Report: Allen-Chikadze set for UFC 304 in Manchester

A bout between top-10 featherweights Arnold Allen and Giga Chikadze has been added to UFC 304, sources told MMA Junkie's Nolan King and Farah Hannoun on Thursday.

The pay-per-view event is scheduled for July 27 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

Allen is looking to bounce back from the first losing streak of his career after dropping unanimous decisions to Movsar Evloev at UFC 297 in January and former champion Max Holloway in April 2023. The 30-year-old Brit began his Octagon career with nine straight victories, beating the likes of Calvin Kattar and Dan Hooker.

Chikadze made his long-awaited return to the cage last August and picked up a decision victory over Alex Caceres. Once considered one of the most promising up-and-comers at 145 pounds, the Georgia native hadn't competed since a loss to Kattar in January 2022. Chikadze could return to the title mix with a win over Allen, who's ranked No. 6 in the division.

Allen-Chikadze joins Nathaniel Wood versus Daniel Pineda as the only fights set for UFC 304. The card is expected to feature Tom Aspinall defending his interim heavyweight title, though the promotion has yet to confirm his involvement.