Diaz vs. Miller set as UFC on FOX 3 main event; Barry vs. Johnson added to card
An intriguing lightweight matchup between Nate Diaz (15-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Jim Miller (21-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will serve as the main event of UFC on FOX 3.
The matchup, which was announced in January, will now be contested as a five-round affair.
Additionally, a heavyweight bout featuring sluggers Pat Barry (7-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and Lavar Johnson (16-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has also been added to the evening's main card.
UFC officials announced the changes late Wednesday night.
UFC on FOX 3 takes place May 5 at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
Diaz enters the bout after back-to-back career bests, flashing moments of absolute domination in wins over Donald Cerrone and Takanori Gomi. The 26-year-old is just 4-2 in his past six fights, but with five "Fight of the Night" bonuses under his belt, he's a must-watch competitor and may very well work his way into title contention with a win.
Meanwhile, Miller looks to build on the strength of his impressive submission win over Melvin Guillard at January's UFC on FX 1 event. Miller was decisioned by Ben Henderson in a bid for a shot at the lightweight title, but he's still 9-1 in his past 10 fights and extremely relevant in the 155-pound title picture.
Despite just a .500 record in the UFC, Barry has established himself as both one of the most potent strikers in the promotion in addition to a fan-favorite. Barry looks to build on the success of a UFC on FX 1 win over Christian Morecraft, which was also deemed the evening's "Fight of the Night."
Meanwhile, "Big" Johnson looks to build on the strength of a UFC-debut win over Joey Beltran. A former Strikeforce product, Johnson had been mired in a two-fight losing streak, but his fan-friendly style makes him a natural selection for the UFC's return to network television.
An intriguing lightweight matchup between Nate Diaz (15-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Jim Miller (21-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will serve as the main event of UFC on FOX 3.
The matchup, which was announced in January, will now be contested as a five-round affair.
Additionally, a heavyweight bout featuring sluggers Pat Barry (7-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and Lavar Johnson (16-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has also been added to the evening's main card.
UFC officials announced the changes late Wednesday night.
UFC on FOX 3 takes place May 5 at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
Diaz enters the bout after back-to-back career bests, flashing moments of absolute domination in wins over Donald Cerrone and Takanori Gomi. The 26-year-old is just 4-2 in his past six fights, but with five "Fight of the Night" bonuses under his belt, he's a must-watch competitor and may very well work his way into title contention with a win.
Meanwhile, Miller looks to build on the strength of his impressive submission win over Melvin Guillard at January's UFC on FX 1 event. Miller was decisioned by Ben Henderson in a bid for a shot at the lightweight title, but he's still 9-1 in his past 10 fights and extremely relevant in the 155-pound title picture.
Despite just a .500 record in the UFC, Barry has established himself as both one of the most potent strikers in the promotion in addition to a fan-favorite. Barry looks to build on the success of a UFC on FX 1 win over Christian Morecraft, which was also deemed the evening's "Fight of the Night."
Meanwhile, "Big" Johnson looks to build on the strength of a UFC-debut win over Joey Beltran. A former Strikeforce product, Johnson had been mired in a two-fight losing streak, but his fan-friendly style makes him a natural selection for the UFC's return to network television.
