Yet another title fight is heading to FOX.
Newly crowned UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson (16-2-1) will make the first defense of his belt against TUF 14 winner John Dodson (14-5) in the main event of UFC on FOX 6, according to UFC Tonight’s Ariel Helwani.
In addition, a long-awaited contenders match-up pitting Donald Cerrone (19-4, 1 NC) against former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (15-2) is being targeted for the FOX-televised main card.
UFC on FOX 6 takes place Jan. 26, 2013, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., and is the first of four planned UFC on FOX events scheduled for 2013.
A former bantamweight title challenger, Johnson, 26, clawed his way to the inaugural flyweight belt with consecutive decision wins over Ian McCall and Joseph Benavidez, the latter of which he earned via split judges’ scores.
Meanwhile, Dodson, 28, rides a five-fight win streak into the bout, including TKO finishes over T.J. Dillashaw to earn the TUF 14 bantamweight crown and Jussier Formiga in a No. 1 contender’s match last October.
Former WEC stars Cerrone, 29, and Pettis, 25, finally hope to settle their bad blood after sitting idle for months due to an unrelenting sting of injuries to Pettis. Both men enter on the strength of two-fight win streaks capped by highlight-reel first-round knockouts. Cerrone most recently floored Melvin Guillard in an electrifying ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate, while Pettis head kicked Joe Lauzon into unconsciousness back in February.