According to a report by a Puerto Rican newspaper, a lightweight title showdown will go down in December.
UFC president Dana White said at a San Juan press conference that the bout between champion Anthony Pettis and Strikeforce champ Gilbert Melendez will happen on the company’s annual year-end show in Las Vegas, according to Primero Hora.
Company sources could only confirm that the current plan is for the fight to occur sometime in late 2014 after the conclusion The Ultimate Fighter 20, for which the two fighters will serve as coaches.
Pettis (17-2) won the lightweight title from Ben Henderson at UFC 164 in August. He’s since been sidelined due to a PCL injury which required surgery.
Melendez (22-3), meanwhile, was recently part of a high-profile free agency period, in which Bellator made the fighter an offer and the UFC matched. His last bout was a unanimous decision win over Diego Sanchez at UFC 166, which ranked high on most 2013 Fight of the Year lists.
The 20th season of TUF features all women’s strawweights and will begin airing in September.