Did you enjoy Christmas and the New Year? Sorry to take long time. Asgard finally made this young man’s interview and update. You will hear his name soon in mma. A young talented fighter is coming up in the undefeated record in Sweden. He has 7-0 and 5TKO in it. This young fighter has not only the sharp boxing base but also utilizing the natural power,speed and the agression loaded the overwhelming pound controls rising up in the Scandinavian mma road. Asgard wishes 2009 become his year.

Alexander “The Mauler” Gustavsson
Born in Arboga 1987-01-05
193cm 93kg
Gym: Shooters Shootfighting Gym Stockholm

Fight record
Pedro Quetglas TKO (Punches) The Zone FC - Shockwave 11/8/2008 1RD 2″08
Krzysztof Kulak Decision (Unanimous)KSW - Extra 9/13/2008 2RD 5″00
Matteo Minonzio TKO (Punches) The Zone FC - Showdown 5/10/2008 1RD 3″52
Florian Muller TKO FS - Fite Selektor 3/13/2008 N/A
Farbod Fadami TKO (Punches) The Zone - FC 2/9/2008 1RD 2″31
Mikael Haydari TKO (Punches) FF 9 - FinnFight 9 12/15/2007 1RD 0″50
Saku HeikolaSubmission (Rear Naked Choke) Shooto Finland - Chicago Challenge 3
11/17/2007 2RD 3″42

Asgard: What is your weight today?
Alexander: I usually carry 100kg and fight in 93kg.

Asgard: What is the Russian mma show you are going?
Alex: The title is “Russia vs World”taken in Nobosobirsk. Siberia. But the Russian booker has sent me the air ticket too late. So I couldnt make visa for Russia. So I have missed the fight to Russian sambo fighter Alexei Oleiniki. I hope I will get the book someday.

Asgard: What kind of child hood did you have and your sports career?
Alex: I was born in a family with 4 sisters. All of them are active in sports. Specially 2 of them are making good record in riding sports. My father is 190cm and he was a football player. I was very active in sports experienced in many sports as football, icehoockey,judo, wrestling and so on. When I was 12, I joined the boxing class. I liked it a lot and learned fast. In the other hand I could say I was not so good at teamplay,may be. Junior boxing is semi-contact and been competed in the point
system. When you get 15, you can have fullcontact match. So I did amateur 3 fights(2-1).

Asgard: So you worked hard in boxing then?
Alex: No. After 3 fights I lost the interest somehow and cuit boxing. I did nothing but just playing with friends. But when I was 18, I visited Shooters gym with my friends and hooked in mma. It was 2006 summer. I had 96kg not shaped. he! he! he!

Asgard: What did you experience in the gym as a beginner?
Alex: You know I could box a bit,so I did rather ok as a beginner. Although I knew nothing about ground, I started to learn quick. August gave me all the mma basics and the desciplines. I managed to get in the advanced class in the next term.

Asgard: I see. Why did you move to Stockholm?
Alex: Because of my girlfriend! Also my parents live closer from Stockholm.

Asgard: Do you remember your first pro fight?
Alex: he! he! he! It was 3 minutes 2 rounds Finland Shooto match. My virgin fight I flipped out shooting hell of a lot punches. Saku Heikola was a tough fighter. I connected many but he doesnt go down. In the end somehow I finished him in R-N Choke. It was really fun.

Asgard: Which fight was your toughest?
Alex: It was a German fighter Muller I would say. The show was held in Dubai. In the 1RD I ate a good punch and went down to the mat though I stood up after that. 2RD fighting back hard I connected knee to him and won in TKO. Muller is a good grappler.

Asgard: Can you explain the fight to Krzysztof Kulak which went to decision?
Alex: Sure. I was confirmed the fight 1 day notice. I worked till 3 o’clock in the morning, slept 2 hours and took the flight to Poland. He is a grappler and just shot takedowns. Although I hit many strikes and made him down a couple of times,the guy goes under ropes every time and couldn’t finish him in the 2 RD. I took 3-0 though.

Asgard: Who is your favorite fighter?
Alex: Absolutely Fedor. He is the king of mma with the devastating pounds. Although he doesn’t talk big but beat them all. I want to join his training. It is my dream to train in Red Devil someday.

Asgard: Where have you been training in foreign countries?
Alex: I had never been training outside Sweden. But in December as the first time I went to Brazil for 3 weeks to learn grappling. And I have experienced Gi training for the first time! I am interested in US gyms too.

Asgard: Can you tell me how your Brazilian training went?
Alex: Me and Max Philipsson,he is a grappler 193cm 90kg, went to Marcelo Yogui’s gym in Rio. I bought a cheap kimono called KF kimono fighter and trained there. Waking up at 8 in the morning ,eating breakfast, we went to Framengo Gym of Yogui’s. Going back to our apartment for lunch then we return to BJJ training. After warming up we get a couple of techniques then 5 minutes sparring starts. There are 77 to 84kg guys there and we sparred a lot. Many color belts have submitted me utilizing kimono for chokes that I had no idea what to do. In the end I started
to submit some of color belts. And I could recieve blue belt! I am happy about this. Also I got Thaiboxing training too. The trainer was Alan he has experienced 6 to 7 fights. He gave me lots of kick lessons as lows and highs mixed in combo. I liked the training much.

Asgard: Who is your daily sparring partner?
Alex: Jesper Hallberg, Muske and Lexcell. Sometimes I get help from Tor Troeng. We try fullcontact sparr as much as we can. Your partner wear protect gear and we try to sparr hard as a real fight. Matti Makela comes and joins training too.

Asgard: Do you have some fighter you want to fight in Scandinavia?
Alex: I am interested to fight Mikko Rupponen. He has a big name and I want to test my skills in the fight. If I could beat him, I am real. Next fight? I hope I get fight very soon in Febuary or so. I will fight in April Zone too.

Asgard: Andreas, you are coaching Alex. What is going on his training?
Andreas: Alex has a very sharp sence for fighting. His boxing is agressive and accurate. The most important point for fighters is the strong fighting mental. Alex has it. I am happy to coach him. He is a very talented fighter ever I have had in Sweden. Let me tell you my training. I am coaching for proffesional fighters. They are well trained loaded the advanced skills both in attacks and defences. And in the condition we sparr in full contact as much as we can. This is the important point. You must put your body into the real fight situation. Of course you need the protect gears for that. You must wear the heavy head gear and the big body pad as well and strike hard as the real fight. Fullcontact training gives you the advanced strength and the new reflections which can use different muscles and to build up the real fight dementions. In those works your punches, kicks and all those
skills will be adjusted into the new stage. And your body will be stronger to adapt the new moves and the new speed. You must know you can’t make this in the soft sparring. You worry more injuries? I think you get more injuries in the distracted soft sparrings. I am talking about pro fighter’s training. OK? You must connect strikes in the right way, in the right timing and in the right power. Those could be realized only in fullcontact training. Alex will get into the top class. You will see that.

Asgard: Thank you for today, Alex and Andreas. I hope you to get the next fight soon.