Chris Weidman-Jack Hermansson Middleweight Headliner in the Works for UFC OKC

Breaking: Chris Weidman is headed back to 185 pounds. The former champ has agreed to face Jack Hermansson on May 2 in the main event of UFC Fight Night in OKC. Bout agreements not signed yet, per sources, but UFC working on finalizing the matchup. pic.twitter.com/DaPWRZoYOh

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 20, 2020

We may now have a headlining bout for the Ultimate Fighting Championship's return trip to Oklahoma City in May.

According to ESPN on Thursday, Chris Weidman (14-5) is planning to move back to middleweight and take on Jack Hermansson (20-5). Their bout is being considered for the main event of UFC Oklahoma City, which will go down on May 2 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. While the agreements have not yet been signed, the promotion is actively putting the match together. Other bouts already scheduled for the card include a strawweight showdown between former title challenger Claudia Gadelha and the unbeaten Marina Rodriguez, while Vanessa Melo collides with newcomer Sarah Alpar in the bantamweight division.

Weidman flirted with the light heavyweight division for the first time in his career when he took on Dominick Reyes at UFC on ESPN 6 in October. Weidman was separated from his consciousness for his effort to the future title challenger, prompting a move back down to the division where he previously won gold. Weidman has dropped five of his last six, with his lone victory in that stretch a third-round arm-triangle choke of Kelvin Gastelum in 2017. The man to dethrone Anderson Silva during the latter’s legendary run, Weidman ran a record of 13-0 until he had his unbeaten record and title ripped from him when Luke Rockhold knocked him out at UFC 194 in 2015. All five of Weidman’s career defeats have come by knockout.

Hermansson saw an impressive four-fight win streak snapped at the hands of Jared Cannonier in September, where the Swede suffered a second-round knockout loss in the headliner of UFC Fight Night 160. Prior to the defeat, Hermansson put himself on the map with a knockout of Thiago Leites, two first-round guillotine chokes of Gerald Meerschaert and David Branch. The biggest win of his career likely came over Ronaldo Souza, as he put the submission mastermind in danger with another guillotine choke, but ultimately took home a decision. “The Joker” sports a finish rate of 80 percent, with over half of his career wins coming by knockout.