Alex Pereira draws former champ Jan Blachowicz in light heavyweight debut at UFC 291

Alex Pereira has his first light heavyweight test, and it’s the division’s former champion.

The divisional debut is set as Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), the former UFC middleweight champion, battles Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) in the UFC 291 co-main event, promotion president Dana White announced Tuesday. The event takes place July 29 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.

Pereira is moving up a weight class after a title loss to Israel Adesanya by knockout at UFC 287. The April 8 defeat was the first time Pereira lost to Adesanya in four combat sports matches.

Rather than pursue the trilogy immediately, in the days that followed, Pereira and White both indicated light heavyweight was likely next. Now he has a date, location and opponent.

Pereira, 35, had not lost in the UFC prior to the Adesanya defeat. Wins against Andreas Michailidis, Bruno Silva, and Sean Strickland led him to the first Adesanya fight, which he won by fifth-round TKO at UFC 281 in November.

Blachowicz, 40, has not competed since UFC 282 in December when he drew with Magomed Ankalaev in a vacant light heavyweight title fight. The draw moved him to 1-1-1 in his most recent three outings.

The current UFC 291 lineup includes:

• Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poirier – for BMF title
• Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
• Paulo Costa vs. Ikram Aliskerov
• Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
• Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
• Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
• Michel Pereira vs. Stephen Thompson
• Vinicius Salvador vs. CJ Vergara

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.