The UFC will head back to Milwaukee on August 31 for UFC 164, and the main event has now been named with the UFC lightweight title up for grabs.
UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will go for his fourth straight title defense since wrestling the belt away from Frankie Edgar when he travels to Milwaukee on August 31 to battle contender T.J. Grant in the main event.
UFC officials confirmed via UFC Tonight on Tuesday that the Henderson vs. Grant title fight would headline UFC 164.
The card taking place on August 31 will serve as part of Harley-Davidson’s 110th anniversary celebration. Harley-Davidson has been a major supporter and sponsor of the UFC for the past several years.
For the first time since defending the belt against Frankie Edgar in 2012, Henderson will head back to a UFC pay-per-view card. Henderson’s last two title defenses have come on free television as part of UFC on Fox 5 and UFC on Fox 7.
His last trip to the Octagon in April as part of the UFC on Fox 7 card ended in close, controversial fashion with Henderson pulling off a split-decision victory over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez. It marked a third fight out of four title fights in which Henderson has come down to a razor-close decision to get the nod for victory.
Hoping to end that streak of controversial wins and put an exclamation point on the fight is Canadian T.J. Grant, who earned the shot at Henderson after picking up five straight wins in the lightweight division, including his blistering finish of former title contender Gray Maynard at UFC 160.
A former welterweight, Grant moved down to 155 pounds recently and has looked virtually unstoppable since changing weight classes.
Following the knockout over Maynard, Grant was given the next title shot at Henderson. He’ll look to capitalize on that come August 31 at UFC 164 in Milwaukee.
“I respect him, but I think I can beat him,” Grant told Bleacher Report about the fight with Henderson. “It’s going to be a fun fight.”
The heavyweight showdown between former UFC champions Josh Barnett and Frank Mir is expected to serve as the co-main event on the upcoming UFC 164 card.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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