UFC undisputed lightweight gold will be on the line in September.
One of the biggest fights expected to take place this year is finally official.
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier are set to meet in a UFC lightweight title-unification bout in the UFC 242 main event on Sept. 7 in Abu Dhabi, officials announced Tuesday.
Nurmagomedov, the current champion, has been out of action since an October win over Conor McGregor. “The Eagle” submitted McGregor, a former two-division champion, in the fourth round at UFC 229 in his first 155-pound title defense. Nurmagomedov won the vacant belt just months earlier at UFC 223 against Al Iaquinta. Nurmagomedov is undefeated in professional mixed martial arts at 27-0.
Nurmagomedov was suspended nine months by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) for his involvement in a melee that followed his win over McGregor. That suspension ends in July, but two of his teammates were also suspended, and the Russian did not want to fight until their suspensions were over, too. The NAC recently reduced Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Zubaira Tukhugov’s one-year suspensions by 35 days, making them eligible to also fight at UFC 242.
Poirier won the interim title in his last bout. “The Diamond” bested 145-pound king Max Holloway in an entertaining, back-and-forth affair that headlined April’s UFC 236. Poirier is riding a six-fight unbeaten streak, which includes knockout wins over Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje, and Anthony Pettis.
As of now, UFC 242 has four other fights on the card, including a heavyweight bout between top contender Curtis Blaydes and Shamil Abdurakhimov.