UFC 231 Update: Renato Carneiro, Mirsad Bektic to Meet in Toronto on Dec. 8

Renato Carneiro and Mirsad Bektic will square off in a featherweight matchup at UFC 231.

Promotion officials announced the booking Wednesday. UFC 231 takes place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Dec. 8 and is headlined by a featherweight title tilt pitting Max Holloway against Brian Ortega. In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko and Joanna Jedrzejczyk will vie for the vacant women’s flyweight strap.

Carneiro vs. Bektic is expected to provide back-up options should either Holloway or Ortega be forced to withdraw from the main event.

Carneiro has won five of his six Octagon appearances, with his lone defeat coming at the hands of Ortega at UFC 214. “Moicano” last appeared at UFC 227, where he submitted Cub Swanson in the opening stanza on Aug. 4.

Bektic, meanwhile, is 6-1 within the Las Vegas-based organization. His lone setback, a third-round KO loss to Darren Elkins, came in a fight he was largely dominating before the finish occurred. Bektic enters the matchup on the strength of back-to-back wins over Ricardo Lamas and Godofredo Castro.