Middleweight contenders Brendan Allen and Marvin Vettori are scheduled to face off at UFC 318 on July 19 in New Orleans, aiming to resolve their ongoing animosity.
Sources familiar with the promotion`s plans confirmed this matchup to MMA Fighting on Wednesday, following an initial report by MMA Mania.
This bout marks the peak of a long-standing rivalry between Allen and Vettori, which began when they were initially slated to fight at UFC Vegas 90. That planned fight was canceled after Vettori withdrew, but the bad feelings only intensified.
The animosity escalated as the two fighters exchanged insults, eventually leading to a physical altercation at a casino during a PFL event in Florida.
Now, they will finally get the chance to settle their dispute inside the octagon, with both men looking to rebound from recent setbacks.
Allen is currently on a two-fight losing streak, having dropped decisions to Nassourdine Imavov and Anthony Hernandez after previously winning seven consecutive bouts. Vettori`s recent record is 1-3 in his last four fights, including back-to-back losses against Roman Dolidze and Jared Cannonier.
This fight is particularly significant for Allen, who was born and raised in Louisiana. He began his training as a teenager, working alongside Dustin Poirier, the headliner for UFC 318. Poirier is scheduled to have his potential retirement fight against Max Holloway in the main event that same night in New Orleans.
