Josh Thomson vs. Michael Johnson slotted for UFC on FOX 12 in San Jose
Two top lightweight contenders will meet in the UFC’s July return to network television.
Josh Thomson (20-6 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and Michael Johnson (15-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) are slated to meet at the event, UFC officials today announced.
UFC on FOX 12 takes place July 26 at SAP Center in San Jose. The main card airs on FOX following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Thomson vs. Johnson is expected to be part of the main card but won’t be the night’s headliner.
Thomson is ranked No. 7 and Johnson is No. 14 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings.
Henderson returns to the cage for the first time since a narrow (and and controversial) loss to former UFC champion Benson Henderson in January. The 35-year-old ex-Strikeforce titleholder briefly considered retirement after the defeat, which moved him to 3-3 in his past six fights, but opted to fight on.
He’ll now fight close to home when he meets Johnson, a runner-up on “The Ultimate Fighter 12″ who’s recently strung together a series of wins over high-profile opponents. Although the 27-year-old Blackzilian member began his UFC career with a 4-4 record, he’s since rebounded to defeat Joe Lauzon, Gleison Tibau and Melvin Guillard to move into title contention.
The latest UFC on FOX 12 card includes:
Michael Johnson vs. Josh Thomson
Anthony Johnson vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
