After Karlos Vemola suffered a fractured cheekbone in training, forcing him out of next week's UFC 155 bout with Chris Leben, middleweight rising star Derek Brunson has verbally agreed to step up and make his Octagon debut in Las Vegas against "The Crippler" on December 29th.

update: Plus, with Cody McKenzie injured, Leonard Garcia gets a new opponent in Max Holloway. Garcia is known for his all-out offensive striking style as is Holloway which should make for a promising stand-up battle between a longtime veteran and a rising star in the featherweight division. Verbal agreements are in for that bout as well.

In addition, Melvin Guillard and Jamie Varner have agreed to have their

much-anticipated lightweight throwdown at UFC 155. That bout was

originally booked for the main card of the TUF 16 Finale on December 15,

but scratched at the zero hour when Varner became too sick to fight (watch backstage interview with Guillard from Saturday).

Griffin Injured, Out of UFC 155 Bout with Davis

updated December 5

Perhaps it's only fitting that after the most injury-riddled year in UFC history, the promotion's last show of 2012 would take a hit as well. First it was Gray Maynard, then Chris Weidman being forced out of their bouts due to injury, and now former light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin has been taken out of commission of his fight with Phil Davis as well.

"Forrest Has MCL tear and ACL strain," tweeted UFC president Dana White Wednesday. "20 cc's of blood removed from his knee and the saga continues at the UFC!!"

Stay tuned for further details on a replacement bout for the December 29 card in Las Vegas, which is headlined by the UFC heavyweight title fight between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez.

Teammate in for Injured Weidman at UFC 155 / Duffee Returns





updated November 21

A torn labrum has forced Chris Weidman out of his UFC 155 bout with fellow middleweight contender Tim Boetsch. Stepping up to face Boetsch on December 29 in Las Vegas will be Weidman's Team Serra-Longo teammate Costa Philippou. Philippou, on a four-fight winning streak, saw his UFC 154 bout with Nick Ring scrapped on fight day last Saturday due to a Ring illness.

Plus, verbal agreements are in for a heavyweight battle between England's Phil DeFries and returning prospect Todd Duffee.

The flyweight division will be represented that night by two of its most talented contenders as Chris Cariaso takes on John Moraga. Both fighters have verbally agreed to the bout.

Maynard Out, Jim Miller in for Year-End Bout with Lauzon

updated November 14

A knee injury has forced longtime lightweight contender Gray Maynard out of his UFC 155 bout with Joe Lauzon on December 29 in Las Vegas. Stepping in for "The Bully" will be New Jersey standout Jim Miller in what promises to be another action-packed bout to remember.

Fan Favorites Booked for Year-End Bout

updated November 5

Verbal agreements are in and Leonard Garcia and Cody McKenzie are set to scrap on December 29th at UFC 155 in Las Vegas. Both fighters are fan favorites who are known for their all-out offensive style, which sets the tone for a barnburner.

Fury vs. Menace in Las Vegas NYE



updated October 30

TUF Live's 10-0 Myles "The Fury" Jury and Ultimate Fighter 12 runner up Michael "The Menace" Johnson have verbally agreed to a lightweight bout at UFC 155.

Top 145 and 135ers Meet at UFC 155

updated October 19

The lighter weight classes will be on display at UFC 155 on December 29, as three more bouts have been verbally agreed to for the UFC's year-end event.

In a featherweight clash between two of the 145-pound division's best, Erik Koch battles Ricardo Lamas, with the winner likely emerging as the clearest threat to champion Jose Aldo's title.

Plus, England's Brad Pickett, fresh from back-to-back finishes of Damacio Page and Yves Jabouin, will get another tough test in former WEC bantamweight boss Eddie Wineland, and up and comers at 135, Erik Perez and Byron Bloodworth, meet in a preliminary matchup.

Griffin Draws Mr. Wonderful for Year-End Clash

updated October 19

Fresh from his dominant win over Wagner Prado at UFC 153 earlier this month, rising light heavyweight star Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis has received his next assignment: a high-profile UFC 155 battle against former 205-pound champion Forrest Griffin on the UFC's year-end event in Las Vegas on December 29.

The bout has been verbally agreed to.

Griffin was originally scheduled to face Chael Sonnen on the card, but Sonnen was pulled to coach season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter against Jon Jones.

Joining Davis-Griffin on the main card will be a heavyweight championship rematch between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez in the main event, as well as a middleweight showdown pitting Chris Weidman against Tim Boetsch, and a lightweight bout between Gray Maynard and Joe Lauzon.



Okami vs. Belcher 2 on Tap

updated September 13

Alan "The Talent" Belcher has verbally agreed to rematch top-ten ranked Yushin "Thunder" Okami at UFC 155 December 29 in Las Vegas. Belcher knows a win over the highly respected Okami will move him forward in his quest to become a top middleweight contender.

The two made their Octagon debuts against one another at UFC 62; Okami won that bout by decision.

'The Crippler' Returns This December

updated September 12

Fan favorite "The Crippler" will grace the Octagon again before 2013 as middleweight Chris Leben has verbally agreed to face powerful Brit-based brawler Karlos Vemola at UFC 155. Vemola has finished his opponents in all nine of his wins, with eight of those coming in the first round and five in the first minute.

Weidman's Next Bout to Be at New Year's Show

updated September 7

Top-five ranked middleweights Tim "The Barbarian" Boetsch and Chris "The All-American: Weidman have verbally agreed to fight at UFC 155 December 29th in Las Vegas.

"I think I’m the number-one contender in the division but with Anderson not fighting for the rest of 2012, I want to stay busy and keep getting better," said Weidman. "I think I’m the best middleweight in the world and I’m going to prove it against another top contender.”

Besides the heavyweight title fight expected to take place at UFC 155, another heavyweight match-up will go down as 9-1 Phil De Fries takes on 5-1 Matt Mitrione. Verbal agreements are in for that bout as well.





Lauzon vs. Maynard on Sked for UFC 155

updated August 20

Two of the lightweight division's top talents will meet in Las Vegas on December 29, as former world title challenger Gray Maynard and the consistently exciting Joe Lauzon have verbally agreed to square off in what promises to be an all-action fight that will close out 2012 in style.

Sonnen Back to 205 to Battle Griffin in December

updated August 15

Christmas will have to wait a little longer for fans of Chael Sonnen, as the loquacious middleweight contender announced on FUEL TV's UFC Tonight Tuesday that he will be returning to light heavyweight on December 29th to face former 205-pound champion Forrest Griffin. the bout is a rematch of a 2003 IFC bout won by Griffin via submission.

"Many years ago I fought with a gentleman and I lost," said Sonnen on UFC Tonight. "I became a fan of him, I saw him win a championship, I saw him etch his name in stone as a Hall of Famer, he is the one guy Jon Jones hasn’t beat. And, on December 29th, Forrest Griffin and I will figure this out." Stay tuned for more details on this event, including ticket information.