Report: Dennis Siver vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri set for UFC Berlin, plus Bäckström vs. Lahat

Earlier today, MMA in Asia reported that a featherweight bout between German kickboxing specialist Dennis Siver and Pride alumni Tatsuya Kawajiri is in the works for UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs. Teixeira on June 20 in Berlin, Germany. In the meantime, Siver has confirmed the matchup to German outlet Groundandpound. He wasn't able to say if the fight will be the co-main event of the show.

Siver is coming off a loss to Irish superstar Conor McGregor, in the biggest fight of his career at UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Siver in January. Kawajiri has been one of the biggest Japanese stars of the now defunct Pride FC organization. He made a successful UFC debut last year against Sean Soriano, but dropped a decision against Clay Guida in his next fight in April. An eye injury has sidelined the Japanese MMA veteran since. The fight has yet to be officially announced by the UFC.

Same goes for a another exciting featherweight scrap: MMA fighting reports, that Nicklas Bäckström will face Noad Lahat, also in Berlin. Bäckström is coming off a surprise knockout loss to Mike Wilkinson at UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Story in October, but had a very impressive debut at last year's UFC Berlin event, where he submitted Tom Niinimaki for Fight of the Night honors. Israel's Lahat is 1-1 in the UFC right now. He had his last fight in July and announced afterwards he wanted to re-join the military in his home country Israel, because of the Gaza conflict.

UFC Fight Night Berlin will be headlined by a light-heavyweight bout between two former title challengers Alexander Gustafsson and Glover Teixeira.