EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - MAY 04: (L-R) Lightweight opponents Tony Ferguson and Michael Johnson face off after weighing in during the UFC on FOX official weigh in at Izod Center on May 4, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Tony Ferguson will attempt to secure a lightweight title shot at UFC 197 while also trying to avenge his last loss as he takes on top-10 competitor Michael Johnson on March 5 in Las Vegas.
The bout was confirmed by UFC officials to the LA Daily News on Thursday.
Ferguson has been on a tear lately, winning his last seven fights in a row, including a submission victory over Edson Barboza at "The Ultimate Fighter" finale last December.
The win got Ferguson into the top five of the lightweight division as he took one more step towards an eventual title shot.
While it's been seven fights and over three years since Ferguson last tasted defeat, the man who opposes him at UFC 197 is the same one to hand him that loss.
Johnson defeated Ferguson at FOX UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Miller in 2012 by unanimous decision, and now he'll look to repeat his previous performance with another win in March.
Johnson was closing in on a title shot of his own until he suffered back-to-back losses in recent fights to Beneil Dariush and Nate Diaz. Now Johnson will try to get back into the lightweight top five while derailing Johnson's title hopes along the way.
UFC 197 is expected to be one of the biggest cards of the year with two title fights headlining the show, including Rafael dos Anjos taking on Conor McGregor in the main event while Holly Holm faces Miesha Tate in the co-main event.
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