This main event bout between two UFC fan favorites was almost canned due to an eye infection suffered by Gaethje.
“I’m wearing these sunglasses because I almost didn’t make it to this fight,” Gaethje told MMA Junkie. “I had an eye infection and I’m through that now and I just got off the plane about an hour-and-a-half ago and I came straight here because I was not going to miss this opportunity to work out and get the blood flowing and get my mind into fight week. These lights are super bright, a little light sensitive right now but I’m 100 percent ready to go. I fought blind my whole life, so unless my eyes are cut out, I’m fighting.”
If the bout had been pulled due to Gaethje’s eye infection, a light heavyweight bout between Glover Teixeira and Nikita Krylov would have gotten the main event position.
Gaethje is happy to still be competing on the card, as he has some revenge to gain on Cerrone for a recent insult.
“He’s the second man to call me Homer Simpson and he’s the second man who is going to go to sleep for it,” Gaethje said.
UFC Fight Night Vancouver takes place on Saturday, September 14 from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which streams live on ESPN+.
