After the debacle that was his UFC 214 loss and a subsequent failed drug test that saw Daniel Cormier retroactively regain his crown, the UFC light heavyweight champion has a date and opponent for his return. 

Cormier (19-1) will defend his 205-pound title at UFC 220 in Boston on Jan. 20 against red-hot slugger Volkan Oezdemir (15-1), UFC announced on Wednesday. 

The news comes in the aftermath of Oezedemir's felony arrest for his alleged role in an August bar room altercation in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On Monday, UFC president Dana White told media members that Oezdemir's pending legal issues "probably" wouldn't preclude him from taking part in the fight. 

Cormier-Oezdemir is likely to be the main event of UFC 220, although the promotion has yet to confirm. 

Oezdemir, 28, enters the title shot on a five-fight win streak dating back to his 2014 submission loss to Kelly Anundson at Bellator 115. The fight, nicknamed "No Time," is 3-0 in the UFC since making his debut in February and made headlines with a pair of knockout victories (against Misha Cirkunov and Jimi Manuwa) which took place in less than 45 seconds. 

Although Oezdemir brings devastating punching power into the fight, his experience level pales in comparison to the champion. Cormier, however, is 38 and will need to prove he has rebounded mentally from the third-round TKO defeat (via head kick) to Jones that was changed to a no contest. 

Cormier, who lost to Jones by decision in their 2015 first meeting, captured the vacant title from Anthony Johnson four months later when Jones was stripped of his title (the first of three occasions) for disciplinary reasons following a felony hit-and-run arrest. Cormier is 4-0 since the first Jones loss, including a pair of title defenses. 

One of Cormier's defenses came via split decision against Alexander Gustafsson in 2015. Any hope of a rematch to open 2018 was squashed on Monday when Gustafsson posted a picture of himself on social media following shoulder surgery.