UFC Boston: McGregor v Siver was viewed by many as UFC Dublin II. Well we could be set for UFC Dublin III if Gunnar Nelson gets his way.
Nelson (13-1-1) will be angling for a place on the card of UFC 189 which sees SBGi teammate Conor McGregor fight for the featherweight title against long-time champion Jose Aldo.
Iceland’s Nelson has become something of an honorary Irishman due to his work with John Kavanagh over the years and, according to the welterweight’s father, he wants a fight at the July 11 event in Las Vegas.
“He is interested in being on the Vegas card in July but we don’t know if he will fight before that,” Nelson’s father and manager Halli Nelson told MMAViking.com.
Gunni was showing all the signs of 170lb contender after beginning his stint with the UFC at 4-0 before being derailed by Rick Story in October.
That defeat was the first of Nelson’s eight-year professional career and he has taken some time off from competition since the decision loss to Story to focus on family.
Nelson fought in the co-main event of UFC Dublin as he submitted Zac Cummings before McGregor earned the TKO victory over Diego Brandao in the event’s headliner.
Gunnar’s father was quick to stress that his son hadn’t officially requested a fight from the promotion for UFC due to the fact that he will likely be the focus of the UFC’s push for progress in the European market.
“Gunni hasn’t asked for a fight,” he said. “That’s up to the UFC.”
We have our fingers crossed big-time, though, to see the Reykjavik native compete alongside The Notorious, perhaps against a big-name like Benson Henderson or Jake Ellenberger.
