Former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (26-4 MMA) recently took to twitter to announce that his rumoured fight with former UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis (18-3 MMA) is official for the UFC’s January fight card in Boston.

@Ealvarezfight: “It’s official, at first I just wanted the guy, now I got location too, thank you @ufc @danawhite, gonna blow the roof off Beantown!!”

No booking announcement has been made by the UFC at this time, but the bout seems all but official.

Eddie Alvarez was most recently seen in action at June’s UFC 188 event in Mexico City, where he scored a split-decision victory over former Strikeforce title holder Gilbert Melendez. Since joining the UFC ranks in September of 2014, the former Bellator lightweight champ has gone 1-1, suffering a decision loss to current division #1 contender Donald Cerrone in his octagon debut.

Meanwhile, former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will return to the cage for the first time since losing his title to Rafael dos Anjos when he squares off with Alvarez in “Beantown”. Prior to his loss to “RDA”, “Showtime” had put together a five-fight win streak which included stoppage victories over Donald Cerrone, Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez respectively.

The event, which is expected to serve as UFC Fight Night 81, is set for January 17 at Boston’s TD Garden.

Who do you have winning this lightweight tilt? Sound off Penn Nation!

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