Michael Johnson vs. Andre Fili slated for UFC Lincoln

Michael Johnson will give the featherweight division a second try this summer.

“The Menace” is set to meet fellow Octagon veteran Andre Fili in a 145-pound tilt on Aug. 25 at UFC Lincoln. The UFC formally announced the booking Friday.

A 32-year-old former lightweight contender, Johnson (17-13) made his featherweight debut in January following a 1-4 slump that saw him lose to top-shelf names Khabib Nurmagomedov, Nate Diaz, and Justin Gaethje at 155 pounds. Matched against featherweight contender Darren Elkinsearlier this year at UFC St. Louis, Johnson initially did well in his 145-pound debut but ultimately suffered a third consecutive setback, losing via second-round rear-naked choke.

Nonetheless, Johnson still carries a bevy of notable wins on his résumé, highlighted by victories over Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier, and Edson Barboza.

He’ll now meet Fili (18-5), a 28-year-old Team Alpha Male product who has put things together of late to win consecutive fights after alternating wins and losses in his first seven UFC appearances.

Fili’s current winning streak began with a unanimous decision victory over Artem Lobov late last year, then continued with a split decision over Dennis Bermudez in January.

UFC Lincoln takes place at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. A lightweight scrap between Gaethje and James Vick headlines the event.