Lando Vannata vs. Drakkar Klose slated for UFC 226

A matchup between intriguing lightweight up-and-comers Lando Vannata and Drakkar Klose has been slated for July 7 at 226.

MMA Fighting confirmed the booking Wednesday following a report by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Vannata (9-2-1) is looking to find his groove after winning just one of his first four bouts under the UFC umbrella. The JacksonWink prospect’s 1-2-1 Octagon record is deceiving though. Vannata debuted in the UFC in 2016 with a near-upset of top contender Tony Ferguson on short notice, then scored a highlight-reel first-round knockout over John Makdessi. The 26-year-old, who goes by the nickname “Groovy,” followed that early success up with a hard-fought decision loss to David Teymur and a split draw against Bobby Green.

Vannata won post-fight bonuses for all four of his UFC performances.

Klose (8-1-1), meanwhile, is hoping to rebound from the first loss of his professional career, a decision setback to Teymur in December at UFC 218. Prior to that, the 30-year-old MMA Lab product established himself as a formidable derailer of lightweight prospects, notching back-to-back wins over Devin Powell and Marc Diakiese.

UFC 226 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. A champion vs. champion superfight between UFC light heavyweight king Daniel Cormier and heavyweight titleholder Stipe Miocic headlines the event.