Icelandic welterweight Gunnar Nelson has been forced out of UFC Liverpool after suffering a knee injury as first reported by MMA TakeOver.

This means opponent Neil Magny is now without a fight for the event on May 27th. It’s unclear whether he will remain on the card even if the UFC find an opponent.

Nelson, who was looking to bounce back from a loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC Glasgow last July, will undergo surgery this week. He is hopeful to recover from surgery over two-to-three months.

The Dublin-based fighter issued a statement on Facebook, saying: “Unfortunately I have to withdraw from my fight against Neil Magny on May 27th in Liverpool.

“Last weekend I injured my knee. I will undergo an operation right away and I´ll be out for 8-10 weeks. I’m sorry to my family, my opponent, my teammates, the fans and the UFC.

“This is a huge blow to me and I’m at a loss for words to describe the disappointment I am feeling. I was really feeling up for this fight, the training camp was going great and everything was just perfect until this happened.

“When all is said and done this is the fight business and injuries are sometimes an unfortunate part of it given the physical rigors us athletes put our bodies through. I will keep on evolving as a fighter while I’m on the sidelines and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

UFC Liverpool is set to take place in Liverpool’s Echo Arena on May 27th. Thankfully for fans with tickets, the main event remains in tact, pitting Liverpool’s own Darren Till against Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in what could prove to be a pivotal bout for the UFC’s welterweight division.

Nelson’s complete post can be seen below:

Unfortunately I have to withdraw from my fight against Neil Magny on May 27th in Liverpool. Last weekend I injured my…

Posted by Gunnar Nelson on Sunday, April 29, 2018