Corey Anderson vs Ilir Latifi set for UFC 232
UFC 232 is getting another top light heavyweight fight added to the card. The UFC announced on Tuesday that the fourth-ranked Ilir Latifi will take on seventh-ranked Corey Anderson in a pivotal light heavyweight matchup. The fight could also be the UFC’s backup plan if either Jon Jones or Alexander Gustafsson were unable to compete in their main event title fight on that night.
OFFICIAL!
Top 10 LHWs meet in Vegas as @LatifiMMA faces @CoreyA_MMA at #UFC232! pic.twitter.com/ePRFExBmjV
— UFC (@ufc) October 16, 2018
Latifi (14-5), is currently on a two-fight win streak and had his most recent win against Ovince Saint Preux by way of Guillotine Choke at UFC on FOX 28 this past February. Latifi has never challenged for a UFC belt but a win over Anderson would cement his place at the top of the division and likely set up a title eliminator in his next fight.
Anderson (11-4), is also riding a two-fight win streak and his most recent win came on short notice against Glover Teixeira back in July. A veteran of the UFC since 2014, Anderson has compiled a 6-4 record over his last 10 fights and would certainly crack the top 5 in the light heavyweight rankings if he were to defeat Latifi.
While Anderson vs Latifi could serve as an emergency backup to the Jones/Gustafsson fight, a fight between Anthony Smith and Volkan Oezdemir later this month at UFC Fight Night 138 is more than likely a title eliminator over this Anderson vs Latifi.
UFC 232 will feature two title fights when Cris Cyborg takes on Amanda Nunes for the women’s featherweight title and as mentioned, Jon Jones will fight Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch for the vacant heavyweight title in the main event of the night. The title will be vacated by current champion Daniel Cormier who is also the heavyweight champion and is scheduled to defend his heavyweight title against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230 on November 3 at Madison Square Garden.
The UFC’s final pay-per-view of 2018 is scheduled to take place Saturday, December 29, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
