The UFC is finalizing a middleweight tilt between Kelvin Gastelum and Jack Hermansson for July 18, multiple sources told ESPN.
Contracts have not been signed, but both sides have agreed to the 185-pound matchup. The bout is expected to take place on the UFC’s Fight Island, which president Dana White has not revealed the exact location of.
Gastelum (16-5) will look to snap the first losing streak of his professional career. The 28-year-old suffered a decision loss to current champion Israel Adesanya in a Fight of the Year candidate in April 2019. In his most recent bout, Gastelum came up short in a split-decision loss to Darren Till at UFC 244 in November.
Before the coronavirus pandemic impacted the UFC’s schedule, Hermansson (20-5), of Norway, was supposed to face former champion Chris Weidman on May 2. He is coming off a second-round TKO loss to Jared Cannonier in September. Prior to the loss, Hermansson won four in a row.