Erik Koch
Former featherweight UFC title contender Erik ‘New Breed’ Koch (13-1) has opted not to wait for division champ Jose Aldo to return from injury, and appears as if he’ll be taking on ‘The Bully’ Ricardo Lamas (12-2) at the end year UFC 155: Dos Santos vs. Velasquez II event.
News of the matchup comes via MMA Opinion (@MMA_Opinion):
– It looks like Ricardo Lamas vs Erik “New Breed” Koch has been agreed for UFC 155.
UFC 155: Dos Santos vs. Velasquez II is expected to take place on December 29, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Koch had been scheduled to face Aldo at the recent UFC 153 event but ‘New Breed’ was forced out with an injury and replaced by Frankie Edgar. Koch has won four in a row, including two inside the Octagon. He has not fought since September of last year, where he earned a decision over TUF 12 winner Jonathan Brookins. Koch had been linked to a fight with Dustin Poirier last February at UFC 143 but withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Lamas.
Lamas has won three straight since debuting as a featherweight in the UFC in June 2011. He last saw action in June of this year at the UFC on FX 3 event, defeating Hatsu Hioki via decision. The bout versus Poirier did not materialize after Lamas was also forced out with an injury. ‘The Bully’ earned his other two previous Octagon wins against Cub Swanson and Matt Grice.