Verbal agreements are in place for a heavyweight fight between former UFC champion Junior Dos Santos and Derrick Lewis.
Two people with knowledge of the situation on Monday told MMAjunkie that the matchup will headline UFC on ESPN+ 4, which takes place March 9 at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., and streams on ESPN+. The people requested anonymity because the fight has yet to be made official.
UFC on ESPN+ 4 serves as the UFC’s first event in Kansas. As of now, only two bouts on the card are official.
Dos Santos (20-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) will get back to work after an emphatic stoppage of up-and-comer Tai Tuivasa last month at UFC Fight Night 142. It was his second straight win since he was cleared of potential anti-doping suspension when it was revealed a supplement maker he used was producing products tainted with a performance-enhancer.
Lewis (21-7 MMA, 12-5 UFC) hopes to get back in the win column after falling short against current champ Daniel Cormier this past November at UFC 230. The title shot came after a “Comeback of the Year” win over Alexander Volkov at UFC 229, which upped his winning streak to three fights before the loss to Cormier.
Junior Dos Santos vs. Derrick Lewis targeted as UFC on ESPN+ 4 headliner in Kansas