Khabib Nurmagomedov will officially fight Dustin Poirier in his return to the Octagon at UFC 242 in September. This highly anticipated matchup
was long-expected, but the UFC made the official announcement today, confirming that both fighters have signed onto the title fight. The presumable main event match for UFC 242 will unify the lightweight championship.
Dustin Poirier is currently the division's interim champion,
defeating Max Holloway back in April to win the interim lightweight title. Khabib Nurmagomedov is the reigning UFC lightweight champion, but has been unable to fight for the past nine months due to a suspension he received for his role in the post-fight melee from UFC 229 back in October 2018 (following his huge win over Conor McGregor to defend the title).
Khabib Nurmagomedov has a perfect 27-0 record, and has dominated UFC's lightweight division since entering the promotion in 2012. He boasts a flawless 11-0 record with wins over Al Iaquinta, Edson Barboza, Rafael dos Anjos and, most notably, Conor McGregor.
Dustin Poirier (25-5, 1 NC) is riding a five-fight win streak that dates back to February 2017. His unanimous decision win over Max Holloway at UFC 236 in April earned him the interim lightweight championship.
UFC 242 will be held in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, September 7. The winner of this weekend's UFC 238 pay-per-view match between Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone will likely determine who will face the champion from UFC 242.