UFC Fight Night 220 adds Trevor Peek debut vs. Alex Reyes, who returns after 1988 days between fights
When Alex Reyes walks to the UFC cage, it’ll be 1988 days since his previous one.
After nearly five years away from professional MMA competition, Reyes (13-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will return at UFC Fight Night 220 when he takes on surging newcomer Trevor Peek (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) in a lightweight battle. The card takes place Feb. 25 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with the main card on ESPN+ after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the bout but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Reyes, 36, has one UFC bout on his resume to date. It was a short-notice bout, up a weight class against Mike Perry. Reyes was finished with strikes early in Round 1. The fight was perhaps the toughest of his career to date, but pales in comparison to the unexpected fight ahead. He was booked to fight Nasrat Haqparast in March 2018, but withdrew when a stem-cell injection caused a spinal infection – and eventually rendered him unable to walk.
The health struggles were serious and over the next four-plus years Reyes had good days and bad ones, as he detailed in an interview with MMA Junkie on Friday. With his fight future in question – or even in doubt, for much of his time off – Reyes rehabbed until he was finally ready to make his return.
Standing across from him Feb. 25 will be a stiff test, as Peek put on one of the most memorable performances of this past season of Dana White’s Contender Series. Against Malik Lewis, Peek displayed a granite chin, fantastic cardio, and a high-paced offense en route to a UFC contract-earning knockout. The comeback victory maintained his perfect 100 percent knockout/TKO rate.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night 220 lineup includes:
- Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann
- Jordan Leavitt vs. Victor Martinez
- Hailey Cowan vs. Ailin Perez
- Denys Bondar vs. Ode Osbourne
- Cortney Casey vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
- Darrius Flowers vs. Erick Gonzalez
- Lucas Almeida vs. Andre Fili
- Don’Tale Mayes vs. Augusto Sakai
- Brendan Allen vs. Andre Muniz
- Yohan Lainasse vs. Mike Mallott
- Trevor Peek vs. Alex Reyes