The UFC’s first-quarter schedule in 2021 is beginning to take form with a main event between light heavyweight contenders Dominick Reyes and Jiri Prochazka coming in February.
Reyes (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and Prochazka (27-3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) are targeted to fight in a five-round headliner on Feb. 27, UFC president Dana White told broadcast partner ESPN on Tuesday. A potential location and venue for the card is unknown.
Reyes, No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA light heavyweight rankings, has suffered back-to-back losses after starting his career on a 12-fight winning streak.
The 30-year-old fought Jon Jones to a controversial title-fight decision in February before Jones vacated the belt earlier this year. Reyes fought Jan Blachowicz to determine the new champion at UFC 253 in September and succumbed to a second-round TKO.
No. 13-ranked Prochazka, meanwhile, will look to make a leap up the rankings after his impressive octagon debut at UFC 251 in July. The 28-year-old needed less than six minute of cage time to knock out former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir.
The former Rizin FF champion has suffered just one loss in his past 23 fights overall, and it came against “King Mo” Lawal, who he later beat in a rematch.