Louis Smolka set for UFC return, fights Sumudaerji at UFC Beijing

“Da Last Samurai” is back.

A veteran of 10 UFC fights, former flyweight standout Louis Smolka returns to the Octagon on Nov. 24 when he meets the debuting Sumudaerji in a bantamweight bout at UFC Beijing, MMA Fighting confirmed with multiple sources Tuesday.

MMA reporter James Lynch was first to report that Smolka had re-signed with the promotion, andMMAjunkie the first to mention Sumudaerji’s involvement.

This will be Smolka’s first UFC fight since Dec. 30, 2017. At UFC 219, Smolka lost a unanimous decision to Matheus Nicolau, which put him on a four-fight skid and led to his release. Since then, Smolka has gone 3-0 competing for regional promotions in California and Hawaii, finishing all of his opponents to bring his record to 14-5. The 27-year-old Smolka holds notable wins over Ben Nguyen and Neil Seery.

In April, Smolka told MMA Fighting that a drinking problem contributed to his struggles inside the Octagon, and that he’d cut that habit in hopes of turning his career around.

Sumudaerji, 22, is the first fighter from Tibet to be signed to the UFC. He owns a 10-2 record, with all of his wins coming by way of knockout or submission, and brings a three-fight win streak into his Octagon debut.

UFC Fight Night 141 takes place at Cadillac Arena in Beijing, China, on Nov. 24. The preliminaries and main card will air on UFC Fight Pass.