Maximo Blanco
A pair of featherweights were announced as opponents for the TUF 17 Finale on Tuesday in TUF Live alumni Sam Sicilia (11-2) and Venezuela’s Maximo Blanco (8-4-1, 1NC).
Officials made the announcement online at UFC.com.
The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale is expected to take place on April 13, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event has a new headliner in bantamweights Urijah Faber vs. Scott Jorgensen.
Sicilia dropped his first Octagon appearance last October seeing a six fight win streak stopped by Rony Mariano Bezerra at UFC 153. The bout ended in the second round via TKO. Sicilia debuted at the TUF 15 Finale in his first featherweight pro-fight, stopping opponent Cristiano Marcello by second round knockout.
Blanco has yet to win under Zuffa having dropped his UFC debut by split decision at UFC 145 to Marcus Brimage and his Strikeforce debut to Pat Healy by second round submission at the Barnett vs. Kharitonov event. Prior to that Blanco had six straight.