After Alexander Gustafsson battled former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones in an epic five round fight back in September of 2013, MMA fans expected big things from the talented Swede. But instead of getting another shot at the title, he suffered a string of injuries, and a devastating loss in his hometown at the hands of Anthony "Rumble" Johnson"”a loss that he said almost led him to quit the sport.

"It was really bad. I lost fights before, but this fight was the fight I couldn't lose," Gustafsson told MMA Junkie of his January fight with Johnson in front of 30,000 fans in Stockholm.

"I was supposed to win this fight, but I didn't. I was thinking about that, to quit the sport. I was really depressed after that fight."

Adding, "My motivation was gone, basically, so that was the toughest part, to keep on training with no motivation. I just wanted to escape from everything, escape from Stockholm, from the media, from everything. I didn't want to see the gym. It was tough."

Had he won that fight, he would've been in line for his second title shot. But as fate would have it, after Jones was suspended and stripped of his title by the UFC, and Johnson lost to Daniel Cormier in their Light Heavyweight title fight, Gustafsson would eventually get his shot later this year against the newly minted champion.

Gustafsson's loss to Johnson was just back in January, but he sounds like a much different man now that he's in line for the title yet again.

"My motivation is on top. I feel great. I feel great to be back in training, and everything is so much fun. I'm just a happy guy right now. Everything is fun. Training is fun. Doing everything that comes with MMA is fun right now. So I'm just enjoying my time."

The date of the title fight between Cormier and Gustafsson will be announced later this year.