A flyweight showdown between four-time UFC title contender Joseph Benavidez and Askar Askarov is currently in the works for UFC 259 on March 6.
Multiple people with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Tuesday following an initial report from Russian journalist Igor Lazonin. A location and venue has not been confirmed for the spring fight card.
The fight will serve as Benavidez’s return to action after back-to-back losses to reigning flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. The first bout was shrouded in controversy after Figueiredo missed weight for the fight and the two accidentally clashed heads prior to Figueiredo’s TKO finish a few moments later.