London Calling: UFC set to return to the capital on July 23
The UFC had such a great time in London earlier this year that they've already booked their return.
The UFC is coming back to London.
The UFC Fight Night event at The O2 Arena in March was so good, UFC president Dana White promised in the post-fight press conference that he would bring the UFC back to the UK later in the year.
That return has now been announced, and British fans won't have to wait too long for the event, which is set for The O2 Arena on Saturday, July 23.
Two bouts have already been booked for that date, with British flyweight and former two-time IMMAF world champion Muhammad Mokaev set to return to The O2 to face former LFA champion Charles Johnson.
Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson is also set to return against Ukrainian contender Nikita Krylov.
It's highly likely we'll see a number of March's big winners back in the capital, too, with Tom Aspinall, Arnold Allen, Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann and Jack Shore potentially in line for returns. A host of other British stars will no doubt be clamouring for a chance to be on the card, too.
There is currently no confirmed main event for the card, but it's worth noting that Dana White said the only thing that could have made the UFC's last visit to London even better was if it had the mooted welterweight title fight between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards at the top of the card.
Much depends on Usman's recovery from a broken hand, but the pair were linked with a possible matchup at UFC 276 on July 2. Could White make his original plan come to fruition and book them for the main event in London in July?
I’ll leave you with White’s own comment, from the post-fight presser in London in March.
“The only thing that would’ve made tonight even better, if you could even make tonight even better, would’ve been if Usman and Leon were the main event and Aspinall was the co-main event.
“So the answer is yes. I wanted to do that. I wanted this card tonight to be a title fight. I was going to move things around, try to make things happen, but Usman’s hand just wasn’t ready.
“I’m going to have a pay-per-view here. I will do it. I’m going to bring a title fight here.”
Watch this space, friends.