After a delay, Robert Drysdale finally is re-set for his UFC debut.
Drysdale (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout, will meet Cody Donovan (8-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 167.
Sources with knowledge of the fight booking confirmed the news to MMAjunkie.com following an initial report from the Las Vegas Sun. UFC officials later confirmed the fight.
UFC 167 takes place Nov. 16 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and Facebook.
Drysdale was set to make his UFC debut at UFC 163 in August, but had to pull out of the fight with a reported staph infection. Drysdale, a world champion grappler who was born in the U.S. but spent much of his childhood in Brazil, made his official MMA debut in 2010.
Recently, the black belt has competed for Legacy FC in Texas. All of six of his pro wins have come via first-round submission, including an April victory over Bellator vet D.J. Linderman.
Donovan will be looking to rebound from a first-round knockout loss to Ovince St. Preux in August at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston. That loss snapped a four-fight winning streak, including a knockout win in his UFC debut against Nick Penner this past December and a win under the Bellator banner.
UFC 167 is the promotion’s 20th anniversary show. It features a main-event welterweight title fight between champion Georges St-Pierre and top contender Johny Hendricks. Earlier in the day Thursday, a heavyweight bout set for the card between Frank Mir and Alistair Overeem was moved to UFC 169 in February.
With the addition, the latest UFC 167 card now includes:
For more on UFC 167, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Robert Drysdale)
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