Two-time UFC world featherweight champ Aldo to fight in Singapore?

Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans could be in for a special treat this June.

According to Brazil MMA website combate.com, two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world featherweight champion Jose Aldo has accepted a fight against American Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 132 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Aldo and his manager Andre Pederneiras, who is also his coach, said during a broadcast of the Shooto Brasil 81 MMA event in Rio de Janeiro last weekend that he had agreed to UFC's offer to fight Stephens - UFC's fifth-ranked featherweight fighter - in Singapore.

"Jeremy Stephens asked for the fight against Aldo," Pederneiras said, as transcribed by combate.com. "Three days ago, the UFC gave us a fight at UFC-Singapore as an option for Aldo's return.

"(On Friday) we accepted it, and we're just waiting for confirmation from the other side and a contract to sign."

The 31-year-old Aldo, who is ranked second in the UFC's featherweight division, was ranked the best pound-for-pound fighter in 2015.

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But he made the wrong headlines that December after being knocked out in 13 seconds by Conor McGregor in a fight that propelled the Irishman to superstardom.

Aldo is looking to bounce back from back-to-back losses to Max Holloway in title bouts and prove that he is still a contender at the top level.

The Fight Night 132 event is scheduled for June 23 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and is one of four stops the UFC will be making in the Asia-Pacific this year.

The first was the UFC 221 event in Perth, Australia on Feb 11. The Straits Times (ST) understands that the two other events in Asia are scheduled after the Singapore stop.

The UFC did not comment in response to ST's queries, but said Singapore fans could expect MMA action soon.

The UFC's continued expansion in Asia was marked last year with a sold-out event in the Mercedes Benz-Arena in Shanghai, and a highly successful Fight Night Singapore 2017, bringing over 8,000 fans from the city and around the region.

"As one of our key markets in Asia, we look forward to bringing fans in Singapore more of the world's best MMA action in the near future," said a spokesman.