Welterweight Michael Chiesa has revealed a big match-up for April’s UFC 287.
On Friday, Chiesa (18-6) announced that he would face Li Jingliang (19-8) at the Pay-Per-View event, set to take place on April 8, 2023. No location or venue has been announced for the card.
Chiesa revealed the news on UFC Live.
For Chiesa, it’s his first action since November of 2021. “Maverick” lost a unanimous decision to Sean Brady in that outing, part of UFC Vegas 43. Prior to that, he was submitted by Vicente Luque.
That skid brought about an end to a four-fight win streak Chiesa embarked on when he made the move up to welterweight in 2018. Since then, he’s also pulled double duty as a UFC analyst.
Jingliang was last seen at UFC 279 in September, where he wound up on the wrong side of a split decision in a short-notice fight with Daniel Rodriguez.
That fight was cobbled together just a day prior to the event, after Khamzat Chimaev badly missed weight for a fight with Nate Diaz. Jingliang had originally been expected to face Tony Ferguson, who was bumped up to the main event opposite Diaz. Jingliang’s original opponent, Kevin Holland, wound up facing Chimaev.
UFC 287 will be headlined by the rematch between middleweight champion Alex Pereira and rival Israel Adesanya. It will be the fourth time the pair have faced off in combat sports, counting two kickboxing bouts.
Pereira has won every encounter.
Currently the UFC 287 card consists of the following reported match-ups:
- Alex Pereira (c) vs. Israel Adesanya — for the UFC middleweight championship
- Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal
- Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
- Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez
- Rob Font vs. Adrian Yanez
- Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer
- Shayilan Nuerdanbieke vs. Steve Garcia
- Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Nikolas Motta
- Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis
- Cynthia Calvillo vs. Lupita Godinez
- Michelle Waterson vs. Luana Pinheiro
- Michael Chiesa vs. Li Jingliang
