Former champs added to UFC 213 card at T-Mobile Arena
Former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will be making his return to 155 pounds after a brief stint at featherweight.
Pettis, who went 1-1 in two fights and missed weight once in two fights at 145 pounds, will come back up to lightweight to face veteran Jim Miller at UFC 213 on July 8 at T-Mobile Arena.
The bout was one of three major fights involving former champions confirmed for the event by UFC officials on Wednesday.
Former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler will take on Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and former heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum will meet Alistair Overeem.
Lawler has not fought since losing the belt to Tyron Woodley in July. Werdum bounced back from a title loss to Stipe Miocic in May with a victory over Travis Browne in September.
Pettis dropped down to featherweight after suffering three consecutive losses at 155 pounds. He submitted Charles Oliveira in his 145-pound debut, but was knocked out by Max Holloway after missing weight in December. The bout was originally scheduled to be an interim title fight until Pettis could not make the limit.
He returns against Miller, a winner of three of his last four who is coming off a loss to Dustin Poirier in February.
UFC 213 includes a bantamweight title bout between friends-turned-rivals as champion Cody Garbrandt defends the belt against former champ T.J. Dillashaw. Several other title bouts have been rumored for the event, though none have yet come to fruition.
Follow all of our MMA and UFC coverage online at CoveringTheCage.com and @CoveringTheCage on Twitter.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.
