The UFC’s fall trip to Toronto just got a lot heavier.
White also said that the promotion is targeting a welterweight pairing featuring B.J. Penn and Rory MacDonald at the same event, which is expected to take place Sept. 22 at Air Canada Centre.
Dos Santos, 27, wrested the title from Velasquez last November with a 64-second smashing of the American Kickboxing Academy standout. Most recently, “Cigano” defended his title against Frank Mir two weeks ago at UFC 146, stopping the ex-champion via second-round technical knockout.
Velasquez also returned to the cage at UFC 146 and brutally stopped onetime Strikeforce talent Antonio Silva in the opening round. The 29-year-old initially captured the UFC title in 2010, when he knocked out Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. Velasquez’s defeat to dos Santos remains his only career defeat.