Looking for his third straight win in 2015, Gegard Mousasi will return to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 77, event scheduled for Sept. 27 in Saitama, Japan, against Roan Carneiro. Sources told MMAFighting.com that the bout is agreed but contracts are yet to be signed. MMA Planet first reported the match-up.
Mousasi (37-5-2) bounced back from a third-round submission loss to Ronaldo Souza with a pair of wins in 2015, stopping MMA legend Dan Henderson in 70 seconds and scoring a unanimous decision victory over Costas Philippou. The former Strikeforce 205-pound champion is 3-2 since cutting back down to middleweight.
Carneiro (20-9) impressed in his return to the UFC in February, finishing Mark Munoz in the first round at UFC 184. The American Top Team coach, who earned another shot in the UFC after winning a one-night, eight-man tournament in 2014, will stay at 185 pounds for now. In his first UFC run, in 2007-08, “Jucao” won two out of five.
UFC 177 takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and features a five-round heavyweight clash between Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson in the main event. Barnett and Nelson will also coach a new UFC reality show against each other.