Jared Papazian (Josh Hedges/UFC)
Bantamweights booked for June 8 bout
A pair of bantamweights looking to reverse losses in their UFC debuts have been booked to meet in June.
Dustin Pague and Jared Papazian will square off when the UFC returns to the FX cable network on June 8 for UFC on FX 3. The UFC recently announced the fight booking for the card, which won’t have a location and venue until the completion of the Harley-Davidson Hometown Throwdown voting next month.
Pague (10-5, 0-1 UFC) made his UFC debut in December at the TUF 14 Finale in Las Vegas after competing on Season 14 of the show. But castmate John Albert made quick work of him, beating him with a first-round TKO in just 69 seconds. Pague was a semifinalist on the show in the bantamweight tournament, but lost to eventual runner-up T.J. Dillashaw. Prior to his stint on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Pague had put together a five-fight winning streak in regional shows on the East Coast.
Papazian (14-7, 1 NC, 0-1 UFC) made his debut with the UFC in January, losing a majority decision to Mike Easton at UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller in Nashville, Tenn. The California-based fighter had won eight of nine fights before that to get the call from the UFC.
The Pague-Papazian fight is likely to take place on the preliminary card of UFC on FX 3. Also on the card, flyweights Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall rematch after their controversial draw earlier this month in Australia, with the winner advancing to meet Joseph Benavidez later this year for the first UFC flyweight title.