Norman Parke will face Naoyuki Kotani in Dublin. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Ultimate Fighting Championship officials announced the booking Thursday. The July 19 event takes place at the O2 in Dublin and is headlined by a titular featherweight clash pitting Irish talent Connor McGregor against veteran Cole Miller.
Parke, 27, won “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” in 2012, posting three straight wins to begin his UFC career. The Northern Irishman last competed on March 23, fighting Leonardo Santos to a majority draw at UFC Fight Night “Shogun vs. Henderson 2.”
Kotani, 32, is a veteran of 50 pro fights spanning more than 13 years of competition. The Rings veteran completed a two-fight stint with the UFC in 2007, coming up short against Thiago Tavares and Dennis Siver. More recently, the Japanese talent has won 13 straight fights, kicking off 2014 with a unanimous decision victory over Yoshihiro Koyama under the Vale Tudo Japan banner.
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