Alexander Gustafsson (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

Alexander Gustafsson’s team relayed that a “minor injury” pulled the fighter from UFC 227, but Dana White’s reporting that’s not the case.

The Swedish light-heavyweight was scheduled to fight Volkan Oezdemir at the August 4th card, but the latter was forced out due to injury. Then, after Anthony Smith stopped “Shogun” Rua at UFC FN 134, he offered to fight Gustafsson at UFC 227. Not long after, however, it was revealed Gustafsson couldn’t compete.

White was a guest on the UFC’s latest podcast, and he had this to say while discussing Gustafsson (photo via MMA Junkie):

“It wasn’t a minor injury; he actually had a serious injury to his hamstring,” White said. “He doesn’t have to do surgery. He’s doing physical therapy, and we’re hoping he can come back before the end of the year. He was hurt, a legitimate injury, and he’s working on it. We’re trying to get him in before the end of the year.”

The 31 year-old Gustafsson hasn’t fought since May, 2017, when he stopped Glover Teixeira.