With less than four days remaining until showtime, former featherweight top contender Chad Mendes (Pictured) has been assigned a new opponent for “UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson.”
Mendes now meets Yaotzin Meza this weekend inside Gold Coast Convention in Broadbeach, Australia.
“Money” was originally slated to fight Hacran Dias in the land down under, but Hacran was forced to withdraw for unknown reasons.
Mendes was most recently seen posting a TKO victory over Cody McKenzie at UFC 148. He owns an impressive 12-1 MMA record.
Meza 18-7 professional résumé, but this scrap marks his big league debut.
“This is a huge opportunity for me. I am thankful that the UFC is opening this door. I can’t wait to get to Australia, step into the Octagon, and show that I belong in this organization,” Meza said. “I’ve been training hard already, helping Benson [Henderson] to prepare for his fight with Diaz, so there won’t be a huge adjustment for me to get ready for this fight.”
Mendes vs. Meza currently maintains the featured slot in the FUEL TV-telvised prelims.
Here is the show’s revised agenda:
Preliminary Card:
(FUEL TV 6PM ET/3PM PT)
Nick Penner vs. Cody Donovan
Brendan Loughnane vs. Mike Wilkinson
Ben Alloway vs. Manuel Rodriguez
Seth Baczynski vs. Mike Pierce
Joey Beltran vs. Igor Pokrajac
Yaotzin Meza vs. Chad Mendes
Main Card:
(FX 9PM ET/6PM PT)
Hector Lombard vs. Rousimar Palhares
Colin Fletcher vs. Norman Parke (TUF Lightweight finals)
Brad Scott vs. Robert Whittaker (TUF welterweight finals)
George Sotiropoulos vs. Ross Pearson