Ilia Topuria will return to 145 pounds and take on one of the division’s best strikers.
Topuria (12-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) faces Edson Barboza (22-11 MMA, 16-11 UFC) at a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 29, which is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Friday but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Eurosport Spain was first to report the news.
Topuria made his lightweight debut in his most recent outing in March, when he scored a bonus-winning second-round knockout of Jai Herbert at UFC Fight Night 204. The undefeated 25-year-old will return to his original weight class when he meets elite striker Barboza.
Barboza, 36, has split his past four appearances. After a dominant win over Makwan Amirkhani, followed by a knockout of Shane Burgos at UFC 262, Barboza has dropped two straight to Giga Chikadze and, most recently, Bryce Mitchell at UFC 272 in March.
The Barboza-Topuria booking is the first known fight for the Oct. 29 event.
