Stefan Struve has decided to resume his career after all.
Struve will return to action on Dec. 7 versus Ben Rothwell, the UFC announced Tuesday. According to manager Lex McMahon, Struve also signed a new multifight deal with the promotion.
Following his win in February over Marcos Rogerio de Lima, Struve took his gloves off and put them in the middle of the cage, a universal sign in MMA that a fighter will no longer fight. However, he stopped short at committing to the idea he was retiring in subsequent interviews.
"Stefan had an opportunity to rest and recharge," McMahon told ESPN. "If you recall, he never fully committed to retiring. He's young, still just 31 years old. I think after some much-needed rest, he realized that he loves the sport, the competition, and has rediscovered his passion for fighting at the highest level.
"The UFC was very supportive of Stefan and gave him a deal that gives him the opportunity to earn a tremendous amount of money and compensates him for what he is, a highly marketable veteran who is near the very top of the division in terms of fights, wins, finishes and performance bonuses."
Struve (29-11) most notably has a TKO win over former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in 2012 on his résumé. Miocic challenges Daniel Cormier for the title this Saturday night at UFC 241.
Struve, who at 6-foot-11 is the tallest fighter in UFC history, has been competing as a pro since 2005.
The event, which doesn't have a headliner just yet, will take place at Capital One Arena in Washington.
