Kenny Florian: I’m Fighting Nov. 17 at UFC 78

UFC lightweight and “The Ultimate Fighter 1” runner-up Kenny Florian will next return to the Octagon for a Nov. 17 event in Newark, N.J.

Florian added the UFC 78 event to his listing of upcoming events at kennyflorian.com.

His opponent is not yet known.

Florian, who — despite competing at two weight classes above his normal fighting weight — made it to the finals of the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” ultimately lost to Diego Sanchez in the show’s live finale.

However, with the UFC’s resurrection of the 155-pound lightweight division, the 31-year-old has returned to his normal fighting weight and has since become a legitimate lightweight contender.

Florian actually earned a title shot once before — against Sherk at UFC 64 for the vacant lightweight championship. Despite turning Sean Sherk’s face into hamburger meat with a series of elbow strikes, he dropped a unanimous decision in the five-round bout.

Since that loss, he’s picked up two very impressive victories over Dokonjonosuke Mishima (third-round submission at UFC Fight Night 9) and Alvin Robinson (first-round submission via strikes at UFC 73).

November’s UFC 78 event was supposed to host a title fight between current champ Sean Sherk and B.J. Penn. However, with Sherk set to appeal a failed drug test from UFC 73, the bout could be in jeopardy.

UFC 78 takes place at the Prudential Center.