Former two-division UFC champion BJ Penn is scheduled to come out of retirement and face Ricardo Lamas in a featherweight fight on Oct. 15.
UFC officials formally announced the 145-pound bout Monday. Penn's comeback will headline UFC Fight Night at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
Penn (16-10-2), who retired in July 2014 following a lopsided loss to Frankie Edgar, was originally scheduled to return to the Octagon at UFC 199 in June but was pulled from the card due to a violation of the UFC's anti-doping policy.
During an out-of-competition drug test in March, Penn admitted to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) he had used an IV for non performance-enhancing reasons. Any use of an IV greater than 50 mL within a six-hour window is banned under the UFC's policy. Penn, who said he was unaware of the rule as it was not in place the last time he fought, accepted a six-month suspension.
Now fighting out of Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Penn has not won a fight since he defeated Matt Hughes in a welterweight contest at UFC 123 in November 2010. He is a former lightweight and welterweight champion.
Penn, 37, will face a stiff test in Lamas (16-5), a former featherweight title challenger. Lamas is coming off a three-round unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway in June. Lamas is 1-2 in his last three fights, but the losses have come against elite opposition in Holloway and Chad Mendes.