By Gareth A Davies, The Daily Telegraph
Gunnar Nelson will headline against Rick Story in UFC’s the highly anticipated return to Stockholm on October 4 2014.
“Gunni” Nelson makes the step up to main event status for the first time in his UFC career as he meets Rick “The Horror” Story.
Both Nelson and Story will be looking to build on their impressive last outings in Dublin and Atlantic City respectively. Nelson dismantled Zak Cummings inside two rounds, the same week that Story submitted Leonardo Mafra Texeira.
Story is a UFC veteran who owns a victory over current welterweight champ Johny Hendricks, so will be unfazed when it comes to taking on Nelson, despite the Icelander having a relative home advantage.
Nelson said: “To headline a card in Sweden is huge for me. They are our neighbours and one of my favourite fighters is of course from Sweden.”
He means Alexander Gustafsson, of course. “I expect the Swedish crowd to be pretty loud. I believe I have a big fan base in Sweden. They love my kind of style of fighting and I am of course Scandinavian so we have a good connection. So overall I think it’s going to be a great night – I am really excited about this opportunity.
“Rick Story has fought many of the best fighters. He beat the current champion and he is very experienced and is a very good wrestler. He is a tough opponent and I am happy to be fighting him.
“Now I will head straight into training. I plan to go to Vegas to train with Conor and to help him prepare for his fight, and then I will most likely go to Sweden from there. I am honoured to fight in Sweden and to headline this card.”
Story said: “Oh man this is a really exciting match up. Stylistically it’s going to be great because Gunnar is a grappler and an attacker, when it comes to fighting you can’t ask for more than that- someone who attacks and comes at you. As soon as I found out I started to watch his fights, I still have the Dublin fight to watch.”
“I have fought in Germany before but it will be my first time in Stockholm so I am looking forward to seeing the city. My schedule now will be to pack up, leave Vancouver, Washington where I am at the moment and head down to Arizona to the MMA Lab to start training. I’m really excited for this fight.”
Garry Cook, UFC Chief Executive for EMEA, said: “Sweden is full of passionate MMA and UFC fans so we are thrilled to return to this city with this fantastic card. There has been a lot of hype within EMEA following UFC Fight Night Dublin and I’m sure that these tickets will sell out fast.”
Fans can buy UFC Fight Night Stockholm tickets from Friday August 22, online at AXS.com.
Four Swedish fighters – Magnus Cedenblad, Niko Musoke, Ilir Latifi and Niklas Backstrom will take to the Octagon and will be looking for home support from local fans.
Fresh from his victory in Dublin earlier this month, Ilir “The Sledgehammer” Latifi will meet Jan Blachowicz. Blachowicz will be making his UFC debut having been a former light heavyweight champion in his native Poland. Latifi has finished his last two opponents inside the first round but Blachowicz will be eager to make his mark inside the UFC and silence the Swedish fans.
“After having heard the intense crowd in Dublin breaking the noise record I’m determined to make the Swedish crowd beat that. I’m especially relying on my fans from Malmo in Sweden, half the Globe will be filled by the fans from Malmo and my fight will be the loudest,” said Ilir ‘The Sledgehammer’ Latifi.
Garry Cook, UFC Chief Executive for EMEA, said: “Sweden is full of passionate MMA and UFC fans so we are thrilled to return to this city with this fantastic card. There has been a lot of hype within EMEA following UFC Fight Night Dublin and I’m sure that these tickets will sell out fast.”
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