Ilia Topuria to fight Jai Herbert at UFC London

Ilia Topuria is getting back in the cage at a new weight class.

MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Damon Marting confirmed with sources with knowledge of the matchup that Topuria (11-0) will fight Jai Herbert (11-3) in a lightweight bout at the March 19 UFC London event. This will be Topuria’s first UFC appearance at 155 pounds.

The bout was first reported by Eurosport.

Topuria’s change of divisions comes in the wake of him having to withdraw from a Jan. 22 featherweight bout against Movsar Evloev at UFC 270 due to weight cut issues. The Georgian standout has been victorious in all three of his UFC appearances at 145 pounds thus far.

Herbert, a former Cage Warriors, lightweight champion, scored his first UFC win and snapped a two-fight skid in his most recent appearance at UFC Vegas 41 this past October. He needed less than three minutes to put Khama Worthy away with strikes, a finish that improved his UFC record to 1-2. “The Black Country Banger” hails from England.

UFC London will be headlined by a heavyweight bout between Alexander Volkov and Tom Aspinall.