Report: UFC Light Heavyweights Rashad Evans, ‘Minotoro’ Nogueira to Clash in February

Brazilian outlet Globo first reported the news Wednesday morning; verbal agreements are reportedly in place for the bout. The UFC has announced neither the contest nor the event, which would serve as the most recent iteration of the promotion’s traditional show held on the eve of the NFL’s Super Bowl.

A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Evans, 33, has not competed since stumbling this past April in his UFC 145 title collision with former training partner and reigning 205-pound king Jon Jones. That defeat snapped a four-fight winning streak for Evans, who kicked off 2012 with a unanimous decision win over fellow wrestler Phil Davis on Jan. 28.

Nogueira, 36, rebounded from back-to-back defeats in his most recent outing, as “Minotoro” stopped UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz this past December at UFC 140. The victory came on the heels of a unique circumstance for the Brazilian, who suffered consecutive defeats for the first time in his 11-year pro career when he fell to Ryan Bader and Davis in September 2010 and March 2011, respectively.