Rory MacDonald vs. Stephen Thompson headlines UFC Fight Night 89

A welterweight clash between onetime title challenger Rory MacDonald and the surging Stephen Thompson will headline UFC Fight Night 89.

UFC President Dana White today announced the bout today in Las Vegas during the “Unstoppable” press conference, which previewed the promotion’s spring and summer schedule.

UFC Fight Night 89 takes place June 18 at a venue to be announced. The card is expected to air on FOX Sports 1 and stream on UFC Fight Pass. White said the event was confirmed today.

MacDonald (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) gets back into the promotion’s octagon after a “Fight of the Year” candidate at this past July’s UFC 189, which saw him surge ahead against champ Robbie Lawler only to suffer a badly broken nose and succumb to strikes in the fifth and final frame.

MacDonald previously was targeted to meet Hector Lombard, but was redirected to Thompson (12-1MMA, 7-1 UFC), who wowed the audience this past month with a first-round TKO of ex-champ Johny Hendricks at UFC Fight Night 82.

It was Thompson’s sixth straight win in the UFC and seventh overall in the promotion. The matchup puts him in an interesting position given his former role as training partner of ex-welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre, who was considered a mentor and training partner of MacDonald at Montreal’s Tristar Gym.

Indeed, MacDonald was considered a protege of St-Pierre and was considered a future contender before the Quebecois champ stepped away from the sport in 2013.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 87, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.