The UFC's return to Boston continues to come together with the addition of a lightweight bout featuring one of the area's own.
Joe Lauzon (22-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC), a native of Boston's south suburbs, will head just up the road to fight Michael Johnson (12-8 MMA, 4-4 UFC) at UFC on FOX Sports 1 1 in August. Lauzon wanted a fight on his hometown show, and he'll get it.
Sources with knowledge of the bout recently told MMAjunkie.com (
UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) of the planned fight, which MMA Weekly also reported Monday.
The UFC debuts on the new FOX Sports 1 cable network with a live event from TD Bank Garden in Boston on Aug. 17, the same day the network launches. Live UFC events on the channel will replace events currently airing on FX and FUEL TV.
Lauzon is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Jim Miller at UFC 155 this past December in Las Vegas. The bout featured some big momentum swings and ultimately picked up "Fight of the Night" honors. It was the second straight "Fight of the Night" bonus for Lauzon after a submission win over Jamie Varner at UFC on FOX 4 this past August, which got him a double bonus with "Submission of the Night," as well.
Amazingly, Lauzon has won nine bonuses in his past nine fights. The double bonus against Varner made up for a head-kick loss to Anthony Pettis at UFC 144 – a fight that won Pettis "Knockout of the Night." In other words, starting in 2009, if Lauzon is in a fight, there's been a 100 percent bonus success rate.
Lauzon fought on the card at UFC 118, the promotion's first trip to Boston, and picked up "Submission of the Night" for his win over Gabe Ruediger, which came quickly into the first round in front of his home crowd.
Johnson will be trying to get back in the win column, as well. This past month in Sweden, he was submitted by Reza Madadi in the third round. At UFC 155 in December, he dropped a unanimous decision to Myles Jury, which snapped a three-fight win streak.
Johnson, the Season 12 runner-up on "The Ultimate Fighter," had won four of five fights after his TUF 12 Finale loss to Jonathan Brookins, including the consecutive wins over Shane Roller, Tony Ferguson and Danny Castillo, which earned him a "Knockout of the Night" bonus at UFC on FX 5 this past October.
The fight is the second to make its way to the card. Earlier this month, the UFC announced a welterweight fight between Thiago Alves and Matt Brown for the show. This past month at UFC 159, UFC President Dana White told a small group of reporters that the event would be "the best television card we've ever done."
