After a nasty toe injury sidelined UFC light heavyweight Anthony ‘The Hippo’ Perosh (13-7) from participating in next months UFC on FX:Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson event, the promotion found a quick replacement in Croatian fighter Igor ‘The Duke’ Pokrajac (25-9).
Pokrajac steps in on a months notice for the Australian show and will face ‘The Mexicutioner’ Joey Beltran (14-8) who looks to make his second appearance at light heavyweight in the Octagon.
News of the replacement was announced by the Australian chapter of the UFC on Twitter (@UFC_Australia).
– #UFConFX6 Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson news: Igor Pokrajac is set to face Joey Beltran, replacing the injured Aussie Anthony Perosh.
UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson is expected to take place on December 15, 2012 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Queensland, Australia. The FX television event will feature a lightweight bout between TUF: The Smashes coaches George Sotiropoulos and Ross Pearson.
Pokrajac was last in action this past September, seeing his three fight run stopped by returning fighter Vinny Magalhaes, who submitted ‘The Duke’ in the second round of their UFC 152 bout. Wins for the Croatian include a decision over Fabio Maldonado at UFC on FUEL TV 3, a knockout victory against Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 140, and a TKO finish of Todd Brown at UFC on Versus 3.
Beltran returned to the UFC as a light heavyweight last July, losing a decision to James Te-Huna at UFC on FUEL TV 4 in a “Fight of the Night” bout. It was ‘The Mexicutioner’s’ second fight at 205-lbs, having previously won a decision at a C3 Fights event in April. Previous to that, Beltran had dropped two straight in the Octagon as a heavyweight leading to his dismissal.