Gegard Mousasi claims Derek Brunson avoiding fight, Brunson fires back

Gegard Mousasi are at odds on social media, even if it doesn’t sound like they’ll be fighting anytime soon.

The middleweight veterans are in an online spat after Mousasi tweeted Wednesday that the PFL had offered him a fight with Brunson, and Brunson refused to accept.

See Mousasi’s claim below.

“Update: PFL wants me to fight very soon against Derek Brunson,” Mousasi wrote. “Derek refused to accept the fight again. He said he wanted nothing to do with it. Three times he has refused to fight me over the years. The fans lose. Let’s hope PFL can find me a middleweight. I am ready.”

Mousasi most recently competed for Bellator, which was acquired by the PFL this past November. No 2024 bouts have been announced yet for fighters on the Bellator roster.

Brunson recently made a successful debut for the PFL by defeating two-time welterweight tournament winner Ray Cooper III in a 185-pound bout. He responded to Mousasi’s comment, denying that he is avoiding Mousasi and that he is focusing on spending time with his family.

“Stop the cap,” Brunson wrote. “No one is avoiding you. I’m enjoying the holidays with my family and kids. I already missed Thanksgiving. I won’t accept a fight that I can’t dedicate a camp to. Goofy a*** boy.”

Brunson and Mousasi were once scheduled to meet inside the octagon when they were set for UFC 200 in July 2016. An issue with Brunson’s vision forced him out of the contest, and he was replaced by Thiago Santos. Mousasi defeated Santos via first-round knockout.

Both fighters were top 10 middleweights at one point during their time with the UFC, with Mousasi parting ways with the promotion in 2017 and becoming Bellator’s middleweight champion in 2020. Brunson went 14-7 in the UFC before making the move to the PFL earlier this year.