A heavyweight bout is expected to take place at the upcoming UFC card headed to Brazil as native son Gabriel Gonzaga faces Ben Rothwell in January.
Sources close to the fight confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that verbal agreements are in place for the bout slated to land in Brazil. Tatame.com first reported the bout.
The upcoming card in Brazil is set to take place on Jan 19, although the show is expected to be a nationally televised card and not a pay-per-view as first reported.
Gabriel Gonzaga was expected to be a part of the UFC 153 card, but his original opponent Geronimo dos Santos was forced off the show, and the bout was cancelled. Now Gonzaga looks to pick up his second win in a row inside the Octagon when he returns in January.
Ben Rothwell will also look to pick up his second win in a row when he travels to Brazil to face Gonzaga. In his most recent fight, Rothwell knocked out former Ultimate Fighter finalist Brendan Schaub at UFC 145 in April.
Now Rothwell will face Gonzaga at the upcoming card in Brazil in January.