Nikita Krylov is back in the UFC

Nikita Krylov has re-signed with the UFC, and will fight Jan Blachowicz on the UFC’s debuting card in Russia.

Almost eighteen months after leaving the UFC, Nikita Krylov has re-signed with the promotion and will fight Jan Blachowicz at UFC Moscow in his return.

After an initial report from MMA Team Dagestan that Krylov had been granted a release from Fight Nights Global in order to return to the UFC, the promotion revealed on Thursday that Krylov will return to fight Blachowicz on September 15th.

After leaving the UFC in free agency, Krylov (24-5) has won four straight fights, mostly competing under the Fight Nights Global banner. The Ukrainian, who has never seen the distance in his six-year MMA career, is coming off consecutive knockout victories over Fabio Maldonado and Emmanuel Newton.

Blachowicz (22-7) is currently on the best winning streak of his UFC career, being undefeated in his last three fights. The 35-year-old picked up $50,000 bonuses in two of those fights, one after defeating Devin Clark by bulldog choke, and the other by avenging his loss to Jimi Manuwa in March earlier this year.

The UFC will host its first ever event in Russia on September 15th at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in the country’s capital of Moscow. A heavyweight contest between Mark Hunt and Alexey Oleyniyk will headline the card, which streams live on UFC Fight Pass.