Matchmaker, matchmaker: Pettis, Shields, Lauzon get next bouts
This week has seen the UFC come up with several upcoming bouts as the Rio, Super Bowl weekend and Japan fight cards start to fill up.
UFC 142 in Brazil: Siyar Bahadurzada revealed via Twitter that he will take on Erick Silva. Silva destroyed Luis Ramos in just 0:40 at UFC 134. Bahadurzada will be making his UFC debut after putting together a record of 20-4 in Europe, Japan and Brazil. Mike Massenzio and Rousimar Palhares have also been added to this card.
UFC 143 in Las Vegas: Featherweights Erik Koch and Dustin Poirier will fight on Super Bowl Weekend. Poirier asked for the bout which will pit two rising stars against each other.
UFC 144 in Japan: Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon will meet on Feb. 26. Both lightweights are coming off wins, with Pettis taking out Jeremy Stephens and Lauzon submitting Melvin Guillard.
Jake Shields will try to put his tough 2011 behind him with a bout against Yoshihiro Akiyama. Shields lost to Jake Ellenberger in September just weeks after losing his father. This will be Akiyama's first fight at welterweight.
In his first fight since losing in a title fight to Anderson Silva, Yushin Okami will meet Tim Boetsch in Okami's native Japan.
Who will win these fights? Tell us in the comments or on Facebook.
