Alexander Gustafsson surprised many over the weekend when, after losing to Anthony Smith by submission at UFC on ESPN+ 11, he took off his gloves in front of the Stockholm crown and gave a retirement announcement during his octagon interview.
“The show’s over, guys,” Gustafsson said.
The retirement might have been sudden, but it didn’t come entirely out of the blue. Upon booking the fight with Smith, Gustafsson said a loss could mean “maybe I don’t have it anymore.” Gustafsson later walked back his remarks, saying he was still motivated to fight. But as he struggled to tear off his gloves before UFC commentator Dan Hardy, the weight of the moment appeared to overwhelm him.
Certainly, Gustafsson (18-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) has experienced his share of disappointment in his career after going 0-3 in UFC title fights, losing twice to Jon Jones and once to Daniel Cormier. But at 32, it’s not like Gustafsson’s best years are necessarily behind him. And in what is considered a shallow division, another run at a title shot isn’t out of the question.
And so, for our latest Daily Debate, we asked: Do you think we’ll see Gustafsson fight again? The results (via Twitter):
To hear MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze,” as well as UFC women’s flyweight title challenger Jessica Eye and coach Eric Nicksick, weigh in on the topic, watch the video above.
For complete coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 11, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
MMA Junkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Dan Tom. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio. You can also check out www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmfightnation.
