Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff have verbally agreed to meet in a featured lightweight bout at a yet-to-be-announced WEC 45 event on Dec. 19 in Las Vegas.

A source with knowledge of the matchup said bout agreements are expected to be distributed and signed shortly. The source also added that the bout could serve as the night’s main event.

Cerrone and Benson Henderson earned “Fight of the Night” accolades for their five-round interim lightweight championship bout at WEC 43 on Oct. 10 in San Antonio. Henderson took a debated unanimous decision, but the heated contest highlighted Cerrone’s ground arsenal in the earlier rounds and his aggressive striking in the later moments.

The defeat was Cerrone’s second in 13 career bouts. The Greg Jackson-trained fighter has collected key victories over WEC vets Rob McCullough and Anthony Njokuani.

A favorite of the Southern California circuit for his acrobatic antics, Ratcliff has won three of his four WEC appearances, including a unanimous decision victory against Phil Cardella at WEC 42 last August.

Ratcliff, who trains with Brandon Vera and Dominick Cruz at the Alliance MMA gym in Chula Vista, Calif., has only one loss on his docket –- a first-round submission to Marcus Hicks from March 2008.