A featherweight tilt has been re-booked for this year’s International Fight Week pay-per-view card.
Gilbert Melendez will return to the cage this summer at International Fight Week.
The former Strikeforce lightweight champion meets Arnold Allen at UFC 239 on July 6 in Las Vegas, UFC officials announced Wednesday.
Melendez and Allen were originally scheduled to compete at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale last November, but Melendez suffered an injury and a replacement for Allen was not found.
Melendez hasn’t fought since a September 2017 loss to Jeremy Stephens, in which Stephens badly chopped down his legs en route to a three-round decision. Melendez has lost four straight, including an unsuccessful lightweight title bid against Anthony Pettis. His last win was a 2013 victory over Diego Sanchez.
Melendez is also scheduled to compete in a jiu-jitsu match against UFC veteran Pat Healy at Submission Underground 8 on May 12.
Allen, a top featherweight prospect, has won five straight since signing with the UFC four years ago. Most recently, the Tristar product defeated Jordan Rinaldi via decision in March at UFC London. Allen is on a seven-fight winning streak overall.
UFC 239, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena, is headlined by a light heavyweight title bout between champion Jon Jones and Thiago Santos. In the co-feature, Amanda Nunes puts her women’s bantamweight title on the line against ex-champ Holly Holm.