UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title against Dominick Reyes on Feb. 8 in Houston, UFC president Dana White told ESPN.
The 205-pound championship fight will headline the UFC’s pay-per-view event, which does not yet have an official number, inside Toyota Center. In the co-main event, female flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (18-3) will face No. 1 contender Katlyn Chookagian (13-2).
For Jones (25-1), it will mark his 15th appearance in a UFC title fight. Widely considered the greatest fighter of all time, Jones defended his title twice in 2019, via decision victories over Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith. The only loss of Jones’ storied career came via disqualification in 2009, meaning he has never legitimately been beaten in competition.
Jones, who fights out of JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, announced he intended to face Reyes earlier this month on social media, stating “[I’m] beating his ass next.”
Reyes (12-0) is an undefeated contender out of Southern California. He has earned a title shot by compiling a 6-0 record in the UFC, including a first-round knockout over former middleweight champion Chris Weidman in October.
Reyes, 29, has been fighting professionally since 2014. He has recorded finishes in nine of his 12 wins, including seven knockouts.
The Feb. 8 pay-per-view does not have a number, as the UFC has not officially announced its schedule for the first quarter in 2020. The promotion is considering adding a pay-per-view event in January.