Yahoo Sports Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Johnson to Headline UFC Fight Night in Texas
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is headed to the border of the United States and Mexico for UFC Fight Night 94: Poirier vs. Johnson in Hidalgo, Texas. The event is slated for Sept. 17 at State Farm Arena.
Though the event was announced last week, UFC officials on Monday revealed that a lightweight bout between Dustin Poirier and Michael Johnson will headline the fight card. Middleweights Uriah Hall and Derek Brunson will square off in the co-main event in Hidalgo.
Poirier (20-4) was successful fighting at featherweight, but following a loss to Conor McGregor, he returned to lightweight, where he has been on a tear. He has won four consecutive bouts at 155 pounds, three of the four by way of knockout.
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Poirier could do a lot to elevate his name to contender status with a win over Johnson (16-10), who is one of the more entertaining fighters in the lightweight class. Johnson has toyed with title contention a couple of times since emerging from season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter, but hasn't quite been able to tip the scale in his favor. Coming off back-to-back losses, he'll look to get back on track in a big way with a win over Poirier.
Hall (12-6) is trying to rebound from a loss to Robert Whittaker, but faces a difficult task in Brunson (15-3), who is streaking into the fight on the heels of four consecutive wins, the final three via TKO.
Three other main card bouts were made official Monday, as Abel Trujillo takes on Evan Dunham in lightweight action, Manny Gamburyan meets Alejandro Perez in a bantamweight bout, and hard-hitting featherweight Sam Sicilia returns to take on Gabriel Benitez.
In a pair of prelim bouts, it's a bantamweight bout between Joey Gomez and Jose Quinonez, and a featherweight contest pitting Chas Skelly against Maximo Blanco.
