The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s annual return to the Chicago area has received a hefty dose of heavyweight action: Stipe Miocic will take on Gabriel Gonzaga in a fight expected to air on the network broadcast.
The news was first reported by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The event, which takes place Jan. 25 at the United Center, is headlined by a lightweight fight between former UFC champion Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson. Henderson lost the belt to Anthony Pettis in August. Thomson was scheduled to face Pettis in December, but a knee injury forced the bout’s cancellation.
Pettis is now scheduled to undergo knee surgery in December, and it’s currently unknown when he’ll be able to return to action.
Miocic (10-1, 4-1 UFC) is coming off the biggest win of his career, a dominant decision win over the then-surging Roy “Big Country” Nelson. Miocic’s lone loss in the UFC came at the hands of Stefan Struve in September 2012. He is ranked ninth in the heavyweight division.
Gonzaga (16-7, 11-6 UFC) returned to the UFC in 2012 after a brief retirement, and, outside of a loss to Travis Browne in a fight he took on short notice, Gonzaga has been perfect. He’s riding a two-fight winning streak, with wins over Shawn Jordan and Dave Herman. Gonzaga is unranked in the UFC’s heavyweight division.
The only other fight currently scheduled for UFC on FOX 10 is a featherweight bout between Darren Elkins and Jeremy Stephens. Elkins is 6-1 as a featherweight, with his only loss coming to top contender Chad Mendes, while Stephens is 2-0 since making his featherweight debut.
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