It’s a wrestilng vs. jiu-jitsu match in Barueri, Brazil.
Mike Pierce looks to extend his winning streak to five when he faces dangerous grappler Rousimar Palhares at UFC Fight Night 29 on Oct. 9. Sources close to the situation confirmed the match-up to MMAFighting.com. Lance! first reported the bout.
Pierce, 32, returns to the Octagon three months after dominating David Mitchell at UFC 162, stopping “Daudi” with punches in the second round. It was Pierce’s eight knockout win in MMA, the second during his four-fight winning streak.
Palhares, one year older than Pierce, makes his welterweight debut after back-to-back TKO losses to Alan Belcher and Hector Lombard. He also had a positive test for elevated testosterone levels in his drug test after losing to Lombard. The losses snapped his three-fight winning streak, which included submission victories over David Branch and Mike Massenzio.
UFN 29 now has nine confirmed bouts, including Demian Maia vs. Jake Shields for the main event:
Demian Maia vs. Jake Shields
Erick Silva vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Rony Jason vs. Jeremy Stephens
Thiago Silva vs. Matt Hamill
Fábio Maldonado vs. Joey Beltran
Raphael Assunção vs. TJ Dillashaw
Hacran Dias vs. Rodrigo Damm
Iliarde Santos vs. Chris Cariaso
Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Pierce