Report: Overeem vs. Blaydes targeted for UFC 225

A heavyweight tilt between Alistair Overeem and Curtis Blaydes is close to being finalized for UFC 225 on June 9 at United Center in Chicago, sources told ESPN's Brett Okamoto on Saturday. BJPenn.com's Tom Taylor first reported the matchup.

The 37-year-old Overeem will look to rebound from a brutal first-round KO courtesy of Francis Ngannou suffered at UFC 218 in December, a defeat that snapped a two-fight win streak comprising a knockout of Mark Hunt and a majority decision over Fabricio Werdum at UFC 209 and 213, respectively.

Blaydes has won four straight and all but one of his five promotional bouts, the lone blemish also coming from Ngannou's hands in his maiden voyage to the Octagon nearly two years ago. The 27-year-old Chicago native most recently rode his wrestling to a unanimous decision victory over Hunt at UFC 221 last month, and called for a home game immediately following the victory.

A main event has not yet been attached to the June bill.