On August 17th one of the biggest cards of the year and the biggest card of the summer will take place in Anaheim, California at the Honda Center as the #1 ranked heavyweight in the division former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic will get his deserved and long-awaited rematch with current UFC heavyweight champion and former UFC Light-heavyweight champion Daniel "D.C." Cormier. In the co-main event, the former UFC Lightweight Champion the #7 ranked welterweight in the division Anthony "Showtime" Pettis will face Nate Diaz in his return to the octagon in the over 2 years. Top middleweight contenders will clash as the #2 ranked fighter in the division "The Soldier Of God" Yoel Romero will face hot prospect #7 ranked middleweight Paulo Costa in a bout that was supposed to take place already. Another middleweight bout will take place as the #8 ranked Derrick Brunson faces #10 ranked Ian Heinisch. To open up the main card in the lightweight division Devonte Smith will face John Makdessi.
As the card opens up Devonte Smith who is a winner on Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series will step into the octagon to John Makdessi. Devonte Smith is looking to add another stoppage to his record as he has been on a hot streak since entering the organization He is coming off of a TKO victory over Dong Hyun Ma at UFC 234. John Makdessi is a veteran in the UFC who is coming off of a decision victory over Jesus Pinedo at UFC Fight Night 148.
The #8 ranked middleweight Derrick Brunson will make his second appearance in the octagon this year as he will face off against #10 middleweight Ian Heinisch. Derrick Brunson is coming off of a unanimous decision victory over Elias Theodorou at UFC Fight Night 151. #10 ranked Ian Heinisch is also coming off of a win as he defeated Antonio Carlos Jr via unanimous decision at UFC fight night 152.
One of the most feared men in the UFC's middleweight division will step into the octagon as former title challenger #2 ranked Yoel Romero is gonna clash with #7 ranked Paulo Costa in a bout that was supposed to take place at a previous event but it was suggested by doctors that Yoel continued to take some time off to allow his face to heal from the injuries he received. The last time we saw "The Soldier Of God" Yoel Romero in the octagon was when he took on the current UFC middleweight champion "The Reaper" Robert Whittaker but lost the fight via unanimous decision as it was a war that went back and forth. The undefeated Paulo Costa was last in the octagon at UFC 226 when he brutally finished Uriah Hall with a fierce combination that would lead to the fight ending in the 2nd round. Yoel and Paulo have been dying to get their hands on one another.
In the Co-main event is the long awaited return of Nate Diaz as he will be facing the #7 ranked welterweight Anthony "Showtime" Pettis. The last time Nate Diaz was in the octagon was when he faced Conor Mcgregor at UFC 202 but lost the bout via majority decision. He was supposed to face the interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier at UFC 230 but Dustin pulled out due to an injury. Anthony "Showtime" Pettis is coming off of a huge knockout victory over Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson who has never been finished before at UFC fight night 148. This is a huge grudge match in the making.
In the main event, Daniel Cormier will finally face Stipe Miocic as he took the title from him. Daniel Cormier was last in the octagon when he faced Derrick Lewis at UFC 230 and defeated via rear-naked choke in the 2nd round. The #1 ranked Stipe Miocic is looking to get back what was once his as his last bout was against Daniel Cormier and lost the bout via knockout in the 1st round at UFC 226.
