Poirier, Yahya to Collide in UFC’s Vancouver Return

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The fast-rising Dustin Poirier will lock horns with Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Rani Yahya in a showdown between high-caliber featherweights at UFC 131 on June 11 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Poirier confirmed the bout via Twitter. Heavy.com was first to report the pivotal 145-pound matchup.

Based in Lafayette, La., Poirier trains under “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 semifinalist Tim Credeur. The 22-year-old thrust himself into the Top 10 at 145 pounds with his one-sided unanimous decision against Josh Grispi in his promotional debut at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day. A potent standup fighter, Poirier has secured eight of his nine career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. He will carry a two-fight winning streak into his appearance at UFC 131.

Yahya last competed at UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” in January, when he defeated former World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight king Mike Thomas Brown by unanimous decision. A respected Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, the 26-year-old won a gold medal at the 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships. Yahya’s grappling skills have served him well in MMA competition, too, as he has notched 14 of his 16 wins by submission. Victories over former WEC bantamweight champion Eddie Wineland, Dream veteran Yoshihiro Maeda and top featherweight contender Mark Hominick strengthen his resume.

A heavyweight duel pairing former champion Brock Lesnar with once-beaten Brazilian standout Junior dos Santos will likely headline the event, which has not yet been made official by the promotion. In addition, two-time UFC lightweight title contender Kenny Florian expects to make his debut at 145 pounds against the world-ranked Diego Nunes.

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