Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Following a monthlong run in Abu Dhabi, the UFC will return to Las Vegas for the remainder of 2020.
The promotion on Saturday confirmed its next pay-per-view card, UFC 255, which takes place on Nov. 21 from the UFC APEX with a pair of flyweight title fights atop the card.
In the main event, Deiveson Figueiredo makes the first defense of his flyweight championship when he takes on upstart contender Alex Perez.
Figueiredo claimed the vacant title with a dominant showing against Joseph Benavidez in July, and looks to retain the belt when he returns in November. He was originally expected to meet Cody Garbrandt, but the former bantamweight champ suffered a torn bicep and was forced to withdraw.
As for Perez, he’s won his past three fights in a row with a 6-1 overall record in the UFC that includes two submissions and two knockouts.
The co-main event features women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko defending her title against Jennifer Maia. Maia earned her shot with an upset win over Joanne Calderwood in her most recent outing while Shevchenko has remained one of the most dominant fighters on the entire UFC roster, defending her title three times.
A key flyweight matchup that could crown the next title challenger is featured on UFC 255’s main card as Brandon Royval takes on Brandon Moreno. Former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua kicks off the PPV in a rematch against Paul Craig.
While the UFC has not officially announced the fight, a welterweight matchup between former champion Robbie Lawler and Mike Perry is also expected to take place at UFC 255, though it’s unclear if the bout will take the fifth slot on the PPV.
Additional fights announced for UFC 255 include: Orion Cosce facing Nicolas Dalby; Alan Jouban making his return against Jared Gooden; and Kyle Daukaus taking on Dustin Stoltzfus.
Antonina Shevchenko also joins her sister at UFC 255 in a fight with Ariane Lipski while recent viral video star Joaquin Buckley returns against Jordan Wright.
The full UFC 255 card will be announced at a later date.