A new lightweight champion will be crowned when Michael Chandler faces Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 on May 15th.
Several people who are aware of the discussion confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Thursday after an initial report from ESPN.
The battle to secure a new king at £ 155 comes just after UFC president Dana White announced that Khabib Nurmagomedov had officially retired and that he would not make a possible return to the cage. That means the UFC had to crown a new champion, and the promotion wasted no time finding two candidates willing to fill the slot.
For Chandler, the opportunity is just one battle in his UFC career, having reached a lucrative deal with the promotion after a long career at Bellator MMA, where he was a multiple lightweight champion. Chandler made an immediate impact in his debut and knocked out Dan Hooker in the first round at UFC 257 in January.
After that, Chandler called out several potential opponents with his ultimate goal of becoming UFC champion. Now he will get the chance.
As for Oliveira, the former featherweight lightweight will build on his current eight-game winning streak when he faces Chandler in May. The Brazilian initially turned down a non-title fight against Chandler earlier this year, citing inadequate training time.
Oliveira has battled hard over his competition over the past eight fights, including a sudden decisive victory over former interim champion Tony Ferguson in his most recent elimination.
Chandler is expected to headline the upcoming UFC 262 card against Oliveira on May 15, with the location for the event yet to be determined.