Della Maddalena-Prates set for UFC Perth main event

Former UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena is returning to action on home soil.

Della Maddalena will square off with Carlos Prates in the main event of UFC Perth on May 2 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, the promotion announced Saturday.

The bout marks Della Maddalena's first appearance since losing the 170-pound title in a lopsided defeat to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 last November. The 29-year-old Perth native topped Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 last May to become the champion. Della Maddalena holds an 8-1 record in the Octagon, including five wins inside the distance.

Prates, the No. 5-ranked welterweight, is coming off back-to-back knockout victories that cemented him as one of the top contenders in the weight class. The 32-year-old Brazilian finished Geoff Neal with a spinning back elbow at UFC 319 last August and then stopped former champion Leon Edwards in brutal fashion at UFC 322. Prates is 6-1 in the promotion, with all of his wins ending by knockout.