Heavyweight Todd Duffee Announces Four-Fight Contract, Planned UFC 209 Return

Todd Duffee will likely return to the Octagon early next year for his first UFC appearance since July 2015.

The heavyweight announced via Instagram on Wednesday that he had signed a new four-fight contract with the Las Vegas-based promotion and will return to action at UFC 209. The UFC has not formally confirmed the signing, and Duffee did not mention an opponent.

Duffee last appeared at UFC Fight Night 71 on July 15, 2015, when he suffered a first-round knockout loss to Frank Mir in the evening’s main event. The massive heavyweight burst upon the scene with a seven-second knockout of Tim Hague in his promotional debut at UFC 114, only to be released in 2010 following an upset loss to Mike Russow. He returned to the organization in 2012.

The 31-year-old has competed infrequently in recent years, as a battle with Parsonage-Turner Syndrome limited his ability to compete. Prior to the Mir defeat, Duffee had earned KO/TKO triumphs in the Octagon over Anthony Hamilton at UFC 181 and Philip De Fries at UFC 155.

UFC 209 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 4 and is expected to include a heavyweight clash between Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt. No headliner has been announced for the event.