Alexander Gustafsson is a Swedish professional mixed martial artist who has a net worth of $2 million. Nicknamed "The Mauler," Gustafsson became one of the most successful European fighters of his generation and spent more than a decade competing in the UFC's light heavyweight division. He challenged for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship three times and became particularly famous for his first title fight against Jon Jones at UFC 165 in 2013. Although Jones won by unanimous decision, the five-round battle became one of the most celebrated championship fights in UFC history and was later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Wing. Gustafsson subsequently challenged Daniel Cormier for the championship in another close fight and received a third title opportunity in a rematch with Jones in 2018. His career also included victories over Glover Teixeira, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Jimi Manuwa, Thiago Silva, Jan Błachowicz, and Matt Hamill. Beyond his fight purses, Gustafsson has had ownership interests in MMA-related businesses, including Allstars Training Center in Sweden.

Alexander Lars-Åke Gustafsson was born on January 15, 1987, in Arboga, Sweden. He grew up outside the town with his mother, stepfather, and four younger sisters.

Gustafsson began boxing when he was around 10 years old and showed considerable talent. At 16, he won a Swedish youth-junior national boxing championship. His teenage years, however, were also marked by repeated legal trouble and fighting outside the ring. At 18, he received a prison sentence for aggravated assault.

After his release, Gustafsson moved away from his old environment and began training seriously in mixed martial arts. He has credited the discipline and structure of MMA with helping him change the direction of his life.

Gustafsson made his professional MMA debut in 2007. Using his boxing background, reach, and athletic movement, he quickly established himself as one of Scandinavia's top prospects. He won his first eight professional fights before signing with the UFC in 2009.

His UFC debut came against Jared Hamman, whom he knocked out in the first round. Gustafsson suffered his first professional loss against Phil Davis in 2010 but responded with a lengthy winning streak. Victories over fighters including Matt Hamill, Vladimir Matyushenko, Thiago Silva, and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua propelled him into the light heavyweight title picture.

Gustafsson received his first championship opportunity against Jon Jones at UFC 165 in September 2013. Jones entered the fight as the dominant light heavyweight champion, but Gustafsson gave him the toughest test of his career to that point.

Over five rounds, Gustafsson used his footwork, boxing, and takedown defense to turn the fight into a closely contested battle. Jones ultimately won by unanimous decision, but the performance transformed Gustafsson into an international star. The bout was later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Wing.

After knocking out Jimi Manuwa in 2014, Gustafsson remained among the division's leading contenders. In October 2015, he challenged Daniel Cormier for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 192. Cormier won by split decision after another five-round fight that earned Fight of the Night honors.

Gustafsson rebuilt his position with wins over Jan Błachowicz and Glover Teixeira. His 2017 victory over Teixeira in Stockholm ended with a spectacular fifth-round knockout and another Fight of the Night award.

Gustafsson faced Jones for a second time at UFC 232 in December 2018, this time for the vacant light heavyweight championship. Jones won by third-round TKO. Gustafsson received a disclosed purse of $500,000 for the fight, one of the largest publicly reported paydays of his career.

After losing to Anthony Smith in 2019, Gustafsson announced his retirement inside the Octagon. The retirement proved temporary. He returned in 2020 as a heavyweight against former UFC champion Fabrício Werdum, losing by submission, and later returned to light heavyweight against Nikita Krylov in 2022.

Gustafsson eventually left the UFC after a career in which he compiled a professional record of 18 wins and eight losses. He later signed with the Global Fight League and was scheduled to face Ovince Saint Preux, but the promotion's planned events were cancelled before the bout took place.

Only a portion of Gustafsson's career earnings has been publicly disclosed because many UFC events outside the United States did not release complete fighter-pay figures. His publicly reported UFC 232 purse alone was $500,000, while other fights generated six-figure compensation when purse money, bonuses, and sponsorship payments were combined.

Gustafsson has also been involved in businesses connected to combat sports. He is a co-owner of Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, the gym that became home to numerous elite fighters. He has also held an ownership interest in Swedish MMA promotion AK Fighting Championship.

Gustafsson has invested in real estate as well. He purchased a large hunting property near Nyköping containing roughly 70 hectares of land. When he decided to sell the estate in 2019 because work kept him closer to Stockholm, the property was valued at approximately 12 million Swedish kronor.

Gustafsson began a relationship with Moa Johansson in the mid-2010s. In May 2017, shortly after defeating Glover Teixeira in Stockholm, he brought Johansson into the Octagon and proposed to her in front of the crowd. She accepted. The couple have two children.

Gustafsson has remained closely associated with Sweden's MMA community through Allstars Training Center and is regarded as one of the fighters most responsible for expanding the UFC's popularity in Scandinavia.