Nate Diaz is back, ladies and gentlemen, with the UFC announcing on Monday night that Stockton, California's native son will return to the Octagon on December 19 at UFC on Fox 17. His opponent? Surging Blackzilian Michael Johnson. The announcement was made on Fox Sports Live on Fox Sports 1, and then confirmed by UFC VP of Public Relations Dave Sholler on Twitter:
This is a surprising but incredibly exciting fight for the lightweight division.
Diaz is a long-standing fan favorite who, no matter what anybody might say, is a solid needle-mover. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 5 has carved out a place near the top of the lightweight division and owns emphatic wins over the likes of Donald Cerrone, Takanori Gomi and Gray Maynard.