3 crucial fights announced for UFC on FOX 16 in Chicago

3 big fights were announced for UFC on FOX 16 earlier today on FOX Sports 1’s America’s Pregame. The event is scheduled for July 25th and will go down inside of Chicago’s United Center. This announcement comes just days before UFC on FOX 15 takes place in Newark, New Jersey.

A rematch for the UFC bantamweight title between the champ, T.J. Dillashaw, and Renan Barao will headline the event. This will be the first time FOX has aired a title fight since Demetrious Johnson versus Joseph Benavidez 2 headlined UFC on FOX 9 in December of 2013.

Dillashaw and Barao were originally to fight again at UFC 177 in Sacramento. That fight would be scrapped due to a weight cutting incident with Barao. The fight would be rescheduled again for UFC 186 in Montreal. A broken rib suffered by Dillashaw forced another cancellation. Will the third time be a charm? If not, unlike Montreal and Sacramento, Chicago has been given two more contests worthy of taking over headliner status.

The co-main event of the night will feature two lightweights coming of the most high-profile losses of their respective careers. Former champ and Wheaties cover boy Anthony Pettis will return to action for the first time since being dominated by Rafael dos Anjos for 25 minutes in Dallas to take on Hazel Park’s own Myles Jury. Jury suffered the first professional loss of his career against Donald Cerrone to kick off the UFC’s 2015 campaign in the co-main event of UFC 182.

A win for Pettis immediately puts him back into title contention. A win for Jury leap frogs him right into the top 5 of the toughest division in MMA.

Rounding out the main card of UFC on FOX 16 will be a title eliminator for the women’s bantamweight strap currently held by Ronda Rousey. The woman who Rousey originally claimed the title from back in Strikeforce, Miesha Tate, will battle Ohioan Jessica Eye.

Tate has put together an impressive three-fight win streak since losing to Rousey via armbar in their rematch back at UFC 168. In her last fight, the ultra aggressive “Evil” Eye earned her first UFC win by nearly punching her Leslie Smith’s ear off in Mexico City.

Here is the UFC on FOX 16 ‘Dillashaw vs. Barao 2’ card as it stands today:

• Bantamweight Title Bout: T.J. Dillashaw (11-2) vs Renan Barao (33-2)

• Lightweight Bout: Anthony Pettis (18-3) vs. Myles Jury (15-1)

• Women’s Bantamweight Title Eliminator: Miesha Tate (16-5) vs. Jessica Eye (11-2)