The UFC is close to finalizing a light heavyweight matchup between Alexander Gustafsson and Volkan Oezdemir for UFC 227 on Aug. 4 in Los Angeles, according to multiple sources.
The UFC 227 pay-per-view event is scheduled to take place at Staples Center.
The UFC has been targeting Gustafsson (18-4) for the summer card, but had a difficult time finding him an opponent. The promotion looked into potential matchups against Luke Rockhold and Ovince St. Preux, among others.
Gustafsson, of Sweden, hasn't fought since May 2017. A former two-time title challenger, he is on a two-fight win streak.
Oezdemir (15-2) challenged Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight championship in January, and came up short in a second-round TKO loss. Prior to that, he had won five straight.
Originally from Switzerland, Oezdemir now fights out of South Florida. He was scheduled to fight Mauricio "Shogun" Rua on July 22 in Germany; however, the UFC opted to move him to Aug. 4.
A bantamweight title fight between T.J. Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt will headline UFC 227. Also on the card, flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will defend against Henry Cejudo.