Ed Herman, Trevor Smith Slated for July 27 Middleweight Showdown at UFC on Fox 8

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Ed Herman and Trevor Smith will square off in a middleweight confrontation at UFC on Fox 8, promotion officials revealed Friday.

The 185-pound matchup joins a host of previously announced contests on the July 27 bill, which is headlined by a flyweight title showdown between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga. UFC on Fox 8 takes place at Seattle’s Key Arena and will also see Rory MacDonald face Jake Ellenberger in a pivotal welterweight scrap.

Though a longtime UFC talent, Herman last competed in the Strikeforce cage, submitting to a first-round kimura from Ronaldo Souza on Jan. 12. “Short Fuse” competed twice last year, extending his winning streak to three fights with a win over Clifford Starks only to drop a unanimous decision to Jake Shields at UFC 150. That defeat later became a no-contest, however, when Shields tested positive for a banned substance following the event.

Like Herman, Smith was also last seen at Strikeforce’s final event, tapping to a Tim Kennedy guillotine choke. The setback signaled the second loss for “Hot Sauce” in his last three fights, though prior to the defeat he had posted five straight wins. The Washingtonian owns nine of his 10 career triumphs via submission and has yet to go the distance in four years as a pro.