Barring any last-minute glitches, fast-rising welterweight prospect Dustin Hazelett will lock horns with unbeaten Ben Saunders at UFC 96 on March 7 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Bout agreements have been issued and are expected to be signed sometime this week, according to a source close to the negotiations.

Hazelett (12-4) dazzled in recent outings, as he has earned “Submission of the Night” bonuses in each of his last two appearances inside the Octagon. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Jorge Gurgel, the 22-year-old coaxed a tapout from Tamdan McCrory at UFC 91 in November, as he transitioned from an omaplata to a reverse armbar. Previous to that victory, he submitted Josh Burkman with a spectacular armbar at “The Ultimate Fighter 7” Finale in June. Hazelett has posted five wins in six bouts, losing only to Josh Koscheck in that stretch.

Based out of American Top Team, Saunders (7-0-2) raised some eyebrows last month when he battered Brandon Wolff with a series of knees from the Thai clinch at UFC Fight Night 17. The one-sided bout lasted only 1:49 and gave Saunders his seventh consecutive victory. A product of season six of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the 6-foot-2 former Combat Fighting Championships welterweight titleholder has finished six of his seven victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

Though no bouts have been made official, UFC 96 will likely feature a heavyweight showdown between the undefeated Shane Carwin and Gabriel Gonzaga, along with a light heavyweight battle pairing Brandon Vera with Michael Patt.