Report: Holly Holm to headline UFC on FOX 20 in Chicago

According to UFC Tonight’s Megan Olivi, 3 major fights are in the works for the next UFC on FOX card. The card takes place on July 23rd in Chicago and will reportedly be headlined by former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm (10-1).

Holm’s opponent will be none other than highly accomplished Muay Thai veteran Valentina Shevchenko (12-2). Shevchenko, also known as “The Bullet,” holds a professional record of 56-2 in Muay Thai/K-1 which makes this match up against the former 18-time boxing champion one of the dreamy variety match for fans who love the striking element of mixed martial arts.

A match up between lightweights Gilbert Melendez (22-5) and Edson Barboza (17-4) is now official for the main card of UFC on FOX 20 according to UFC officials. It’s been nearly a year since Melendez suffered a split decision loss to Eddie Alvarez at UFC 188. Adding insult to injury, “El Nino” would be pop positive for testosterone metabolites earning himself a one year suspension.That suspension will be up  on June 13th making him eligible to return and fight Barboza on the 23rd of July.

Barboza earned a huge victory last month at UFC 197 be defeating former lightweight king and Wheaties cover boy Anthony Pettis which boosted him two spots in the official UFC rankings putting right outside the top five. A win over Melendez would put Barboza in the conversation for a title shot.

Fresh off the heels of a KO that earned him performance of the night honors at UFC on FOX 19, Glover Teixeira (25-4) will take on UFC on FOX 18 performance of the night winner Anthony Johnson (21-5) in the co-main event slot of UFC on FOX 20. Johnson and Teixeira were both very time-effective in their latest headlining stints on FOX – both men put their opponent to sleep in under two minutes. For Teixeira, it would be a left to the jaw that turned off the lights of former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. Teixeira called out Johnson following his victory, offering to “give him a job” while the two wait for Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier to sort out their differences at the top of the division.

Johnson’s KO came when a prone Ryan Bader found himself prone early after a sad attempt to take down his opponent. Bader would place his gloves of his head in pure defense mode where he’d take multiple shots leading to one of the easiest KO’s of Rumble’s career. With 30 KO’s between them (15 a piece) this one will be a can’t miss scrap for fans of the knockout.

Here’s how UFC on FOX 20 is shaping up so far if all goes according to planned:

Women’s Bantamweight Main Event
Holly Holm (10-1) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (12-2)

Light Heavyweight Bout
Anthony Johnson (21-5) vs. Glover Teixeira (25-4)

Lightweight Bout
Gilbert Melendez (22-5) vs. Edson Barboza (17-4)

Lightweight Bout
Eddie Wineland (21-11-1) vs. Frankie Saenz (11-3)

Welterweight Bout
George Sullivan (17-5) vs. Hector Urbina (17-9-1)

Welterweight Bout
Ryan LaFlare (12-1) vs. Alexander Yakovlev (23-6-1)

Women’s Strawweight Bout
Felice Herrig (10-6) vs. Kailin Curran (4-2)

Welterweight Bout
Alex Oliveira (13-4-1) vs. James Moontasri (9-3)

Heavyweight Bout
Luis Henrique (8-2) vs. Dmitry Smolyakov (8-0)

Lightweight Bout
Tony Martin (10-3) vs. Michel Prazeres (19-2)