A light heavyweight division attraction may be added to the forthcoming UFC 220 card as Gian Villante could be seeing action against Francimar Barroso.
Newsday first reported the possible fight.
Villante (15-9-0) enters the fight while riding a two bout losing streak, dropping fights to both Mauricio Rua and Patrick Cummins. Villante hasn’t earned a victory in just under a year, with that coming over Saparbek Safarov at UFC Fight Night 102. Villante also returns to a pay-per-view card for the first time in almost two years and his last pay-per-view card appearance came at UFC 196.
Barroso (19-6-0-1NC) has won just one of his last four in the UFC, over Darren Stewart at UFC Fight Night 107. Barroso will also be competing in North America for the first time in two years, the fighter has a record of 2-0-0 when fighting stateside. Barroso has seen all but one of his bouts in the UFC go the distance and that bout with a finish came at UFC Fight Night 87.
UFC 220 takes place on Saturday, January 20 from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts with no main event announced at this time. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
