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Jacare Souza will fight for the first time since having COVID-19.
A middleweight fight between Jacare Souza and Marvin Vettori is being targeted for UFC 256 in December.
Vettori’s fitness coach revealed the news to BJPenn.com, and ESPN also reported that the fight is in the works. The fight will be Souza’s first after becoming one of the first fighters on the UFC roster to test positive for the coronavirus. Souza was pulled from his fight against Uriah Hall on a day’s notice at UFC 249 in May.
Souza (26-8, 1NC) has lost his last two UFC fights, one a decision against Jack Hermansson and the other a light heavyweight fight against current champion Jan Blachowicz. The Brazilian will be looking to get his first win in over two years at UFC 256, last having his hand raised when he knocked out Chris Weidman in November 2018.
Vettori (15-4-1) is on an impressive winning streak at 185-pounds, winning his last three UFC fights. The Italian, who last submitted Karl Roberson in June, has been vocal about no one at middleweight wanting to fight him, but he now fights a matchup in Souza. There was initially a plan for him to rematch Omari Akhmedov on this card but it appears as if that has fallen through.
UFC 256 on December 12th was supposed to feature two title fights, but Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns has been pushed back to 2021. As of now, Amanda Nunes will defend her featherweight title against Megan Anderson on the card.