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Jens Pulver said in May that he doesn’t have a choice; he’s got to fight. Released by Zuffa last month following his fifth straight WEC loss, it didn’t take Pulver long to find his next match.
Pulver (22-13-1), the first UFC lightweight champion, will face Diego Garijo (4-1) on the War on the Mainland debut event Aug. 14 in Irvine, Calif.
Pulver will try to have his hand raised for the first time since beating Cub Swanson in his WEC debut at WEC 31 in December 2007. Since then, losses to Urijah Faber (twice), Leonard Garcia, Josh Grispi and Javier Vazquez chased him from the WEC. His last four losses have been in the first round with three straight by submission. Pulver is one of just two fighters to beat former UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn at 155 pounds. The other is Frankie Edgar, who beat Penn for the title in April.
The main event features another former UFC champion, Tim Sylvia, against former UFC, Strikeforce and Affliction heavyweight Paul Buentello. Sylvia will be fighting for the first time since submitting five-time World’s Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski with strikes at a Moosin event in Massachusetts last month.