Aaron Bronsteter returns with his UFC Notebook that looks at a potential interim welterweight title fight close to coming to fruition, while a proposed superfight between Demetrious Johnson and T.J. Dillashaw appears to be no longer in the offing. 

Interim title fight between Covington and dos Anjos in the works

According to reports by Chris Taylor from BJPenn.com, a fight between Colby Covington and Rafael dos Anjos for the interim welterweight title is being discussed for UFC 224 on Saturday, May 12 in Rio de Janeiro.

A source confirmed to TSN that this proposed fight is close to finalization.

Following Covington’s last fight, a win against Demien Maia in Sao Paulo, Brazil last October, Covington made disparaging remarks about Brazilian fans and it would be unsurprising if he has escalated security during fight week.

Covington is 13-1 and riding a five-fight win streak, while the former lightweight champion dos Anjos in on a three-fight win streak in the welterweight division including an emphatic unanimous decision victory over former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler.

Darren Till reportedly gets his opponent

Last weekend, the UFC announced that they would be moving a UFC Fight Night card that was originally slated to take place on Sunday, May 27 in Dublin, Ireland to Liverpool, England, the home of up-and-coming welterweight Darren Till.

When the card was announced, Till was named as the card’s headliner with an opponent to be determined.

According to reports by Chris Taylor of BJPenn.com, Till will face top-ranked welterweight Stephen Thompson, who Till had previously mentioned as an adversary that he was interested in facing.

A win over the two-time title challenger Thompson would potentially vault Till to superstardom, especially with an expectedly raucous home crowd behind him.

The 25-year-old Till is 16-0-1 with his most recent win being over Donald Cerrone last October in Poland.

Ponzinibbio headlining first UFC card in Chile

The UFC will be making their first appearance in Chile on May 19 that will be headlined by Santiago Ponzinibbio who hails from neighbouring Argentina. 

Ariel Helwani reports that Ponzinibbio is expected to face Kamaru Usman in the main event. Initial reports indicated that Neil Magny would be the opponent, but that deal never came to fruition. 

Ponzinibbio has a lot of momentum riding a six-fight win streak, while Usman is unbeaten during his UFC tenure and has won 11 straight fights.

The UFC also announced a light heavyweight fight pitting recent title challenger Volkan Oezdemir against former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

The card will also feature Canadian Chad Laprise, who puts his three-fight win streak on the line against surging welterweight Vicente Luque.

White: Johnson versus Dillashaw superfight isn’t happening

The potential champion versus champion superfight between flyweight king Demetrious Johnson and bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw will not be happening, according to Lance Pugmire of the L.A. Times who received the information via text message from UFC president Dana White.

The fight, which would have taken place at flyweight, has been rumoured for some time.

In a recent interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Johnson said that talks between his agent and the UFC had gone dormant.

Speculation earlier this year had Johnson versus Dillashaw, as well as women’s featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg versus women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes joining UFC 225, which is headlined by heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic defending his title against light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

Matchups between Johnson and former title challenger and Olympic wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo and Dillashaw versus former teammate and bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt have been rumoured in recent weeks.

Anthony Joshua reportedly in talks with Zuffa

With Dana White confirming that Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, is looking to venture into boxing, reports indicate that it is looking to enter the market with a big splash.

According to Gareth Davies of the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, Joshua is in talks with White that could net him a figure in the neighbourhood of $500 million (USD).

During a media conference call, Joshua said that should an offer like that come along that he and his management would be "all ears."

It is expected that this deal would be for Joshua to fight under the Zuffa Boxing umbrella and not in the UFC.

Joshua will face Joseph Parker at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on March 31.