[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzcq7qhWDKo&w=560&h=315]
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Ultimate Fighting Championship vet Gunnar
Nelson was hoping to get back in action later this month, but
he might have to wait a little bit longer. According to
MMA Fighting on Friday, Claudio
Silva (14-3) has suffered a knee injury and has been forced to
withdraw from
UFC Fight Night 204. The March 19 UFC London card, one that may
be substantially affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine as it
pertains to the travel status of the Russians on the card, is down
this welterweight matchup for the time being. It is unclear if the
promotion will be able to find a replacement for Nelson (17-5-1) or
if the matchup will be preserved and moved to a later date. News of
Silva’s injury has since been confirmed by
other outlets.
Both Nelson and his former prospective opponent were aiming to snap
two-fight decision skids coming into their pairing. Nelson, who
recently signed a new contract with the organization, has not
fought inside the Octagon since September 2019. In his last two
appearances, both of which coming in 2019, he dropped decisions to
future top contenders Leon
Edwards and Gilbert
Burns. His lone victory dating back to early 2017 is a
submission over Alex
Oliveira, and “Cowboy” will have competed eight times as of
Saturday since Nelson last won a fight.
Similarly inactive for large stretches of his UFC tenure, Brazil’s
Silva has only fought seven times since debuting in the Las
Vegas-based promotion in March 2014. While he strung five wins
together including three submissions, his last two fights were less
than successful. In October 2020, James
Krause became the first fighter to actually beat him, as
Silva’s sole prior defeat came by disqualification. A subsequent
decision loss to Court McGee
in May 2021 placed “Hannibal” on the first losing streak of his
career that began in 2007.
The UFC London card – also known as UFC Fight Night 204 – will go
down inside the recently repaired O2 Arena in London. The currently
booked headliner comes at heavyweight between Alexander
Volkov and Tom
Aspinall, but that bout may be in jeopardy depending on if
Volkov is allowed to enter the country. The co-main event comes at
featherweight, when top-ranked Arnold
Allen puts his 10-fight win streak on the line against
ex-lightweight Dan Hooker.
Other matchups including a heavyweight contest between Shamil
Abdurakhimov and Sergei
Pavlovich as well as a bantamweight clash pitting Jack Shore
against Timur
Valiev may similarly fall through like the Volkov marquee
match. Finally, Liudvik
Sholinian has apparently declared himself out of his
bantamweight fight with Nathaniel
Wood, as he returned to his home country of Ukraine.
