UFC 232 Update: Chad Mendes vs. Alexander Volkanovski Set for Las Vegas

A pivotal featherweight duel pitting Chad Mendes against Alexander Volkanovski has been added to the UFC 232 lineup.

Promotion officials announced the pairing on Tuesday. UFC 232 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 29 and is headlined by a showdown between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson for the vacant light heavyweight crown.

Mendes returned to action at UFC Fight Night 133 following a two-year USADA suspension. “Money” picked up where he left off as one of the top talents in the division, as he scored a first-round technical knockout over Myles Jury on July 14. That halted a two-bout skid for the Team Alpha Male product, who had been finished by Frankie Edgar and Conor McGregor in back-to-back fights in 2015.

Volkanovski, meanwhile, has established himself as a rising prospect at 145 pounds with victories in his first five Octagon appearances. Most recently, the 30-year-old Australian earned a dominant unanimous verdict against Darren Elkins at UFC Fight Night 133. Volkanovski is 18-1 as a professional overall.