The UFC have confirmed that Khabib Nurmagomedov will compete for the first time in 11 months at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi on September 7 when he goes up against Dustin Poirier.
The fight had been mooted since it was confirmed in April that the UAE captial would be hosting their first UFC event in five years as part of a five-year partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
But it was officially confirmed that the 30 year old will fight in Abu Dhabi by Dana White, the UFC president, on Tuesday.
Nurmagomedov, the UFC lightweight champion, will face interim title holder in the division Poirier in an unification match in what will be the main event of the card.
The Russian has not fought since he defeated Conor McGregor last October at UFC 229 in an event that ended in a brawl involving both fighters after the match had ended.
Nurmagomedov, who has a perfect winning record in mixed martial arts (MMA) was banned for nine months for his role in the incident and the suspensions ends on July 6.
Nurmagomedov went on social media to start promoting the showdown in the UAE. He wrote: "Welcome aboard Dustin Poirier."
A devout Muslim, Nurmagomedov has visited the UAE numerous times in the past, including shortly after the clash with McGregor, when he made an appearance at Al Wahda's Al Nahyan Stadium.
According to US media reports, Nurmagomedov's cousin Abubakar Nurmagomedov and a teammate Zubaira Tukhugov will also compete in Abu Dhabi, with the rest of the card yet to be announced.
The DCT Abu Dhabi has set up a website for fans wanting to register for early access to tickets. Visit visitabudhabi.ae, click sign up, enter your personal details and click subscribe.
