UFC on Fox 20 event starts to take shape with Anthony Johnson, Holly Holm bouts
The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s next network showcase is starting to take shape.
A light heavyweight bout between contenders Anthony Johnson and Glover Teixeira was made official Friday as the co-main event of UFC on Fox 20, scheduled for the United Center in Chicago on July 23.
Johnson has won 10 of his last 11 fights and is 5-1 since returning to the UFC in 2014. His lone loss came against champion Daniel Cormier in a 2015 bout for the vacant title.
A victory over Teixeira would likely set Johnson up to face the winner of the July 9 light heavyweight title unification bout between Cormier and former champ Jon Jones.
Teixeira has won three in a row, two by knockout and one by submission.
The main event for the UFC’s return to Chicago is expected to pit Valentina Shevchenko against former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm.
Holm lost the belt to Miesha Tate in March after taking it from Ronda Rousey by second-round knockout in November.
The bout has not yet been confirmed by the UFC.
A lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and Gilbert Melendez has also been added to the card.
Melendez has lost three of his last four fights and is coming off a one-year suspension for a positive steroid test after a loss to Eddie Alvarez in June 2015.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
