It has now been confirmed that Britain’s Leon Edwards will defend his welterweight title in a trilogy bout against Kamaru Usman at UFC 286 in London on 18 March.
The 31-year-old Edwards shocked Nigerian-born American Usman in a rematch in August, becoming only the second British UFC champion in history although the Nigerian Nightmare won their first meeting in 2015.
There were initial doubts about the main event at the O2 Arena holding after it was revealed that Usman has been nursing a hand injury.
American Justin Gaethje will fight Azerbaijan’s Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight co-main event.
The card will be the first UFC numbered event to take place in Britain since UFC 204 in 2016, when Britain’s first UFC champion Michael Bisping defended his middleweight title against Dan Henderson in Manchester.
The UFC’s numbered events are regarded as their flagship shows in comparison to their ‘Fight Night’ spectacles.
Other fights confirmed for UFC 286 include an all-British bout between Nathaniel Wood and Lerone Murphy, and Britain’s Joanne Wood against Brazilian Carolina Luana.
Jake Hadley will take on Malcolm Gordon, Marvin Vettori fights Roman Dolidze, and Gunnar Nelson faces Daniel Rodriguez.