While 145 lb champ Conor McGregor will be busy trying to claim the lightweight title on March 5, the featherweight rankings are set for a shake-up with the latest addition to UFC 197.
11th ranked featherweight Darren Elkins is slated to face top prospect Chas Skelly in seven weeks’ time in Las Vegas.
Irish fans will be aware of Elkins from his last bout, a unanimous decision victory over Robert Whiteford in Dublin, and the American will be hopeful of putting back-to-back victories together for the first time since 2013.
Skelly, meanwhile, has cemented himself as one of the most exciting featherweights in the promotion, having gone 4-0 since his first professional loss in 2014.
Following the announcement of Elkins vs. Skelly came the news that UFC 197 would see an early favourite for fight of the night honours as Diego Sanchez is set to abandon his plans for a career at featherweight by moving back to lightweight to take on thrill-a-minute Jim Miller.
Both veterans are two of the most exciting fighters on the entire roster and have a die-hard following for their willingness to leave it all in the octagon.
Both are coming off of a loss and will hope to get 2016 off to a better start than they left 2015.
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This is how UFC 197 looks right now and we’re not hating it.
Champ Rafael dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor – for lightweight title
Champ Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate – for women’s bantamweight title
Erick Silva vs. Nordine Taleb
Corey Anderson vs. Tom Lawlor
Darren Elkins vs. Chas Skelly
Diego Sanchez vs. Jim Miller
