Sonnen vs. Shogun headlines stacked UFC card

Chael Sonnen (left) and Mauricio Rua (right) headline the first UFC event on FOX Sports 1. (AP photos)

Chael Sonnen and Mauricio (Shogun) Rua will meet after all.

Just one day after it was reported the UFC was attempting to set up the matchup on short notice for UFC 161 in Winnipeg, the UFC announced late Tuesday the two light-heavyweights will instead headline the promotion’s debut event on FOX Sports 1.

Rua was scheduled to fight at the first UFC event in Winnipeg on June 15, but was removed from the UFC 161 lineup Monday after he was left without an opponent when his original opponent, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, was forced to pull out of the bout with an injury.

Once hearing that Shogun was without an opponent, Sonnen offered his services.

Sonnen (27-13-1) has lost his last two fights — a middleweight title bout to Anderson Silva at UFC 148 and a light-heavyweight title bout to Jon Jones at UFC 159 in April — but is still considered a top draw.

Rua (21-7) has alternated wins and losses in his last eight bouts and is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Gustafsson last December.

UFC on FOX Sports 1: 1 takes place Aug. 17 at the TD Garden in Boston and it is shaping up to be a stacked card.

Faber vs. Alcantara

Former WEC champion and perennial UFC contender Urijah Faber will take on rising Brazilian star Yuri Alcantara at UFC on FOX Sports 1: 1.

Faber (28-6) won his second consecutive fight, submitting Scott Jorgensen in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 17 finale in April. All six of Faber’s career losses have been in title fights.

Alcantara (28-4, 1 NC) is coming off a knockout win over Iliarde Santos in Brazil in May and has looked impressive since dropping to the 135-pound division earlier this year.

McDonald vs. Pickett

A another quality 135-pound bout between former top contender Michael McDonald and veteran Brad Pickett was added to the Boston card.

McDonald (15-2) looks to bounce back from his first loss since 2009 – a fourth-round submission to interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao in February. The 22-year-old is considered one of the best young fighters in MMA.

Pickett (23-7) is riding the momentum of a Fight of the Night performance in a split decision win over Mike Easton in April. In his nine fights under the Zuffa banner, Pickett has earned four Fight of the Night bonuses, plus one Submission of the Night and one Knockout of the Night.

Also on UFC on FOX Sports 1:1

— A light-heavyweight matchup between Cody Donovan and Ovince St. Preux was also added to the card.

— Former WEC champion Mike Brown announced he is coming out of his brief retirement and will fight TUF 14 veteran Akira Corassani in preliminary action.

— Irish star Conor McGregor will look for a tenth straight victory as he takes on popular English fighter Andy Ogle.

Other bouts slated for the UFC on FOX Sports 1: 1 fight card include: Travis Browne vs. Alistair Overeem; Thiago Alves vs. Matt Brown; Michael Johnson vs. Joe Lauzon; and Uriah Hall vs. Nick Ring.

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