Top ranked light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson has been out of action since knocking out Glover Teixeira in May. A shoulder injury in training sidelined “The Mauler,” for which he underwent successful surgery. He’s now back to training and rehabilitating his shoulder and wants a title fight when he returns.
“I was training and I hurt my shoulder in a wrestling practice and I felt it was burning a little bit in my right shoulder. I just went and sat on the sideline and watched the sparring finish and then my coach told me that let’s just go to the hospital and check it out. The collar bone wasn’t attached to my shoulder anymore,” explained Gustafsson during an appearance on The MMA Hour.
“I got thrown. I was landing on the mat with my shoulder and it was just ripped apart, my collar bone from my shoulder.”
Gustafsson had a plate installed to assist the healing process and it was later removed. He expects to back to full form by the end of January.
“I give it to the end of January (until I’m back 100-percent) I think,” said the 30-year-old Swede.
On Jan. 20, light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier will defend his title in the UFC 220 co-main event in Boston against No. 3 ranked Volkan Oezdemir. Gustafsson wants to face the winner of that fight.
“I want the title fight. The winner of Volkan and DC fight, I want that one. There’s no fight in between. I just want to step into the title fight right away. That’s my plan. That’s what I want,” he said.
“I’ll be pushing for that fight, for sure.”
