Veteran UFC welterweight Gunnar Nelson will not be competing at UFC 318 as planned. Nelson announced on Thursday through his Instagram account that he has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled fight against Neil Magny due to a hamstring injury.
Nelson provided details about the nature of the injury, describing it as a two-part problem. He mentioned a Grade 2b tear in one of the hamstring muscles, which he felt might have been workable. However, the primary issue is a more severe Grade 4c full thickness tear in the tendon located inside the muscle.
According to Nelson, this more serious tendon injury significantly impacts his ability to train, rendering him “absolutely useless” for any form of grappling. He explained he is currently unable to wrestle, grapple, or kick and estimates that he will need at least eight weeks before he can safely resume full-speed grappling training.
The 36-year-old Icelandic fighter is coming off a decision loss to Kevin Holland in March. That bout marked only his third appearance inside the octagon since 2022 and snapped a two-fight winning streak for Nelson, who currently holds a professional UFC record of 10 wins and 6 losses.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether the UFC will find a short-notice replacement opponent for Neil Magny to keep him on the UFC 318 card, or if the planned fight between Magny and Nelson will be rescheduled for a future event. Nelson expressed his personal hope to be able to compete again before the conclusion of 2025.
Nelson also shared positive news regarding his recovery outlook, confirming that the injury does not require surgery. He stated he is optimistic about his return timeline, planning to be “good to go” by late this year, ideally within “a few months.”
UFC 318 is scheduled to take place on July 19th at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event is expected to feature a highly anticipated trilogy bout in the main event, with “BMF” champion Max Holloway facing Dustin Poirier in what Poirier has indicated will be the final fight of his professional mixed martial arts career.
