-2 in razor-thin title fights, Alexander Gustafsson finds himself at a fork in the road. So what's next for the mighty Swede?
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC

Last Saturday, in the main event of UFC 192, Sweden's Alexander Gustafsson failed to wrest the belt from the waist of newly-minted light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. And much like his failed 2013 title bid with the former champ Jon Jones, this loss was as close as they come. Really, Gustafsson's having been awarded the decision probably wouldn't have been met with that much protest.

The fact remains, however, that the Swede is now 0-2 in razor-thin title fights. Yes, he gave the current and former champions their toughest fights to date, but in a game like MMA where gold outweighs all else, that's only worth so much. So Gustafsson now finds himself in a very difficult position. This is especially true considering the trouble he has reconciling losses. He did, after all, consider retirement after his recent knockout loss to Anthony Johnson. As a result, many fans are speculating that he'll consider the same after this loss.

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The Swede will, however, have plenty of time to ponder his future. In the wake of his recent championship slugfest, he's been slapped with a medical suspension that could last as long as six months. The good news is that, should he decide on a return to competition thereafter, which we sincerely hope will be the case, he'll have plenty of options at his feet.

Now, from Gustafsson's standpoint, the most appealing of those options is undoubtedly a rematch with Cormier and another shot at the gold he so narrowly missed on Saturday night. This route, however, is hindered by a few things. First, and most obviously, is the return of Jon Jones, who is expected emerge from a suspension in the near future, and will probably be welcomed back with a shot at Cormier's belt. The other hindrance to an immediate re-booking of Cormier vs. Gustafsson is Ryan Bader. Though he once appeared destined for middle-of-the-pack success at best, The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner is now on a fantastic 5-fight streak. If Jones' return doesn't line up, Bader will be the next man to get a crack at Cormier.

So what else is out there for Gustafsson?

Well, while very few of today's light heavyweights seem to have anything to offer Jones or Cormier, Gustafsson actually matches up quite well with many of them on paper. Imagine, for example, a collision of Gustafsson and Ovince St. Preux. Both favor the stand-up portion of the game, and would certainly be happy to test each other's chins. The same can be said of a pairing of Gustafsson and Glover Teixeira. Though both possess some solid grappling skills, they seem to prefer to get the job done with their hands. A pairing of the two would probably be very exciting and considering they were matched up to no avail earlier this year, there's a bit of history built in.

Then there's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who is currently wrapped up in a UFC vs. Bellator legal scuffle, but will be looking for a top-10 dance partner when that's resolved. To this end, few fighters match up better with the Pride legend than Gustafsson. Stick 'em together on the main card of a pay-per-view, or put them at the top of a European Fight Night—either way, the fans win.

Of course, for a fighter as exciting and accomplished as Gustafsson, the options extend far beyond the conventional. At the moment, the middleweight division is home to several veteran fighters who have hit a bit of a snag—men like Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi. And while Gustafsson could probably never make middleweight's 185-pound cap, both Machida and Mousasi were recently torched by rising fighters, and as former light heavyweights, may well return to the division for a fresh start. In such an event, Gustafsson would make a stark, but truly compelling welcome back for either.

And finally, if Gustafsson is after a real shakeup, there's always a move to heavyweight. As one of the biggest light heavyweights on the UFC roster, fight fans have long wondered as to how the Swede would fair north of 205 pounds. Naturally, such a move would require him to pack on a bit of mass, but the possibility is certainly there. And there's no reason to assume it would go poorly either. Speed kills at heavyweight, and just like Stipe Miocic, Travis Browne, and Andrei Arlovski, Gustafsson would hold a speed advantage over the vast majority of the UFC's big men. As such, there's no reason to assume he couldn't outgun fighters like Roy Nelson, Frank Mir and Ben Rothwell. He could even emerge as a staple of the divisional top-10.

As long as Alexander Gustafsson's competitive fire burns, his fan-friendly style and unshakable heart ensure that he'll always have thrilling options at light heavyweight and beyond. And considering the fact that the he gave Cormier and Jones the toughest fights of their storied careers, he'll probably never be too far from another title shot either. At 28 years old, he's certainly got plenty of time to bounce back, and it may just be a question of another big win or two. So, whether it's against a fellow light heavyweight contender, a slowing veteran, or against a giant up at heavyweight, here's hoping the UFC's most famous Viking is back on the canvas soon.