Former lightweight interim champion Tony Ferguson will return to the welterweight division for the first time since winning The Ultimate Fighter 13 in 2011 at UFC 279.
Ferguson(25-7) will will take on Li Jingliang (19-7) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 10. UFC president Dana White announced the match during the UFC 278 Post-fight Press Conference on Saturday.
“Oh, he (Ferguson) didn’t say who he’s fighting?” White said when questioned about Ferguson’s next bout. “We’ll let you know soon. Ah, it’s done. It’s ‘Leech.’”
Ferguson will try to snap a four-fight losing streak in the new weight class. Jingliang hopes to put together a winning streak and build the momentum off his knockout win over Muslim Salikhov in July.
UFC 279 is headlined by a welterweight bout between undefeated No. 3 ranked Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz. The bout will be the last on Diaz’ UFC contract.
Kamaru Usman releases short statement after UFC 278 knockout loss: ‘Champs f**k up sometimes’
Tony Ferguson moves to welterweight, faces Li Jingliang at UFC 279
