Maurice Greene vs. Gian Villante Planned for UFC Event on June 27th.

Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC & Per Haljestam - USA TODAY Sports

A heavyweight pairing between Maurice 'The Crochet Boss' Greene, and divisional returnee, Gian Villante is currently in the works for a UFC event on June 27th. - with a location and venue yet to be confirmed by the promotion.

Virginia native, Greene - will look to end a two-fight losing streak which includes a recent loss to division riser, Aleksei Oleinik. Villante will return to the heavyweight division for the first time in nine years, following a first-round knockout loss to Michał Oleksiejczuk in February of last year. Villante was scheduled to make his heavyweight bow on the April 18th. instalment of the UFC 249 card against Ben Rothwell - until the event was shelved due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. News of the planning pairing was first reported by MMA Fighting reporters, Mike Heck and Damon Martin.

33-year-old former LFA heavyweight title challenger, Greene enters his sixth Octagon bout, following a transition to the organization back in November of 2018. The Performance Compound trainee managed to score a three-fight win streak, which included an arm-triangle stoppage of Michel Batista, a victory over Jeff Hughes - who handed him his second career loss, before a stoppage of Brazil's, Júnior Albini. Enduring a difficult period of results, Greene has dropped two losses to Sergei Pavlovich, by first-round strikes, and the aforementioned Oleinik, via second-round armbar.

The last five years of New York native Villante's career - has offered inconsistent results. Scoring a 5-6 record in his last eleven outings, the 34-year-old has seen a win-loss pattern form over the course. Career highlight wins have come against Trevor Smith, Sean O'Connell, light heavyweight contender, Corey Anderson, Saparbek Safarov, and Ed Herman. An NCAA Division I wrestler, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt under Matt Serra - the Wantagh born challenger began his professional career back in 2009, competing under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner before his move to the UFC back in April of 2013.