5 return fights for Alexander Gustafsson

Gustafsson has not fought since July 26 2020

Alexander Gustafsson was once one of the biggest stars in all of the UFC. He featured on the front cover of the EA Sports UFC video game and challenged for the light heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. However, things have changed since then and his next step will be a very interesting one.

'The Mauler' is currently on a three-fight losing streak. He "retired" in 2019 following his loss to Anthony Smith before making an ill-fated return at heavyweight that saw him suffer a submission defeat in the first round. These factors make Gustafsson's next fight a very important one for his career.

The recent losses make it somewhat difficult to tell just what level he is currently competing at. After all, his last two wins were against Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira. Both of those men are older than the Swedish fighter and both have since gone on to win the UFC gold that has famously evaded Gustafsson.

In his return, it's tough to say whether we will get the Alexander Gustafsson who took Jon Jones to the limit, or the man who struggled in his more recent outings. However, should it go well, he has the potential to still be a major player in the light heavyweight division.

Who would you like to see Alexander Gustafsson fight in his return? #UFC #MMA bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc/a…

Here are five fights we could see Alexander Gustafsson in upon his return:

#5. Alexander Gustafsson vs. Devin Clark

While it might seem odd to pit the multiple-time title challenger against a somewhat unknown prospect, this could be the way to go. Recently, we've seen Anthony Smith rebound from a tough stretch by taking a number of fights against lower-ranked opposition. Why not employ the same strategy with Gustafsson?

✅ Devin Clark
✅ Jimmy Crute
✅ Ryan Spann

@lionheartasmith is now riding a 3️⃣ fight winning streak! 📈

#UFCVegas37 https://t.co/h818Fj1UCN

Smith's return to form started with a win over Devin Clark. Clark's form has been up and down in his UFC run thus far as he has never won or lost more than two fights in a row. He could provide a great litmus test for 'The Mauler' and let the UFC know just what level their former star is currently competing at.

Giving Gustafsson a lesser-known fighter could be the perfect way to reintroduce him to the octagon. Should he win, he could quickly be put into a higher profile fight with a top-ranked fighter. If he loses, the UFC will have created a new name to watch in the process.