Officials with the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced a few changes to the upcoming show on FX, by announcing two matches for the event as well as reassigning one fight for an upcoming event in February.
A previously reported bantamweight bout between Mike ‘The Hulk’ Easton (11-1) vs. Jared ‘The Jackhammer’ Papazian (14-6) was confirmed, and a featherweight fight featuring newcomers Daniel ‘The Pit’ Pineda (15-7) vs. Pat ‘Thrilling’ Schilling (5-0) was announced.
While a featherweight fight featuring Mike Brown vs. Vagner Rocha was rescheduled for next months UFC on FUEL TV card but due to an injury Brown has been forced out of the fight. Rocha faces Jonathan Brookins at the event, which takes place on February 15, 2012 in Omaha, Nebraska.
“Two new contenders enter the 145-pound division as the battle-tested Daniel ‘The Pit’ Pineda goes against 5-0 ‘Thrilling’ Pat Schilling,” said UFC president Dana White.
Also that night, one of the bantamweight division’s top prospects, Mike “The Hulk” Easton, will take on 14-6 newcomer Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian. Papazian is stepping in on relative short notice after Easton’s original opponent, Ken Stone, was forced out due to injury.
UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller (aka UFC on FX 1) is scheduled to take place on January 20, 2012 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Easton debuted with the UFC last October, earning a second round TKO win over Byron Bloodworth at the UFC on Versus 6 show. The victory was ‘The Hulk’s’ fifth straight.
Papazian has won three straight, going 3-1 under the King of the Cage banner which includes winning and defending that promotions 135-lbs title.
Pineda has won five straight, fighting four times in 2011 for the Legacy Fighting Championship promotion. He finished all four of those opponents via (T)KO or by submission.
Schilling has fought only once in 2011, earning a first round submission (punches) victory last August. His four other victories came in 2010. All five of his wins have ended in the first round with four submissions and one TKO victory.