On its face, it was a run-of-the-mill fight announcement. Beneath the surface, it unspooled a different narrative.
At UFC 177 on Oct. 25, Swedish lightweight Reza Madadi will face Norman Parke in Dublin, according to a report published Friday by MMA Fighting.
The 37-year-old Madadi (13-3) last fought in 2013 and scored an upset win over Michael Johnson in front of his home fans in Stockholm.
Why the two-year layoff? Back in August 2013, Madadi was convicted of aggravated burglary and sentenced to 18 months in a Swedish prison. The UFC released him shortly after the conviction.