Flyweight prospect Muhammad Mokaev will lock horns with Malcolm Gordon at UFC 280.
ESPN was first to report the 125-pound booking. UFC 280 takes place on Oct. 22 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and is headlined by a lightweight championship showdown between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev. In the co-main event, Aljamain Sterling will defend the bantamweight crown against T.J. Dillashaw.
Muhammad is unbeaten in nine professional outings, including a pair of triumphs in UFC competition. In his last outing, “The Punisher” landed 12 takedowns en route to a unanimous decision victory over Charles Johnson at UFC Fight Night 208 in London on July 23.
After coming up short in his first two UFC appearances, Gordon has won back-to-back fights in the Las Vegas-based promotion. The former TKO MMA flyweight champion is coming off a first-round stoppage of Denys Bondar at UFC Fight Night 200 on Feb. 5, a victory that ran his professional record to 14-5.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!