Outside Source
A pivotal lightweight matchup between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush is now set for UFC 289 in Canada.
UFC President Dana White on Thursday confirmed the lightweight fight, once scheduled to co-headline UFC 288, will now serve as the co-main event for UFC 289, which takes place June 10 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
UFC 289 is headlined by a trilogy between two-division champ Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena, who hopes to recapture the bantamweight title she wrested from Nunes this past year before losing a rematch.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Oliveira said the fight with Dariush could be moved to UFC 289. He explained an injury forced him to withdraw from UFC 288, set for May 6 in Newark, N.J. (White also announced a welterweight fight between Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns will take the co-main spot).
Dariush, the No. 3 ranked lightweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, inquired with the UFC about getting a title shot against champ Islam Makhachev with No. 2 Oliveira’s withdrawal, but he told The Schmo that the promotion was saving the lightweight champ to defend his belt in October in Abu Dhabi.
The winner of the new UFC 289 will be well positioned to fight for the belt, White said.
“I love this fight, and it has huge title implications in the lightweight division,” he said.
Here is the full card for UFC 289:
Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena
Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush
Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira
Miranda Maverick vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Eryk Anders vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
Diana Belbita vs. Maria Oliveira
Hakeem Dawodu vs. Lucas Almeida
Khalil Rountree vs. Chris Daukaus
Nassourdine Imavov vs. Chris Curtis
Dan Ige vs. Nate Landwehr
This article first appeared at MMA Fighting – All Posts
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