Nate Diaz (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

By FCF Staff

Nate Diaz finally has his first fight of 2015 booked, as the lightweight vet will take on top five ranked contender Michael Johnson on December 19th. The bout will be part of UFC on FOX 17, which will take place in Orlando, Florida.

Diaz (17-10) will be fighting for the first time since last December, when he was out gunned by champion Rafael dos Anjos and lost via unanimous decision. Prior to that the Stockton fighter stopped Gray Maynard in November, 2013.

Johnson (16-9), meanwhile, is coming off a tightly contested and controversial split decision loss to Beneil Dariush earlier this month, after winning four straight fights.

The Florida fighter and TUF vet is currently ranked #5 in the UFC’s lightweight division. Diaz is #14.

UFC on FOX 17 will be hosted by the Amway Center and will be headlined by a bout between dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone.