Alexander Gustafsson: Whoever the UFC puts in front of me next, it must be for the interim title

Even after two months since the finalization of the heavyweight super-fight between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier, Alexander Gustafsson admitted that he was still “a bit frustrated and disappointed” about it. But now, it seems like he is looking to finally move forward.

In a recent interview with ESPN, the former light heavyweight title contender is now going after an interim title fight against whomever the UFC would put in front of him, and it is the only opportunity he is seeking.

”Me fighting D.C. [Cormier] for the real title, that opportunity went out the window,” said Gustafsson. “I feel I earned my spot off my last performance — but here we are. With D.C. moving up, the next step for me should be for an interim title. “I brought it up to the UFC.

“Let’s see what happens. All I know is that in my situation, whoever they put in front of me next, it must be for the interim title.”

Gustafsson feels he deserves this kind of shot, mainly based on his accomplishments in the UFC alone.

”I feel like I’ve been taking fights and climbing ladders, climbing rankings, my entire career,” Gustafsson said. “I’m 31 years old. I still feel I’ll compete for many years, but right now, every fight has to have a thought behind it. It has to take me the right way.”

“Every fight, you take damage,” he continued. “You take damage in your training camp. I just came back from an injury recently. I’ve got that fire in me, and I want to take a fight that will actually take me towards my goal.

”D.C. is moving up to heavyweight and that’s good for him and it’s good for the organization, but for me, the No. 1 contender, it’s not fair. It’s not fair at all. And no one knows what D.C. will do after this fight. He may put his gloves down and walk away.”

Gustafsson holds a record of 18-4 (with 14 wins by stoppage), and is currently on a two-fight winning streak. He last saw action in his home country of Sweden last May, where he knocked out fellow former title contender Glover Teixeira in the fifth round.