Jon Koppenhaver Returns at UFC 84

Jon “War Machine” Koppenhaver (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a cast member from “The Ultimate Fighter 6? who posted a Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night performance at the show’s live finale, will next fight May 24 at UFC 84.

The 26-year-old fighter mentioned the in a recent MySpace bulletin. A possible opponent was not named.

UFC 84 takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Recently crowned UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn meets former champ Sean Sherk in the night’s main event.

Koppenhaver joined the latest cast of “The Ultimate Fighter” as a replacement for an injured Roman Mitichyan. In a bloody bout that appeared to have eventual show runner-up Tommy Speer on the verge of tapping, Koppenhaver suffered a unanimous-decision loss in the show’s opening round and was knocked out of the competition.

Just prior to the bout, Koppenhaver said it might be his last fight ever in MMA. However, in an interview with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) just after the episode aired, the fighter said it was just his usual pre-fighter jitters.

“On the show, I actually said I wasn’t going to fight (again) — win or lose,” Koppenhaver said. “Really, that’s what I said. I’m always anxious before fights, and on the show with all the cameras and being cut off, it’s magnified a hundred times. The house was just f***ing up my head. Once I got off the show, though, I was back in my normal routine.”

In fact, just weeks after the episode aired, Koppenhaver returned at the show’s live finale and battled fellow cast member Jared Rollins in a back-and-forth battle. Koppenhaver eventually scored a third-round TKO, and he earned a $15,000 Knockout of the Night bonus and a $15,000 Fight of the Night bonus. He’s one of very few fighters who have ever picked up two fight-night bonuses in one event.

For the latest UFC 84 fight card, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com

(Touch of gloves: “PhyteGuru” and “Miss Lissa”)