UFC Orlando main event: Cerrone vs. dos Anjos

UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos will defend his belt against Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 17 in Orlando. The 5-round championship main event will take place on December. 19 at the Amway Center.

Dos Anjos underwent knee surgery to fix a torn ACL after dominating Anthony Pettis in March at UFC 185 to capture he crown.

No other fights have been announced for UFC on Fox 17 but they will be in the coming weeks. UFC on FOX 16 also featured a title fight in July when bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw beat former champ Renan Barao in a rematch in Chicago.

Needless to say, Cerrone has more than earned his keep among UFC lightweights and undoubtedly deserves a chance to challenge dos Anjos in December. He hasn’t fought since then, having been on the sidelines due to injury. That run includes four post-fight bonuses and victories over a list of established fighters like Edson Barboza, Jim Miller, Eddie Alvarez, Myles Jury, and Benson Henderson.

Cerrone, or Dos Anjos?

Dos Anjos took on Nurmagomedov on the preliminaries, in what many considered Nurmagomedov’s biggest test as a rising star. Cerrone (28-6, 1 NC, 15-3 UFC) is now on an eight-fight winning streak dating back to November 2013.

In their first meeting in August 2013, oddsmakers had the fight close.