Billy Quarantillo and Gavin Tucker both asked for the fight on numerous occasions – and now they have it.
At UFC 256 on Dec. 12, Quarantillo (15-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Tucker (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will square off at the event expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Multiple people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Wednesday, but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
The two fighters were scheduled to square off in April at UFC on ESPN+ 31. However, when the pandemic hit the fight was canceled. Both fighters have been advocating for a rebooking ever since.
Quarantillo, 31, is perfect inside the UFC cage since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 3. After dominating Jacob Kilburn in his promotional debut, Quarantillo defeated Spike Carlyle in a close, back-and-forth affair in May. In September, Quarantillo knocked out Canada’s Kyle Nelson in Round 3.
Tucker, 34, has won back-to-back fights since a loss suffered to Rick Glenn in September 2017. In July 2019, Tucker returned and submitted Seung Woo Choi. Most recently, he defeated Justin Jaynes by submission in August.
With the addition, the UFC 256 lineup includes:
- Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson – for UFC women’s featherweight title
- .Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling – for UFC bantamweight title
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Ronaldo Souza vs. Marvin Vettori
- Dwight Grant vs. Li Jingliang
- Angela Hill vs. Tecia Torres
- Peter Barrett vs. Chase Hooper
- Billy Quarantillo vs. Gavin Tucker