Joe Lauzon vs. Diego Sanchez, Johny Hendricks vs. Kelvin Gastelum set for UFC 200

Johny Hendricks

There are some headline-stealing names on the UFC 200 card, but one newly official fight might be the one stealing the show.

A lightweight fight between Joe Lauzon (25-11 MMA, 12-8 UFC) and Diego Sanchez (26-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) was made official by UFC officials tonight. In addition, former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) said on his Twitter account that he’s fighting “TUF 17” winner Kelvin Gastelum (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at the event – though UFC officials have not made a formal announcement of that bout.

The historic UFC 200 event takes place July 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Lauzon and Sanchez originally were supposed to fight at UFC 180 in November 2014, but injuries to both fighters scrapped that bout. Lauzon will be looking to get back in the win column after a unanimous decision loss to Evan Dunham this past December at the TUF 22 Finale in Las Vegas. Before that, he had won three of four fights, including a “Fight of the Night” TKO win over Michael Chiesa. After losses in three of his past four fights, Sanchez beat Jim Miller in his return to lightweight earlier this month at UFC 196. The move back to 155 pounds came after just one bout at featherweight, a loss to Ricardo Lamas this past November in Mexico.

Hendricks lost a title shot to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 167. But when St-Pierre vacated the title to retire, Hendricks beat Robbie Lawler at UFC 171 to win the vacant belt. He surrendered it in his first defense at UFC 181, though, when he dropped a split decision. He rebounded with a win over Matt Brown at UFC 185. But his next time out, he struggled to make weight at UFC 192 for a fight with Tyron Woodley and had to be hospitalized. He got his weight cutting under control for a February fight against Stephen Thompson, though – but was stopped with a first-round TKO – the first stoppage loss of his career.

Gastelum has had problems making the welterweight limit on the scale, as well. His 5-0 start to his UFC career saw him miss weight for a fight with Nico Musoke. He was on point for a “Performance of the Night” submission of Make Ellenberger at UFC 180, but for a bout at UFC 183 against Woodley, he missed weight horribly – coming in at 180 pounds. UFC President Dana White kicked him up to middleweight after that, and he picked up a second-round TKO of Nate Marquardt. He moved back to 170 pounds this past November, but lost a split decision to Neil Magny in a “Fight of the Night” winner at UFC Fight Night 78.

The latest UFC 200 card includes:

• Champ Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz – non-title bout
• Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar – for interim featherweight title
• Travis Browne vs. Cain Velasquez
• Derek Brunson vs. Gegard Mousasi
• Joe Lauzon vs. Diego Sanchez
• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Johny Hendricks

For more on UFC 200, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.