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Daniel Cormier's thrilling encounter with Alexander Gustafsson will forever be etched in the mind of the former two-division champ. On the six-year anniversary of his gutsy battle with 'The Mauler', Cormier said the 25 minutes he shared with Gustafsson were the toughest of his career.
The pair collided in the main event of UFC 192 in 2015. While 'DC' had won the light heavyweight championship in his previous fight, Gustafsson was coming off a devastating knockout loss to Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson.
On fight night, the two light heavyweights pushed each other to their limits. At the end of the fifth round, Cormier was awarded a close split decision victory. Looking back at his exciting contest with Gustafsson, Cormier wrote the following on Twitter:
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"6 years ago today I had the toughest fight of my career with @AlexTheMauler. When you’re in that type of fight it takes so much to win. Many thoughts creep in your head during that grueling 25 minutes, but on the other side, you’re better for it. What a great night in Houston!"
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Gustafsson lost his second title fight in a row at UFC 192. Before that, he had come up short against Jon Jones in 2013. 'The Mauler' is considered one of the best fighters in the UFC to never win a title.
Watch the full fight between Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson below:
Daniel Cormier thinks Alexander Gustafsson made him a better fighter
Going back and forth with Alexander Gustafsson inside the octagon left a huge impact on Daniel Cormier's perception of the fight game, so much so that 'DC' said his Swedish rival made him a better fighter and person.
Gustafsson announced his short-lived retirement from MMA after his loss to Anthony Smith in 2019. Paying tribute to his former foe, Daniel Cormier penned a heartfelt message for Gustafsson.
"Alex, you will forever be one of the biggest players in my journey. We’ve agreed, we have argued and bickered, but ultimately you made me better. You made the sport better. You are a warrior and will be truly missed! I understand the motivation changes and for you, it is now your family. I say now you’re starting to really live the good life. Congrats on a great career my man! You’re a hammer! See you around," Cormier wrote on Instagram.
Gustafsson returned to the UFC last year. However, he lost his comeback fight to Fabricio Werdum. The 34-year-old was scheduled to challenge Paul Craig last month. However, he was forced to withdraw from the fight due to an injury.
