Former world title challenger Alexander Gustafsson is returning to the division in which he made his name.
The Swede, 34, has lost three straight fights in the cage, the most recent of which came last summer on ‘Fight Island’ in what was his heavyweight debut. That followed a loss to Anthony Smith at 205-pounds (after which Gustafsson announced he was to retire before changing his mind) and Jon Jones in his second bid to seize the light heavyweight title from the American.
Gustafsson will have an opportunity to get back into the win column on September 4, though, after accepting a bout with Scottish submission expert Paul Craig who is unbeaten in five fights and most recently scored a win against the previously undefeated Jahamal Hill after dislocating his elbow in a submission hold — though the fight was declared a TKO because Hill didn’t tap.
The win for Craig has risen the Scot to 12th in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings and a win against a fighter of Gustafsson repute would likely propel Craig into the top ten of a division which, since Jones’ departure, seems up for grabs.
The fight is expected to take place at UFC Fight Night 193 on September 4 but no location has yet been announced for the card, and it remains unclear if the Craig vs. Gustafsson fight will be considered a candidate for the main event.
More bookings for the card are expected in the coming days and weeks but it is also scheduled to include Khalil Rountree Jr vs. Modestas Bakauskas and Nathaniel Wood vs. Jonathan Martinez.
