According to multiple reports from Swedish media, Alexander Gustafsson suffered a facial cut in training over his eye deep enough to put his bout with Gegard Mousasi at UFC on FUEL TV 9 in serious jeopardy. Svt.se was the first to report the news. MMANytt.se confirmed it as did MMA Viking.
Attempts by MMA Fighting to reach to reach Gustafsson were unsuccessful. However, UFC President Dana White informed MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, “the [SMMAF] has not said he can’t fight and he wants to fight.”
For now, Gustafsson is still currently scheduled to headline UFC on FUEL TV 9 this Saturday, April 6th, at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Gustafsson’s hometown. He is set to face former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi.
In speaking to members of Gegard Mousasi’s camp, they tell Helwani they have not been informed of the fight’s status in one way or the other.
Reports indicate Gustafsson was cut in training and taken to the emergency room for treatment. The UFC light heavyweight was initially told his injury would take three to four weeks to properly heal. Doctors for the Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation (SMMAF), the regulatory body overseeing Saturday’s event, have also indicated it appears ‘unlikely’ ‘The Mauler’ would be healed in time to compete.
George Sallfeldt, the President of the SMMAF, indicated it would take a ‘miracle’ for the cut to heal quickly enough before Saturday.