Cormier announced the matchup on Fox Sports 1’s “UFC Tonight.”
Cormier was initially slated to face Jones at UFC 200 in a title unification bout, but Jones was pulled from the July event just days before showtime after testing positive for estrogen blockers. Cormier went on to meet Anderson Silva in a non-title affair that evening.
Cormier submitted Johnson just three fights ago to capture the vacant belt that was stripped from Jones following his hit-and-run felony arrest.
Johnson, arguably the most intimidating man in the division, has since rattled off three straight knockout victories to earn another crack at the crown.