A middleweight bout pitting top contender Alan Belcher against Yushin Okami has been agreed to for UFC 155, sources close to the event told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani.
Belcher and Okami are set to face off six years after their initial meeting, when Okami emerged victorious via unanimous decision in the promotional debuts of both men on the undercard of UFC 62.
UFC 155 takes place December 29, 2012. The year-end card is headlined by a heavyweight championship rematch, Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez, and already features a slew of familiar names — Chael Sonnen vs. Forrest Griffin, Chris Weidman vs. Tim Boetsch, Gray Maynard vs. Joe Lauzon, and the returns of Matt Mitrione and Chris Leben.
Belcher (18-6) hopes to finally capitalize on the momentum gained from his first-round TKO win over Rousimar Palhares at UFC on FOX 3, which pushed the American’s winning streak to four straight.
“The Talent” was then booked to fight Vitor Belfort at UFC 153, however Belfort’s withdrawal in the wake of UFC 151’s cancellation led to Belcher’s removal from the card. Surprisingly, the 28-year-old called the shift a “blessing in disguise,” revealing that his status was already in question due to a fractured spine.
Okami (27-7), meanwhile, looks to build on his recent TKO victory over Buddy Roberts at UFC 150. Prior to the win, Okami suffered the first losing streak of his career, falling at the hands of Anderson Silva in mid-2011 before crumbling in stunning fashion to Tim Boetsch at UFC 144.