With UFC on FOX 2 just days away, the promotion has already announced two new matchups for its third event on network television, including flyweight and lightweight bouts.
The show’s flyweight matchup will feature two brand-new 125-pounders, “Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 winner John Dodson and veteran Darren Uyenoyama, both of whom will be dropping down from bantamweight for the fight.
Dodson (12-5), who is known for his quickness and compact strength, will enter the bout on a three fight winning streak. “The Magician” dominated T.J. Dillashaw in his most recent Octagon appearance with an emphatic technical knockout at the 1:54 mark of the first round. The 27-year-old fighter has won seven of his 12 victories through either a knockout or submission, and has never been finished in his professional career.
Uyenoyama (7-3), a veteran of Strikeforce, Dream, Shooto and DEEP, made his UFC debut as a bantamweight—a November victory that saw him out-grapple Norifumi Yamamoto to earn a unanimous decision. The 32-year-old California native has been finished just once since his 2002 professional debut, and owns three of his seven victories by submission.
The event will also feature a lightweight showdown between Jim Miller and Nate Diaz in what will likely be a No. 1 contender eliminator match.
Miller (21-3) is fresh off his first-round submission win over Melvin Guillard in the main event of UFC on FX 1, in which he managed to rebound from an early onslaught and choke out the “Young Assassin.” The bout marked Miller’s tenth win inside the Octagon out of twelve fights, losing only to top contenders Gray Maynard and Ben Henderson, since 2008.
Diaz (15-7) is riding a hot back-to-back win streak since returning to lightweight after a disappointing 170-pound venture, where he lost consecutive decisions to Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald. The “Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 winner’s most recent victories included a submission victory over Takanori Gomi and a unanimous decision over Donald Cerrone.
UFC on FOX 3 will take place on May 5 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., and will host the promotion’s first 125-pound contest outside of the previously announced four-man flyweight title tournament.
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