The two largest titles in MMA are set to be on the line this fall from New York City. UFC president Dana White announced on Wednesday night that the vacant light heavyweight title will be on the line at UFC 295 in November when former titleholder Jiri Prochazka takes on former middleweight champ Alex Pereira.
Prochazka won the title in June 2022 with a last-minute submission of Glover Teixeira. However, he suffered a gruesome right shoulder injury during the bout and was forced to vacate the title instead of holding up the division.
But in his absence, no true champion has stepped up and grabbed the crown. Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz battled to a split draw that left the title still vacant. Then, Jamahal Hill battled Teixeira one month later and scored a decision win to claim the title. But just months later, Hill ruptured his Achilles tendon and was forced to also vacate the title.
🚨 HUGE FIGHT NEWS 🚨
— UFC (@ufc) September 21, 2023
November's #UFC295 co-main event will be @Jiri_BJP vs @AlexPereiraUFC for the vacant light heavyweight title!
AND your #UFC296 headliners will be @Leon_EdwardsMMA vs @ColbyCovMMA, with Alexandre Pantoja vs @BrandonRoyval serving as the co-main! pic.twitter.com/GTD5pnd1BD
Pereira enters his third title bout in just his sixth UFC appearance. Pereira shocked many with his fifth-round TKO of Israel Adesanya last November to claim the middleweight crown. Adesanya avenged that loss in April with his own TKO, but Pereira asserted himself well in his 205-pound debut by outpointing Blachowicz in July.
Heavyweight champion Jon Jones is set to defend his crown against former titleholder Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 295 on Nov. 11 from Madison Square Garden.
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