Two former UFC champions are set to face off as the promotion makes its return to China in November.
Originally reported by Leo Guimaraes on X, Petr Yan will go up against Deiveson Figueiredo on Saturday, November 23 at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China. Yan, currently ranked No. 3 in the bantamweight division, will be facing Figueiredo, who is ranked at No. 5.
This matchup could potentially serve as a title eliminator, with the winner expected to face the current 135-pound champion Merab Dvalishvili, after Dvalishvili’s upcoming fight with Umar Nurmagomedov.
Yan recently returned to the Octagon at UFC 299 after a year-long break and secured a unanimous decision victory over Song Yadong, putting an end to a three-fight losing streak. Prior to that, Yan had suffered two split decision losses followed by a defeat against Dvalishvili in March 2023.
Meanwhile, Figueiredo has been enjoying success in the bantamweight division since moving up from flyweight, with wins over Rob Font, Marlon Vera, and Cody Garbrandt.
Reinier de Ridder to make UFC debut against Gerald Meerschaert
Following the announcement of Reinier de Ridder’s signing with the UFC, it’s been revealed that he will face Gerald Meerschaert in his debut fight on Saturday, November 9 at UFC Vegas 100.
Meerschaert made history in August by becoming the fighter with the most finishes in UFC middleweight division after his win over Edmen Shahbazyan. De Ridder also has an impressive record of finishes, with 15 out of his 17 wins ending before the final bell.
De Ridder’s notable wins include capturing the ONE middleweight and light heavyweight titles before losing them in subsequent fights against Anatoly Malykhin.
