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Cormier calls out 'delusional' Gustafsson, says they won't fight again

Mike Lawrie / Getty Images Sport / Getty

A potential rematch between Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson is apparently dead in the water.

In a tweet on Sunday evening, Cormier slammed top light heavyweight contender Gustafsson as "delusional" and said he's "disappointed" in who the Swedish fighter has become:

The last straw for Cormier was apparently Gustafsson announcing that he won't be able to take on a replacement opponent at UFC 227 due to a "minor" injury almost immediately after being called out by UFC Hamburg main-event winner Anthony Smith, who knocked out Shogun Rua in the first round on Sunday.

Gustafsson's management subsequently released a statement refuting Cormier's accusations, per MMAFighting.

"Doctors pulled Alex from the (UFC 227) card last Friday. Days before Anthony (Smith) was to compete," the statement read. "Before that we were trying to stay on the card. Assuming we could get cleared, we were prepared to face anyone.

"We assumed it would be (Khalil) Rountree as he was ready (to) fight, and we were told Jan (Blachowicz) would fight at another time. We also offered to fight DC at heavyweight if he was healthy. So Alex was prepared to face anyone, ranked or unranked. But the doctors said he was unfit to compete."

Cormier beat Gustafsson in 2015 via split decision, and a rematch has been considered a possibility before the two-division champion retires next March.

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