Mike Ricci
Verbal agreements are in place for a lightweight battle between TUF finalists Mike ‘The Martian’ Ricci (7-3) and Colin ‘Freakshow’ Fletcher (8-2) for the upcoming UFC 158 event in Montreal.
Ricci fought as a welterweight in the TUF 16 finale while Fletcher competed as a lightweight at last months TUF: The Smashes final in Australia.
The bout was confirmed by UFC Canada officials on Monday night via Twitter (@UFC_CA).
UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz is expected to take place on March 16, 2013 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The event is headlined by UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre who defends his title against former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz.
No news was provided as per where the bout between Ricci and Fletcher might appear but the prelim card is a certainty, it’s whether or not the bout will be on television or on streaming video on the web.
Ricci lives in Montreal and trains at the famous Tristar Gym alongside GSP and fought fellow TUF 16 finalist Colton Smith last December for that season’s tournament crown. ‘The Martian’ would come up short losing by decision to Smith. He now drops to lightweight for the bout, having fought at that weight previously even going so far as competing in the Bellator Season 2 lightweight tournament.
Fletcher was a member of Team UK on The Smashes series competing against fellow countryman Norman Parke in the lightweight final. The two would battle for all three rounds and it would be Parke who would earn the nod from the judges. That loss ended a four fight win streak for ‘Freakshow’ who had only competed on UK soil as a pro up until that loss.