UFC on Fox 5 Goes Big: Henderson vs. Diaz, Shogun vs. Gustafsson, and Penn vs. MacDonald

The Dec. 8 date for UFC on Fox 5, the promotion’s final event of the year on “Big Fox,” has been known for quite some time, but now the rumor mill has come together to form the top end of the fight card.

Leading the charge is the newly minted UFC lightweight championship with Benson Henderson putting his belt on the line for the second time, as he squares off with No. 1 contender Nate Diaz in the UFC on Fox 5 main event, according to MMAWeekly.com sources verifying the bout.

UFC president Dana White on Saturday night confirmed that Diaz was granted the next shot after Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 150 in Denver.

It marks the first time since the initial UFC on Fox offering that a title fight has graced a fight card on the network. Junior dos Santos captured the heavyweight title from Cain Velasquez on the first UFC on Fox fight card in November 2011.

The UFC isn’t stopping there, however, putting together its most stacked Fox fight card to date.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua came within a whisper of a return shot at the UFC light heavyweight championship after defeating Brandon Vera at UFC on Fox 4. He will instead take on the top rising 205-pound star in Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on Fox 5.

Adding to an already top heavy card, the aborted UFC 152 bout between BJ Penn and Rory MacDonald also graces the UFC on Fox 5 fight card. Their bout was shelved for the Sept. 22 Toronto fight card when MacDonald had to drop out due to an injury.

Penn came out of retirement for the fight and has repeatedly said that he wouldn’t take just any old fight to step back in the Octagon. So the two have agreed to keep the fight together and help the UFC try to make a splash on its year-ending Fox card.

The star-powered UFC on Fox 5 fight card as first reported by USA Today Sports and MMAJunkie.com.

No location or venue has yet to be announced for UFC on Fox 5.

For more UFC on Fox 5 bouts and information, stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com’s UFC and MMA Rumors Page.