Nordine Taleb-Jingliang Li Welterweight Bout Added to Oct. 4 UFC Fight Night in Halifax

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Canada’s Nordine Taleb is headed back down to his natural weight class for his next Ultimate Fighting Championship bout.

Taleb, who competed as a middleweight on “The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia,” will return to welterweight for an Oct. 4 meeting with China’s Jingliang Li. Officials from UFC’s Canadian branch announced the matchup on Monday.

The bout will be part of UFC Fight Night “MacDonald vs. Saffiedine,” an event set to take place at Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The developing fight card is topped by welterweights Rory MacDonald and Tarec Saffiedine.

A former Bellator tournament competitor, 33-year-old Taleb was eliminated from “TUF Nations” after dropping a decision to Australian Tyler Manawaroa. The Tristar Gym product was victorious in his official Octagon debut on April 16, earning a unanimous nod against Vik Grujic.

Li, 26, also had a successful UFC debut, edging previously unbeaten David Michaud in a split decision on May 24. The former Legend Fighting Championships titlist has earned four of his nine wins by way of guillotine choke.