For years, Michael Bisping has stood as one of the best middleweights in the world, but for one reason or another he has never been able to fulfill his dream of donning UFC gold. He will be getting another shot to kick-start his climb back into contention when he faces Thales Leites in the headlining fight for UFC Fight Night 72.

 UFC officials announced Monday that the Lancashire, England-born Bisping will be taking on the Brazilian just off his hometown as the July 18 event is slated for Glasgow, Scotland.

"I've been talking to the UFC for a long time about fighting back in the UK. Then, when I heard about the card in Glasgow, I was straight on to Dana trying to get on the card. It's been five years since I fought in the UK, and the UK is by far my favorite place to fight," Bisping was quoted in an MMA Weekly report.

Bisping is currently ranked No. 9 in the UFC's Middleweight division. He's been up and down in his last few fights, but is coming off a unanimous decision win over the always-game C.B. Dolloway at UFC 186 in Montreal. He'll be facing the No. 10 ranked middleweight who is currently riding an eight-fight winning streak, including five in the UFC.

Leites most recently submitted Top 15 middleweight Tim Boetsch, and a win at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow against Bisping would springboard him into the shortlist of contenders in the division.

For Bisping, a win could foreseeably put him in place for a fight with a big name in the division. He could've been in line for title contention had he followed up his victory over Cung Le with a win over Luke Rockhold. He didn't, and now he has to try and make his climb yet again, this time against a streaking opponent.

UFC Fight Night 72 is slated for July 18 at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.