Featherweight prospect Chad Mendes has signed a six-fight deal with the WEC, Sherdog.com confirmed with the fighter’s manager, Mike Roberts, on Friday.

Mendes, a protégé of Urijah Faber’s Alpha Male team, is expected to make his promotional debut somewhere between January and March. MMAJunkie.com was the first to report the Thursday signing through WEC General Manager Reed Harris.

Even with only five professional fights, the undefeated Mendes, 24, has been on the radar of numerous promoters for some time.

Mendes is a 2008 NCAA Div. 1 wrestling runner-up, a two-time All-American at California Polytechnic University and a Pac-10 champion.

Mendes won all five of his bouts in Palace Fighting Championship and later the Tachi Palace Fights promotion.

Roberts said both Mendes and Faber plan to compete in the featherweight division for the time being.

Mendes earned a unanimous decision against Mike Joy at TPF 1 on Oct. 8.