The UFC is close to finalizing a heavyweight fight between recent title challenger Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis for UFC 226 on July 7 in Las Vegas.
Multiple sources said the planned matchup to ESPN. The UFC 226 pay-per-view event will take place at T-Mobile Arena. MMAFighting.com first reported the new heavyweight matchup.
Ngannou (11-2) fought Stipe Miocic for the title at UFC 221 in January. The French-Cameroonian heavyweight came up short in a unanimous decision. Prior to the loss, Ngannou had finished all six opponents he faced in the UFC. Four of those bouts ended in the first round.
Lewis (19-5), of Houston, is coming off a knockout win over Marcin Tybura in February. He has 17 career wins by knockout.
Both Lewis and Ngannou have expressed interest in this matchup. The UFC has even hinted at it in the past, through promotional posts on social media.
ESPN ranks Ngannou and Lewis as the Nos. 2 and 10 heavyweights in the world, respectively.