TUF winner Julianna Pena returns, faces Milana Dudieva in Virginia

Following more than a year away from the sport dealing with a serious knee injury, Ultimate Fighter 18 winner Julianna Pena will finally make her long awaited return to the UFC when she faces Milana Dudieva at UFC Fight Night: Mendes vs. Lamas from Fairfax, Virginia.

UFC officials confirmed the new fight on Tuesday. 

Pena (5-2) was already a big addition to the women's bantamweight division after she won her season of the reality show, but in preparation for her first fight after The Ultimate Fighter, she suffered a severe knee injury that forced her into surgery and out of action.

Pena finally got clearance from her doctors to resume her career and now she finally gets to enter the bantamweight division and prove she belongs among the best of the best.

Looking to derail Pena's comeback journey will be second-time UFC fighter Milana Dudieva, who enters the card on April 4 on a three-fight win streak.

Dudieva made her UFC debut last August when she knocked off Elizabeth Phillips, who just happens to be a teammate of Pena. 

Now she'll meet the former Ultimate Fighter winner in a highly anticipated bout on the upcoming card from Virginia.  Pena vs. Dudieva is the latest bout added to the card headlined by featherweight contenders Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas, who face off in the five round main event.