As if UFC 168 didn’t already have enough star power, a consequential heavyweight fight has been added to the lineup.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett will meet Travis Browne at the year-end event on Dec. 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal broke the news Tuesday.
Barnett (33-6), who defeated Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight title in 2002, made a successful return after an 11-year absence at UFC 164 with a first-round finish of Frank Mir. The Fullerton, Calif. resident by way of Seattle has won nine of his past 10 fights.
Browne (15-1-1), a Jackson’s MMA fighter, is riding high off his biggest career victory. The 31-year old Hawaiian capped a spectacular comeback against Alistair Overeem at UFC Fight Night in Boston on Aug. 17 with a sensational head-kick knockout in the final minute of the first round. That marked Browne’s second straight Knockout of the Night and fourth bonus in his past six fights.
While not specified, this bout is expected to land on the main card, which is co-headlined by the Chris Weidman-Anderson Silva middleweight title rematch and Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate for the women’s bantamweight belt.