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

By FCF Staff

After spending nearly a year on the sidelines, and a highly publicized contract dispute with the UFC, Nate Diaz is returning to action on December 13th and will fight Rafael dos Anjos.

The lightweight scrap will co-headline UFC on FOX 13, which will be hosted by the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Diaz (17-9) hasn’t fought since last November, when he stopped Gray Maynard in the first round, after dropping fights to Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson. Since the victory, Diaz has been openly critical of the UFC and his current contract.

Recently UFC President Dana White relayed he was talking with the disgruntled fighter, but today’s announcement did not include any information regarding Diaz’s contract.

Dos Anjos (22-7) is coming off stoppage wins over Henderson and Jason High, after being decisioned by Khabib Nurmagomedov in April. The fighter is currently ranked #3 in the UFC’s lightweight division.

UFC on FOX 13 will feature a heavyweight bout between Stipe Miocic and Junior dos Santos in the main event.