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Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff Writer
Two of the most exciting big men in the UFC will meet for gold at Madison Square Garden.
Former light heavyweight champion Jirí Procházka and former middleweight champion Alex Pereira will fight for the vacant light heavyweight title in the co-main event of UFC 295 on Nov. 11 in New York, UFC president Dana White announced Wednesday on social media.
The light heavyweight belt was vacated by Jamahal Hill in July due to a blown Achilles. ESPN has Pereira ranked No. 2 at light heavyweight, behind Hill, and Prochazka unranked (inactivity).
Prochazka (29-3-1) has not fought since beating Glover Teixeira to win the UFC light heavyweight belt at UFC 275 in June 2022. The Czech Republic native relinquished the title last November due to a shoulder injury. Prochazka, 30, is 3-0 in the UFC with three finishes and has 13 straight wins overall with only one decision during that stretch.
Pereira (8-2) moved up to light heavyweight and beat former champ Jan Blachowicz via split decision at UFC 291 in July. The Brazil native, who lives and trains in Connecticut, knocked out Israel Adesanya at UFC 281 last November at MSG to win the middleweight title, only for Adesanya to knock him out to win reclaim the belt at UFC 287 in April. Pereira, 35, has won five of six UFC fights.
Jon Jones will defend the UFC heavyweight title against former heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic in a battle of all-time greats in the UFC 295 main event.