A pivotal bantamweight matchup is on tap to headline UFC Kazakhstan.
Former title challenger Marlon Moraes is expected to fight Petr Yan. Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the impending booking Wednesday, but asked to remain anonymous since the UFC has yet to make an announcement. Contracts have not been issued, but verbal agreements are in place.
UFC Kazakhstan is expected to take place June 13 at Astana Arena in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The event still has not been officially announced by the promotion.
Winner of five of his last six, Moraes (23-6-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) failed to capture the vacant UFC bantamweight title when he suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Henry Cejudo last June. Since then, Moraes rebounded by narrowly defeating former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo last December at UFC 245.
Yan (14-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), meanwhile, is yet to lose in the UFC, starting out his tenure at 6-0. He is coming off a third-round knockout of UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber at UFC 245.
