ADCC champion Rani Yahya is set to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 131. The unannounced card is rumored to take place on June 11 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The fight was originally reported by Heavy on Saturday morning. Jeremy Botter cited sources close the bout.
In his last fight, Yahya took a unanimous decision over former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown. The victory broke a two-fight losing streak consisting of defeats at the hands of Takeya Mizugaki and Joseph Benavidez.
Yahya made his WEC debut at WEC 28 and scored a quick submission over Mark Hominick. He then dropped to bantamweight and challenged then-WEC bantamweight champion Chase Beebe for the title. Yahya appeared in control early, but Beebe persevered and successfully defended his belt.
Poirier made his UFC debut as a last-minute replacement against Josh Grispi at UFC 125. “The Diamond” surprisingly dominated the featherweight contender and took a unanimous decision. Before moving to the UFC, Poirier went 1-1 in the WEC with a victory over Zach Micklewright. His professional record currently stands at 9-1.
The main event for UFC 131 is expected to feature a heavyweight match between former champion Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos. The two will coach against each other on the 13th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which will begin airing in March.
Also featured on the UFC 131 card is a featherweight match-up between Kenny Florian and Diego Nunes, as Florian makes his 145-pound debut.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jack Bratcher, MMA Headliner. MMA Headliner said: MMA News: Rani Yahya and Dustin Poirier added to UFC 131: http://tinyurl.com/4ktxt33 […]