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Alexander Gustafsson retired from MMA competition following a submission loss to Anthony Smith in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 11 headliner.
Gustafsson (18-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC), a three-time UFC light heavyweight title challenger, left his gloves in the center of the octagon after succumbing to a fourth-round rear-naked choke from Smith (32-14 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in front of his hometown fans at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm. He said post-fight he felt he didn’t have “it” anymore and opted to end a nearly 12-year fighting career.
Although the promptness of Gustafsson’s announcement came as somewhat of a surprise, the fact he walked away is not as shocking. He has mentioned the possibility of ending his time as an active competitor for several years. At 32 and with four losses in his past six fights, it appears he now feels comfortable making that decision.
Did Gustafsson make the right call in walking away, though? And will his retirement stick? Watch the video above as MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn gives his reaction to Gustafsson’s retirement.
For complete coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 11, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
