Kelvin Gastelum-Jack Hermansson Middleweight Pairing Slated for July 18 Event

Per sources, Jack Hermansson (@jackthejokermma) and Kelvin Gastelum (@KelvinGastelum) have agreed to meet on July 18 on Fight Island. pic.twitter.com/AHzoRVsglu

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) June 4, 2020

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A big middleweight tilt is headed towards a Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Night in July.

On Wednesday night, ESPN was first to report that Kelvin Gastelum (15-5, 1 NC) will be taking on Jack Hermansson (20-5) in a significant middleweight showdown on July 18. The two will meet on a Fight Night card that does not currently have a location scheduled, although it is considered to be going down on “Fight Island.” Hermansson was previously linked to a match against Chris Weidman in May, but when the event was scratched due to the coronavirus pandemic, the bout was not rescheduled.

Gastelum will be looking to snap a two-fight decision skid, and the first losing streak of his career. He dropped a split verdict to Darren Till at UFC 244 in November, and before then, engaged in the 2019 “Fight of the Year”-winning decision against Israel Adesanya at UFC 236. Throughout his career, Gastelum has picked up wins over names like Ronaldo Souza, Michael Bisping and former welterweight king Johny Hendricks.

Hermansson saw an impressive four-fight win streak come to an end in dramatic fashion against Jared Cannonier at UFC Fight Night 160 in September 2019. In what was a potential title eliminator match, the Swede was dispatched in the second frame. Before losing, “The Joker” had defeated Souza, David Branch, Gerald Meerschaert and Thales Leites to make a run towards the top of the division.

The to-be-determined UFC Fight Night card on July 18 may be held on “Fight Island,” and more news will be available in the future. Headlining the event is a flyweight championship rematch between Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez for the vacant 125-pound strap. Also going down that night is a major flyweight scrap between Alexandre Pantoja and Askar Askarov.