George Sotiropoulos, a seasoned veteran of the sport, is set to make a long-awaited return to the cage after being absent for almost a decade. The 45-year-old will take on Josh Togo in a lightweight bout at the upcoming Hex Fight Series 26 event, taking place on May 26 at the illustrious Melbourne Pavilion in Australia, as reported by the promotion earlier this week.

Having competed in a total of 11 fights inside the UFC’s octagon between December 2007 and October 2013, Sotiropoulos became a household name as a competitor on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Sotiropoulos enjoyed a highly impressive start to his UFC tenure, picking up victories in his first seven bouts, which included some impressive wins over notable names in the division. This streak led him down the path of a potential featherweight title shot, but he eventually came up short after dropping a closely contested decision to the dangerous German striker, Dennis Siver, at UFC 127 in February 2011.

Sotiropoulos’ fortunes in the years that followed weren’t quite as fruitful, however. He suffered four consecutive defeats, three of which came within the UFC ranks, before ultimately bowing out of the sport following a decision loss to Mike Ricci at Titan FC 29 in August 2014. Despite his brief hiatus, the prospect of seeing an example of such an experienced fighter testing himself once again is an enticing one.

His opponent, Josh Togo, comes into the bout riding the momentum of an impressive three-fight win streak, with seven victories in his last eight bouts overall. The Australian Top Team representative’s most recent outing was a decision win over Tahir Abdullaev in September 2022, which saw him earn the UAE Warriors welterweight championship belt.

As seasoned enthusiasts and newer fans alike wait in great anticipation to witness the return of Sotiropoulos to the sport, many will be hoping to see him showcase the skills and attributes that made him such a threat in the octagon all those years ago.

The veteran will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him against his adversary, but with his storied career in the sport serving as a guiding light, many fans will be left wondering if George Sotiropoulos can once again prove to be a force amongst the ranks of the world’s greatest mixed martial artists.