Fresh off a split decision win in Brazil, Francisco Trinaldo has a new bout set inside the Octagon, as the promotion officially announced on Saturday that “Massaranduba” will face TUF winner Michael Chiesa at UFC 173.
UFC 173 takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 24 and is headlined by UFC middleweight championship fight Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida.
Submission wizard Chiesa (10-1), who tapped Al Iaquinta to win “The Ultimate Fighter” 15 in 2012, is 3-1 under the Zuffa banner after a “Submission of the Night” victory over Colton Smith at UFC Fight for the Troops 3 in November.
Trinaldo (14-3) is set to fight for the first time outside of Brazil. “Massaranduba” is 4-2 in the UFC when fighting in his native country of Brazil following a recent split decision victory over Jesse Ronson, bouncing back to the win column following a submission loss to Piotr Hallmann at UFC Fight Night 28.
UFC 173’s current fight card is the following:
Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida
Chris Holdsworth vs. Kyung Ho Kang
Sam Sicilia vs. Doo Ho Choi
Jamie Varner vs. James Krause
T.J. Dillashaw vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Al Iaquinta vs. Mitch Clarke
Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo