The UFC announced via their UK twitter acount today that TUF Season 9 winner, Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson will meet Edson Barboza at UFC: Rio this August. Barboza was originally rumored to be matched up with Takanori Gomi, but that bout was never confirmed by the UFC. Instead, the Brazilian muay thai specialist will meet Sunderland, England’s Pearson, who has shown some excellent stand-up of his own against some of the lightweight’s division’s best strikers, including wins over Dennis Siver and most recently, Spencer Fisher back in February.
Edson Mendes Barboza Jr. (8-0)
Win Anthony Njokuani – Decision (Unanimous) UFC 128
Win Mike Lullo – TKO (Leg Kicks) UFC 123
Win Marcelo Giudici – TKO (Leg Kicks) ROC 30
Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (12-4)
Win Spencer Fisher – Decision (Unanimous) UFC 127
Loss Cole Miller – Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) UFC FN 22
Win Dennis Siver – Decision (Unanimous) UFC FN 21
Aug 27th, live on Pay-per-view from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami
Mauricio Rua vs. Forrest Griffin
Edson Barboza vs. Ross Pearson
Luiz Cane vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Thiago Tavares vs. Spencer Fisher