One-time light heavyweight title challengers Thiago Santos and Glover Teixeira will go through each other to get another shot at the belt.
The UFC is working on a Sept. 12 headliner for Brazilian light heavyweights, multiple people told MMA Fighting after an initial report from ESPN.com. The event is expected to take place in Las Vegas at UFC APEX.
Santos returns for the first time since a hard-fought loss to current champ Jon Jones at UFC 239. The hard-slugging Brazilian suffered extensive knee injuries in the fight and still managed to go the distance, earning one 48-47 scorecard while the two remaining judges saw it the same for Jones.
Santos underwent surgery and immediately dove into rehabilitation, working with the UFC PI in Las Vegas. The 36-year-old Brazilian told MMA Junkie he planned a permanent move from Rio De Janeiro to Coconut Creek, Fla., to train full-time at American Top Team. Prior to his title setback, he earned four consecutive wins including three stoppages.
After losses in high-profile fights, Teixeira is on the upswing with a quartet of victories. He most recently bludgeoned Anthony Smith en route to a TKO at UFC Jacksonville in April, putting him in range of a rematch with Jones after a one-sided loss in April 2014.
UFC President Dana White recently told Yahoo! Sports all UFC events could be moved to Abu Dhabi in the event that a coronavirus pandemic shutdown is reinstated in Las Vegas, where several events were held this past month.
Source: mmafighting.com
