Veteran UFC fighter Gunnar Nelson will not be competing at UFC 318 as planned. Nelson announced on Thursday that he has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled welterweight clash against Neil Magny due to a hamstring injury.
Nelson provided details about the injury, describing it as a two-part issue. It involves a Grade 2b tear in one of the hamstring muscles and a more serious Grade 4c full-thickness tear in a tendon within the muscle. He stated that the injury severely limits his ability to grapple, wrestle, or kick, estimating that it will take at least eight weeks before he can resume full-speed grappling training.
The 36-year-old fighter`s last appearance was a decision loss to Kevin Holland in March, which was only his third fight since 2022. The loss ended a two-fight winning streak for “Gunni,” bringing his promotional record to 10-6.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether the UFC will find a replacement opponent for Neil Magny for the July 19 event or if the fight with Nelson will be rescheduled at a later date. Nelson, however, is optimistic about his recovery. He reported that surgery is not required and hopes to be fully recovered and ready to compete again by the end of 2025.
UFC 318 is set to take place at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The event is headlined by a highly anticipated “BMF” title trilogy bout between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier, a fight Poirier has indicated will be the final one of his career.
