Joey Beltran returns to the Octagon on Oct. 9, and it’s a ‘Fight of the Night’ candidate.
MMAFighting.com has learned with sources close to the UFC that "The Mexicutioner" is heading to Brazil for a light heavyweight showdown against fan favorite and Sao Paulo native Fabio Maldonado at UFC Fight Night 29.
"I am very excited for the fight, it should be a fun fight," Beltran told MMAFighting.com, confirming the news.
UFN 29 takes place in Barueri, Sao Paulo, and will feature Demian Maia vs. Jake Shields at the main event.
Beltran and Maldonado desperately need a win on Oct. 9, but Beltran case is even worse. Following a suspension for testing positive for nandrolone in his decision win over Igor Pokrajac last December, his recent UFC record shows only one win in the last seven appearances inside the Octagon.
Maldonado found himself in a similar situation after three consecutive losses in the UFC, with losses to Glover Teixeira, Igor Prokrajac and Kyle Kingsbury. The fact that he accepted to fight Teixeira on short notice earned him another shot inside the Octagon, and he made the best with it with a dominant win over Roger Hollett on May.