A key welterweight bout is headed to Minnesota in June.
Anthony Rocco Martin will look to capture the biggest win of his career this summer.
Martin is expected to take on top UFC welterweight Demian Maia at UFC Minneapolis on June 29, Combate reported Thursday. The promotion is targeting the fight but it is not yet official, according to the report.
Maia is coming off a submission win over Lyman Good in February at UFC Fortaleza. The victory snapped the Brazilian veteran’s three-fight skid, which included losses to ex-champ Tyron Woodley in a title fight, former interim titleholder Colby Covington, and current champ Kamaru Usman.
Martin, who started his MMA career in Minnesota, is riding a four-fight winning streak. Most recently, the American Top Team product beat Sergio Moraes in March at UFC Wichita. He also holds highlight-reel finishes of Jake Matthews and Ryan LaFlare in 2018. Martin’s last loss came to Olivier Aubin-Mercier — at Martin’s old weight class of lightweight — in 2017.
UFC Minneapolis is headlined by a 170-pound rematch between former champions Woodley and Robbie Lawler. The pair met for the first time nearly three years ago, when Woodley won the title with a first-round knockout of Lawler.