Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will remove Alexander Gustafsson from the UFC Vegas 55 fight card and rebook him for the upcoming “Fight Night” event on July 23, but it won’t be against fellow well-traveled veteran Ovince Saint Preux.
Instead, “The Mauler” will return to light heavyweight for a feature fight opposite Ukrainian dynamo Nikita Krylov, according to Front Kick. The promotion is currently in talks to stage their July 23 event at O2 Arena in London, England, but nothing is official at this time.
Gustafsson (18-7) was expected to remain at heavyweight for a showdown against Ben Rothwell next month in “Sin City;” however, “Big Ben” was abruptly relieved of his duties (in favor of this). “The Mauler” is in big need of a victory, having lost three straight — all by way of knockout or submission.
Krylov (27-9) hasn’t fared much better in recent years, dropping two straight and four of his last six (twice by submission). The 30 year-old “Miner” is looking to rebound from a disappointing first-round submission loss to Paul Craig at UFC London just last month.
Expect additional updates on the promotion’s July 23 fight card in the coming weeks.