Rafael Dos Anjos to put UFC belt on the line on Fight Pass card in Las Vegas
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos will defend the belt against Eddie Alvarez at MGM Grand Garden on July 7, sources close to the organization confirmed early Friday.
The title bout will headline a Fight Night card that will stream exclusively on the UFC’s online subscription service, Fight Pass. The event takes place on a Thursday as part of three consecutive nights of UFC events in Las Vegas leading up to UFC 200 at T-Mobile Arena on July 9.
Dos Anjos won the belt last March with a unanimous decision victory over Anthony Pettis and defended it with a first-round knockout of Donald Cerrone in December.
He was scheduled to defend the belt against featherweight champ Conor McGregor in March, but was forced to pull out of the bout due to a foot injury.
Dos Anjos has won five straight fights.
Alvarez, the former Bellator lightweight champion, has recorded back-to-back split decision victories over Gilbert Melendez and Pettis.
The Friday night event, the finale card for Season 23 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” will also take place at MGM Grand. Women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk will defend the belt against Claudia Gadelha in the main event.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
