Fabricio Werdum set to return from suspension against Aleksei Oleinik at UFC 250

With his suspension reduced last month, former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum called out Aleksei Oleinik for his return to the octagon.

Consider it done.

Werdum (23-8-1 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and Oleinik (58-13-1 MMA, 7-4 UFC) are set to fight May 9 at UFC 250 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Two people with knowledge of the booking confirmed the news to MMA Junkie but wished to remain anonymous since the UFC has yet to make an announcement.

Combate first reported the fight was in the works on Thursday.

In April 2018, Werdum (23-8-1 MMA, 11-5 UFC) was flagged for trenbolone and epitrenbolone metabolite stemming from an out-of-competition urine test. As a result, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspended him two years. However, the ineligibility was “tolled” because of his subsequent retirement, but last month it was announced that his term was reduced by 10 months because of “substantial assistance.”

At the time of his positive drug test, Werdum was preparing to headline UFC Fight Night 136 against Oleinik. Werdum has won two out of his past three fights, though his most recent was a knockout loss to Alexander Volkov in March 2018.

Oleinik, meanwhile, is coming off a submission win over Maurice Greene last month at UFC 246.

The fight between Werdum and Oleinik pits a pair of 42-year-old veterans who specialize in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.