With only four days remaining until the curtain is drawn on UFC on FUEL TV 9, pickings were slim for the UFC in their search of a light heavyweight replacement for Alexander Gustafsson.
Welcome to the big leagues, Ilir Latifi. Gustafsson’s teammate will serve as a last-second substitute and fight Gegard Mousasi (pictured) on Saturday.
UFC president Dana White announced the show’s new main event via Twitter Tuesday evening.
Latifi holds a 7-2 professional record and will be riding a three-fight winning streak into the scrap. Mousasi unquestionably marks the biggest bout of his life.
Mousasi concluded his Strikeforce career in emphatic fashion by tapping out Mike Kyle in his last outing. “The Dreamcatcher” has posted an impressive 20-1-1 mark since 2006.
The only loss during his current run cost him the Strikeforce crown to Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in a 2010.
Gustafsson recently suffered a cut below his left eyebrow during training and was denied clearance to compete by the Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation earlier today.
Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden hosts the festivities.
Here is the show’s revised roster:
Preliminary Bouts:
(Facebook 10:50AM ET/7:50 AM PT)
Tor Troeng vs. Adam Cella
Papy Abedi vs. Besam Yousef
Michael Kuiper vs. Tom Lawlor
Ben Alloway vs. Ryan LaFlare
Conor McGregor vs. Marcus Brimage
Chris Spang vs. Adlan Amagov
Michael Johnson vs. Reza Madadi
Main Card:
(FUEL TV 2PM ET/11AM PT)
Akira Corassani vs. Robbie Peralta
Diego Brandao vs. Pablo Garza
Brad Pickett vs. Mike Easton
Matt Mitrione vs. Philip De Fries
Ryan Couture vs. Ross Pearson
Gegard Mousasi vs. Ilir Latifi
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