Lightweight Joe Lauzon, a bonus-winning machine in the UFC, will return this October against Jonathan Pearce at UFC Boston.
UFC veteran and fan favorite Joe Lauzon will be fighting at home when he returns from a lengthy layoff at UFC Boston. On Friday, Lauzon himself confirmed reports that he’d get back in the octagon after 16 months away to take on Jonathan Pearce at the event, a.k.a. UFC on ESPN 6.
Lauzon (27–15), will enter the fight on a three-fight losing streak. He last appeared at UFC 223 in April 2018, losing to Chris Gruetzemacher after failing to answer the bell for the third round. The corner stoppage loss followed a TKO loss to Clay Guida in 2017, and a majority decision defeat against Stevie Ray that same year.
Lauzon entered the UFC in 2006 with a knockout of lightweight pioneer Jens Pulver. He appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 5, where Pulver featured as a coach, but was part of B.J. Penn’s team. Notably, his TUF 5 stint came after he had already defeated Pulver. He’d rattle off two more wins in the UFC after losing on the show, before suffering his first loss in the promotion to Kenny Florian.
However, Lauzon might be best remembered for his bloodbath against Jim Miller at UFC 155. The 2012 bout saw Lauzon lose a split decision, but his Fight of the Night effort did not go unnoticed. UFC President Dana White even gifted him the blood-soaked canvas for his efforts.
Fighting at home after falling off in recent times, there’s a feeling this could be Lauzon’s swan song.
Facing him at UFC Boston will be a hungry prospect in Jonathan Pearce. Pearce (9-3) won his way into the UFC in July, and will be making his promotional debut against Lauzon. He’s on a five-fight win streak currently.
UFC Boston takes places Friday, October 18 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The show is headlined by former middleweight champ Chris Weidman, moving up to light heavyweight against Dominick Reyes.
