Bengaluru, October 10: Daniel Cormier's heavyweight title defence against Derrick Lewis set to headline UFC 230 on November 3, UFC president Dana White told ESPN on Tuesday (October 9).
The bout will be the first between the two at the event which takes place next month at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
Cormier, who holds the UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight titles, last fought Stipe Miocic to claim the heavyweight belt at UFC 226 in July. Meanwhile, Lewis is set for a quick turnaround after rallying to knock out Alexander Volkov on Saturday (October 6).
NYC, we have your MAIN EVENT!
— UFC (@ufc) October 9, 2018
The HW strap is on the line as 🏆🏆 @DC_MMA faces off against @TheBeast_UFC at #UFC230. pic.twitter.com/Ltvka3j4H6
There could be a slight alteration to the card as the injury bug has come back to bite the UFC yet again.
Earlier without a main event, the fight card also had a lightweight fight between Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier slated for the co-main event, but that fight could be scrapped now after Poirier pulled out due to injury on October 10. Diaz, however, will remain on the card until a replacement is found.
No comment from Nate Diaz right now. As first reported by @bokamotoESPN, his UFC 230 fight versus Dustin Poirier is off after Poirier recently suffered an injury. No word on if he’ll remain on the card.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 10, 2018
Meanwhile, the previously speculated women's flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Joanna Jedrzejczyk will be moved back to UFC 231 at Toronto in December after the announcement of the UFC 230 main event, according to White.
Also on the card are three middleweight bouts of top calibre featuring the likes of Luke Rockhold, David Branch, Derrick Brunson, Chris Weidman, Ronald Souza and Israel Adessanya.
This is how the UFC 230 card currently stands
Heavyweight title bout: Daniel Cormier (c) vs. Derrick Lewis
Lightweight bout: Nate Diaz vs. TBD
Middleweight bout: Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman
Middleweight bout: Ronaldo Souza vs. David Branch
Middleweight bout: Derek Brunson vs. Israel Adesanya
Featherweight bout: Jason Knight vs. Jordan Rinaldi
Welterweight bout: Lyman Good vs. Sultan Aliev
Bantamweight bout: Brian Kelleher vs. Domingo Pilarte
Lightweight bout: Matt Frevola vs. Lando Vannata
Middleweight bout: Karl Roberson vs. Jack Marshman
Featherweight bout: Julio Arce vs. Sheymon Moraes
Featherweight bout: Shane Burgos vs. Kurt Holobaugh
(With inputs from Agencies)