Johnson – Horiguchi new co-main event for UFC 186

The UFC® announced an updated fight card and released ticket prices for UFC® 186: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO II at the Bell Centre on Saturday, April 25. The organization will be returning to Montreal with two championship title fights including the highly anticipated re-match between the world’s No.9-ranked pound-for-pound mixed martial artist, UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw (12-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Ca., USA), and No.1 contender Renan Barao (35-2, 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The new co-main event will feature UFC flyweight champion and the world’s No.3 ranked pound-for-pound fighter Demetrious Johnson (21-2-1, fighting out of Parkland, WA, USA) against No.8-ranked Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan). Tickets for UFC® 186: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO II will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, February 28 at 10 a.m. EST.Johnson is the first and only flyweight champion in UFC history, winning the belt in 2012 against top competitor Joseph Benavidez. Currently on an eight-fight unbeaten streak, “Mighty Mouse” owns eight wins by submission and four by knockout, proving the range of his dangerous skill set. Johnson will look to defend his belt for the sixth time against rising contender Horiguchi, who is currently 4-0 in the UFC and on a nine-fight win streak. Horiguchi, who has five first-round finishes and nine wins by knockout, will be on a mission to bring UFC gold back to Japan for the first time. The UFC® 186 co-main event also marks the introduction of the 125-pound division to La Belle Province, as it will be the first UFC flyweight tilt ever to be held in the Province of Quebec. The Bell Centre faithful will see firsthand the speed and agility the flyweights bring inside the Octagon as they demonstrate why the division is like no other in the UFC..The previously scheduled bout between welterweights Rory MacDonald and Hector Lombard has been removed from the card and updates for both fighters will be provided when available.. 

The Ultimate Fighter® Nations winner Chad Laprise (10-0, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) has also been added to the card. Laprise will face American Bryan Barberena (10-2, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz., USA) in a lightweight bout.

Other confirmed bouts for UFC® 186: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO II include:
• Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-10, fighting out of Irvine, Ca., USA) will make his return to the Octagon® after a two year absence. He will face No.13 ranked Fabio Maldonado (22-7, fighting out of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) in a battle of heavy handed strikers at 205 pounds

• No.9 ranked Englishman Michael Bisping (26-7-0, fighting out of Manchester, England) will face a tough test in finishing specialist and No.11 ranked C.B. Dolloway (16-7, fighting out of Tempe, Az., USA) in the middleweight division

• Veteran power-puncher Yves Jabouin (20-9, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) fights undefeated Thomas Almeida (18-0, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a bantamweight fight sure to produce fireworks

• Patrick Côté (21-9, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) will meet knockout artist Joe Riggs (40-15, fighting out of Glendale, Az., USA) in a welterweight showdown

• John Makdessi (12-3, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) will face 12-6 Abel Trujillo (12-6,1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, FL., USA) in a lightweight bout

• In a battle of The Ultimate Fighter® alums, judo black belt Olivier Aubin-Mercier (6-1, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) clashes with David Michaud (8-1, fighting out of Glendale, Az., USA) in a lightweight tilt

• Welterweight Nordine Taleb (10-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) meets Brazil’s Claudio Silva (11-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

• World champion boxer Jessica Rakoczy (1-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nv., USA), originally from Hamilton, Ontario, makes her return to the Octagon® after becoming The Ultimate Fighter® runner-up in 2013. She will meet another striking specialist and fellow Canadian, Valerie Letourneau (6-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fl., USA by way of Montreal, Canada), in a strawweight bout. Both women have dropped a weight class and enter the newest division in the UFCTickets for UFC® 186: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO II go on sale Saturday, February 28 at 10 a.m. EST Ticket are priced at $375, $250, $150, $100, $90, $75 and $50. Ticket sales are limited to eight per person.