Shortly after it was officially announced that Sean Strickland would fight Imavov, Gastelum posted a video of a dental operation showing the damage he had suffered in training.
In addition, the American fighter apologized to his opponent, fans and the UFC.
“I am extremely disappointed, to say the least,” Gastelum wrote on the social network. “This is not how I wanted to start 2023. I worked my hardest and was ready to put on a hell of a show this weekend. I apologize to Imavov, his team, as well as to the UFC and all the fans.”
Gastelum did not elaborate on exactly how he sustained the injury, but informed sources report an “accidental impact during training.”
The duel between Sean Strickland and Nassurdin Imavov remains a five-round fight, but will take place not in the middle, but in the light heavyweight category.