Dana White confirms return of BMF title as he announces several big-name UFC fights featuring Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje and Sean O’Malley

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Dana White has announced a bunch of big UFC fightsCredit: Getty

 The BMF title will be up for grabs when Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje rematch at UFC 291 on July 29.

On Tuesday night, UFC president Dana White took to social media to announce a bunch of big fights including the eagerly anticipated rerun between two elite-level lightweights.

The former interim lightweight champions first fought each other in 2018’s Fight of the Year, which Poirier won by TKO after four rounds of back-and-forth action.

Since then, both men have fallen short in undisputed title bids but have remained top contenders in the division by beating the likes of Michael Chandler, Conor McGregor, and Rafael Fiziev.

With neither doing quite enough to earn a crack at Islam Makhachev’s 155lb strap, the UFC decided to put the BMF [Baddest Motherf***er] belt on the line for their rematch.

The manufactured title was first created ahead of Jorge Masvidal’s fight with Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in November 2019 which ‘Gamebred’ won when the doctor waved off the fight in round three.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was there to put the belt on Masvidal, who vacated it last month when he retired, but it’s currently unclear if he’ll return for the second-ever BMF fight at UFC 291.

The Salt Lake City pay-per-view will feature Alex Pereira making his light-heavyweight debut against former champion Jan Blachowicz in the co-main event.

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'The Diamond' defeated Gaethje in April 2018Credit: Getty Images - Getty

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They'll rematch for the BMF belt recently made vacant when Jorge Masvidal retiredCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Also on the card will be a lightweight bout between Tony Ferguson and Bobby Green, a welterweight clash between Kevin Holland and Michael Chiesa and a middleweight match between Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov.

White also confirmed the top two fights for UFC 292.

Aljamain Sterling, who is fresh off a decision win over Henry Cejudo at UFC 288, will put his title on the line again when he takes on Sean O’Malley at The Garden in Boston on August 19.

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UFC 292 has its main eventCredit: Getty

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Weili Zhang will put her 155lb title on the line in the co-headlinerCredit: Getty

Strawweight champion Weili Zhang faces off against Amanda Lemos in the co-main event of a card the UFC boss promises will soon have more big-name fights.

White's flurry of exciting fight announcements comes in the immediate aftermath of his former heavyweight champion signing with a rival.

On Tuesday morning, Francis Ngannou announced he'd inked an MMA deal with PFL and will debut for them in 2024 after testing himself in a boxing ring.