Cageside Catch-up: Welcome back, Nate Diaz

Welcome to "Cageside Catch-up" at theScoreMMA, our roundup of the latest MMA news and announcements.

Ferguson vs. Cerrone set for UFC 238

Former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson is slated to return June 8 against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone at UFC 238 in Chicago, according to ESPN's Brett Okamato.

Ferguson (24-3) hasn't competed since his second-round TKO stoppage over former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis at UFC 229 in October. The 35-year-old was scheduled to face Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight title at UFC 236 last month before declining due to personal reasons.

The Ultimate Fighter winner heads into this bout on an 11-fight unbeaten streak. Cerrone (36-11) gets a quick turnaround after defeating Al Iaquinta by unanimous decision at UFC Ottawa on May 4. The 36-year-old will be looking for his fourth straight win.

Despite Ferguson's inactivity, I expect him to be the betting favorite, even with Cerrone's recent hot streak. Whoever comes out on top will likely face the winner of the potential Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Poirier lightweight title unification bout.

Diaz returns against Pettis at UFC 241

Nate Diaz returns to the cage for the first time since August 2016 when he faces former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis at UFC 241 on Aug. 17. The pair will be competing in the welterweight division, according to ESPN.

Diaz (19-11) last fought against Conor McGregor at UFC 202, losing a majority decision and snapping a two-fight win streak. Like his opponent, Diaz will be competing at welterweight for his second straight fight. The Stockton, Calif., native was scheduled to fight at UFC 230 last November. However, a hip injury forced his opponent, Poirier, out of the matchup.

Pettis (22-8) is coming off an impressive TKO victory over Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson at UFC Nashville in March. The Roufusport product looks to win back-to-back fights for the first time since December 2014.

Diaz will end the longest layoff of his career, and the biggest question is how the 34-year-old will look after taking that much time off. Pettis, meanwhile, appears reborn in this new weight class and is well rounded no matter how the fight goes.

This 170-pound showdown has fight-of-the-year potential.

Pico faces Borics at Bellator 222

A pair of exciting featherweight prospects will clash on June 14 as Aaron Pico faces Adam Borics at Bellator 222.

Pico (4-2) is coming off a devastating first-round TKO loss to Henry Corrales at Bellator 214, snapping his four-fight win streak. The 22-year-old recently switched camps and is now training at Jackson/Wink MMA ahead of his upcoming matchup, according to ESPN.

Borics (12-0) has won three straight fights under the Bellator banner, including a third-round submission victory over Josenaldo Silva at Bellator 205. The 25-year-old Hardknocks 365 product has finished his last four opponents.

It's surprising Bellator made this matchup considering the way Pico lost his last fight. With how much the promotion has invested in him, it would have been wiser to give Pico an opponent with similar experience. Borics is a dangerous fighter with six more professional bouts than the California native. Additionally, the 25-year-old doesn't have a household name that will put Pico back in the driver's seat.

We'll see if the move to Jackson/Wink MMA pays off for Pico on June 14.

First DWTNCS card announced for this season

Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series returns on June 18 in Las Vegas. FloCombat's Nolan King was the first to confirm the event, and then the UFC made an official announcement over the weekend.

The main event pits undefeated Xtreme Couture middleweight Puna Soriano against Contender Series alum Jamie Pickett. Also featured on the card is Leon Shahbazyan (UFC middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan's brother) taking on Brok Weaver. Ring of Combat featherweight champion Bill Algeo squares off against one-time UFC fighter Brendan Loughnane, too.

Soriano, along with LFA middleweight champion Brendan Allen (who fights July 16 against Aaron Jeffery) are two of the most promising 185-pound prospects this season. With the UFC's middleweight division going through a bit of a transition, those two would be nice additions to the roster.

Here's an updated look at the card:

• Punahele Soriano (5-0) vs. Jamie Pickett (9-3)
• Brok Weaver (13-4) vs. Leon Shahbazyan (7-1)
• Kali Robbins (6-2) vs. Hannah Goldy (4-0)
• Bill Algeo (12-3) vs. Brendan Loughnane (16-3)
• Yorgan De Castro (4-0) vs. Alton Meeks (3-0)