Curtis Blaydes vs. Alexander Volkov planned for UFC Saskatoon main event

It looks like a key heavyweight showdown will serve as the main event for the UFC’s return to the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported on Thursday that the plan is for Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov to square off at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon. No official announcement has been made by the UFC.

Blaydes (13-2, 1 NC) is on a three-fight winning streak, most recently scoring a second-round TKO finish of former champion Junior dos Santos in January’s UFC Raleigh main event. The only fighter Blaydes has lost to in his MMA career is Francis Ngannou, who’s beaten him twice by TKO. Known for his powerful wrestling and improved striking, Blaydes has racked up notable wins against Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, and Shamil Abdurakhimov.

Volkov (31-7) is a former Bellator heavyweight champion who’s become an established contender in the UFC. “Drago” is 4-1 inside the Octagon, with that lone loss coming via dramatic comeback KO by Derrick Lewis. The 31-year-old bounced back by beating Greg Hardy by unanimous decision at UFC Moscow.

UFC Saskatoon is expected to stream live on ESPN+ on Saturday, June 20th. It’s the promotion’s first event there since 2015, when Max Holloway won by injury TKO over Charles Oliveira in the main event.