UFC president Dana White told ESPN Monday that the promotion will return to Boston at the start of 2018 with UFC 220.
And they will do so going head-to-head against a planned Bellator card headlined by Rory MacDonald challenging Douglas Lima for the welterweight title.
UFC's 2018 pay-per-view schedule will kick off in Boston, per Dana White. UFC 220 on Jan. 20. No fights have been announced yet.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 30, 2017
The return to Boston ends a two-year hiatus for the promotion in the city. The UFC held UFC Fight Night 81 inside the TD Garden, as TJ Dillashaw was defeated by Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight title.
That same belt is on the line this weekend at UFC 217 with Dillashaw in the role of challenger to the title held by Cody Garbrandt.
UFC 118 also went down in Boston and featured Frankie Edgar defending the lightweight belt vs. BJ Penn and Randy Couture besting James Toney.
And even though White said recently that Conor McGregor’s next fight would be in Las Vegas, it is possible he appears in Boston. The reigning UFC lightweight champion has found in the city before and has strong Irish support in the town.
