Michael Campanella/Getty Photography
Wrestle Island has a brand recent resident ready to transfer in as quickly as UFC President Dana White publicizes the direct.
Alexander Gustafsson, who closing fought at UFC Wrestle Night 153 in June 2019, is reportedly popping out of retirement to face heavyweight Fabricio Werdum on July 25. Combate first reported the news, which became later confirmed by Mike Heck and Damon Martin of MMA Fighting on Friday.
The 33-365 days-mature Gustafsson’s wait on-to-wait on losses to Jon Jones and Anthony Smith ended in the Swedish fighter’s retirement closing 365 days.
Sooner than these two losses, Gustafsson had a unanimous-resolution victory over Jan Blachowicz and followed that with a knockout of Glover Teixeira. He seemed as if it’d be ready to hang over because the head light heavyweight and philosophize for the belt whereas avenging his UFC 165 loss to Jon Jones in 2013.
Nonetheless as a substitute, Gustafsson started to perceive out of sync in the Octagon.
Now he can originate his shot at redemption against Werdum, 42, who misplaced his closing strive against by split resolution to Aleksei Oleinik at UFC 249 on Would possibly well well 9. The bout became Werdum’s first since Alexander Volkov knocked him out at UFC Wrestle Night 127 in March 2018.
The July 25 card is additionally expected to encompass a middleweight strive against between Robert Whittaker and Darren Until.
White has been quite mum on the principle points of Wrestle Island. Nonetheless, he talked about this is able to presumably additionally simply make its debut July 11, and he told ESPN (h/t Martin) he hopes to host three-to-four fights in the first month.
The UFC boss added that the firm is building an enviornment and a coaching center for his athletes on the island, and he plans to live there thru July.
