(And, yes, Dana has unblocked us on Twitter…Baby steps, right?)
UFC president Dana White announced this afternoon that a middleweight bout between Rousimar “The Kneejerk“ Palhares and Alan “The Talent” Belcher has been signed for the May 5 UFC on Fox 3 card.
The event, which will take place at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will also feature Jim Miller versus Nate Diaz and Josh Koscheck versus Johny Hendricks on the main card.
5-1 in his last six outings, including a questionable split-decision to Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100 in July 2009, Belcher returned from a serious eye injury that kept him out of action for a year to beat Jason MacDonald in September at UFC Fight Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger. A win over Palhares could put him in line for a title shot in 2012.
Paul Harris is no slouch himself, having won six of his last seven — including three nasty heelhook and one vicious kneebar submissions in that stretch. He was suspended for 90 days for failing to release a heelhook after Tomasz Drwal tapped out at UFC 111. During his UFC tenure, he has beaten Jeremy Horn, Ivan Salaverry and Dan Miller. He dropped a decision to Dan Henderson and also lost by brainfart TKO to Nate Marquardt after attempting to protest to referee Herb Dean mid-round about the latter having grease on his legs during their UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares main event bout. Marquardt capitalized on “Toquino’s” inattentiveness and caught the Brazilian off guard, stopping him with strikes.
———-
UFC on Fox 3
May 5, 2012
IZOD Center
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller
Josh Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks
Alan Belcher vs. Rousimar Palhares
Pat Barry vs. Lavar Johnson
John Dodson vs. Darren Uyenoyama
Tony Ferguson vs. Dennis Hallman
Pascal Krauss vs. John Hathaway
Danny Castillo vs. John Cholish
Mike Massenzio vs. Karlos Vemola
Louis Gaudinot vs. John Lineker