The UFC has yet to make it official, but after an extended layoff due to injury, unbeaten bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt couldn't wait.
On social media, Garbrandt said he'll make his first title defense Nov. 4 in the likely UFC 217 co-main event against former champion T.J. Dillashaw at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Like in its November 2016 trip to New York, when Conor McGregor, Tyron Woodley and Joanna Jedrzejczyk won or retained their belts, the UFC is expected to add a third title fight to the card.
That is expected to either be a Jedrzejczyk women's straw-weight title defense against Rose Namajunas or a women's featherweight title bout between new champion Cris "Cyborg" Justino and former bantamweight champion Holly Holm.
Garbrandt, coming off an impressive Dec. 30 title triumph by unanimous decision over former champion Dominick Cruz, was first supposed to fight his former Sacramento stablemate Dillashaw at UFC 213 in July.
Garbrandt's back injury scrapped the July date.
On Wednesday, Garbrandt posted a photo of himself and Dillashaw in front of a backdrop typically used in UFC fight announcements, writing "UFC 217 Madison Square Garden vs. @TJDillashaw," of the former Cal State Fullerton wrestler who's recently been sparring in a Southland boxing gym.
UFC President Dana White declined to confirm that Garbrandt-Dillashaw is on.
