Former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks has signed with the UFC and he will make his promotional debut next month at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale as he has replaced James Krause against Ross Pearson.
The announcement of Brooks signing with the UFC and replacing Krause against Pearson was announced by the UFC on Wednesday.
The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale will take place on July 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be headlined by a title fight as Joanna Jedrzejczyk defends the women’s strawweight title against Claudia Gadelha.
Brooks (17-1) enters the UFC on an eight fight winning streak and is most recent win came in November as he defeated Marcin Held by decision to retain the Bellator lightweight title. His last four fights in Bellator were title fights and two of those victories came against Michael Chandler. Pearson (19-10, 1NC) is coming off a split decision win at UFC Fight Night 85 against Chad Laprise. He has alternated wins and losses in his last eight fights and his last four fights have gone the distance.
The current fight card for The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale is below.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk (11-0) vs. Claudia Gadelha (13-1)
TBA vs. TBA – TUF 23 light heavyweight tournament final
TBA vs. TBA – TUF 23 women’s strawweight tournament final
Ross Pearson (19-10, 1NC) vs. Will Brooks (17-1)
Doo Ho Choi (13-1) vs. Thiago Tavares (20-6-1)
Joaquim Silva (8-0) vs. Andrew Holbrook (11-0)
Gray Maynard (11-5-1, 1NC) vs. Fernando Bruno (15-3)
Cezar Ferreira (9-5) vs. Anthony Smith (25-11)
Jake Matthews (10-1) vs. Kevin Lee (12-2)
Li Jingliang (10-4) vs. Anton Zafir (7-2)
John Moraga (16-4) vs. Matheus Nicolau (11-1-1)