
T-MOBILE Arena, Nevada (AP) Bob Evans will make his return to the UFC after a two-year layoff, after a knee injury ended his season in January.
The 31-year-old Evans (12-1) is set to make his debut at UFC 200 on Sept. 16 when he faces former champion Johnson (19-7) in a lightweight title bout.
He has not fought since a split-decision loss to Dan Henderson in April.
Evans, who was released by Bellator earlier this year, will likely face a tougher test against a former UFC champion who’s been one of the best strikers in the world.
Johnson, who suffered a knee ligament injury in March, is coming off a split decision loss to Eddie Alvarez.
He will look to bounce back from a loss to the champ at UFC 203 in June, but he’s not expected to face the winner of a fight between Evans and Johnson in the Oct. 13 event in Las Vegas.UFC 200 takes place at TMW Arena in Las Nevada, Nevada, on Aug. 31.
Tickets for the main card go on sale Friday.