Reports made the rounds on Sunday that this weekend's bout between Gegard Mousasi and Alexander Gustafsson was off. News outlets from Sweden said Gustaffson suffered a cut on his face that would take weeks to heal, and doctors wouldn't clear him. But the UFC disagrees.
UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that the bout is still on. Mousasi-Gustafsson is set for the main event for Saturday's card in Stockholm.
"The [Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation] has not said he can't fight, and he wants to fight," White texted to reporter Ariel Helwani.
Gustafsson is from Sweden and is popular in his home country. Besides wanting to fight in front of his home crowd, Gustafsson has another incentive to want the fight with Mousasi to happen. He's riding a six-fight win streak, with his last win coming over former UFC light heavyweight champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. A win over Mousasi could put Gustafsson on the top of the pile of 205 lbers looking for a shot at the title. He even has plans to push for a title shot after the fight.
"My biggest concern right now is Mousasi," Gustafsson said in early March. "That's my biggest focus. It's the only thing I think of right now. I don't really think about [being No. 1] that much. I'm going to grab the mic from whoever has it after the fight and I'm going to challenge the champ after this fight, so let's see what happens."
But a facial laceration could thwart his plans. The fight is on, but it should be an interesting week as we watch if the fight still happens on Saturday.
Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove Clay Guida
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