Former UFC light heavyweight champion
Vitor Belfort will return to the Octagon Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, where he will fight former middleweight champ
Rich Franklin.
UFC President Dana White announced the UFC 103 bout Friday during a media conference call. To make the matchup, he nixed a previously announced rematch between Franklin and
Dan Henderson.
“The fans didn’t like (Henderson-Franklin), so we’re going to change it,” White said.
Belfort-Franklin will take place at a 195-pound catchweight, according to a Twitter post by Franklin on Friday night. As for Henderson, White said he is “definitely next in line” for
Anderson Silva’s middleweight title. The UFC president said
Demian Maia and
Nate Marquardt, who meet Aug. 29 at UFC 102, are in the mix.
This article was updated at 12:23 a.m. Saturday to reflect the bout's change from 205 pounds to 195, according to Franklin.
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