“The Boa Constrictor” will look to keep his train rolling in Canada’s capital city later this year.
Aleksei Oleinik is finally set to return to the Octagon.
The 41-year-old heavyweight meets Walt Harris at UFC on ESPN+ 8 on May 4 in Ottawa, Canada, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Oleinik, who has been campaigning for a high-profile bout for months, is coming off a first-round submission of Mark Hunt at UFC Moscow last September. The Russian fighter is riding a two-fight winning streak.
Harris most recently fought Andrei Arlovski at UFC 232 last December. He originally won the contest via split decision, but it was overturned to a no contest last week. Harris tested positive for the banned substance LGB4033, a selective androgen receptor module (SARM), in a drug test in relation to UFC 232. The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), which administered the test, suspended Harris four months after determining that the positive result stemmed from a tainted supplement. Harris is eligible to return April 29.
Harris could still be sanctioned by USADA, the UFC’s anti-doping partner, despite the fact that the drug test was administered by CSAC.
Before the Arlovksi fight, Harris stopped Daniel Spitz at UFC Utica last June.
UFC Ottawa takes place at Canadian Tire Centre. The event does not yet have a main event.