UFC 312: First fights announced for UFC’s return to Australia

The first few fights booked for UFC 312 have now been revealed as the promotion plots a return to Sydney, Australia on Feb. 8.

Among the fights announced, Jimmy Crute makes his return to action for the first time in over a year as he takes on Marcin Prachnio in a light heavyweight bout.

Crute hasn’t fought since 2023 when his record fell to 0-3-1 over four fights and he decided to take an extended break from action before making his return. As for Prachnio, he also looks to bounce back from a loss in his most recent outing while trying to gain some momentum following a 4-3 run over his past seven fights in the UFC.

Undefeated prospect Rei Tsuruya also returns in Australia when he puts his perfect 10-0 record on the line against Stewart Nicoll.

Also announced for the card, local favorite Quillan Salkilld makes his octagon debut against Anshul Jubli, who looks to bounce back after suffering a loss to Mike Breeden during his most recent appearance back in October 2023.

UFC 312 goes down from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney with a main event still to be announced for the card. Several locals have called for fights in Australia including former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski as he looks to get back in the win column following his loss to Ilia Topuria this past February.