UFC on Fuel 9's Gegard Mousasi says retirement plan's been pushed back, but wants to finish career in the UFC

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Gegard Mousasi has had a lot of success throughout his ten year run in mixed martial arts, winning titles in Japan with DREAM and in the U.S. with Strikeforce. In less than two weeks, he makes his debut in the UFC, and hopes to make yet a run towards the top.

However, that run will come with a slight change in his overall career plan. The 27-year-old has said in the past he hoped to reach his goals and retire by the age of 30. But a title loss in Strikeforce, and a year long layoff due to injury has pushed that timetable back, and he now expects to compete until he's 35.

"I thought 30 would be enough, but I don't think it's going to be," Mousasi said in an interview with MMAJunkie.com. "[The injury layoff] was difficult because you have to postpone your goals. You can't do anything; you're just waiting. It's not up to you. It's difficult, but what can you do? That's life."

Now, though, he's ready to make an impact in his UFC debut, a fight with Alexander Gustafsson on the Swede's home turf in Stockholm at UFC on Fuel 9. It's a role he's relishing, because he said he feels no pressure coming in.

"I'm the underdog, but I don't care," Mousasi said. "It's a fight. Of course, he's fought a lot more in the UFC, so he's the favorite. I understand that. I hope [they are overlooking me]. They don't expect anything for me, so I cannot disappoint anybody.

"I like this position much better. I don't have any pressure… This is a big opportunity for me fighting a guy like Gustafsson. I want to take full advantage of that. I always thought I would finish my career in the UFC, and that's the plan."

Penick's Analysis: This is a very big spot for Mousasi to come into. If he can pull off an upset against Gustafsson, he can essentially move into the role Gustafsson was taking over as a potential title challenger. Given the pieces currently moving, the UFC Light Heavyweight Title could be on hold for a fight if Jon Jones fights Anderson Silva in a superfight this fall, so Mousasi can get himself in against Lyoto Machida later this year more than likely if he can defeat Gustafsson. That's an opportunity he absolutely wants to take advantage of, and if he pulls it off, that will be a tremendous start to his UFC run.

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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_16301.shtml

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