Australian George Sotiropoulos (Pictured; file photo) will square off with Rafael dos Anjos in a preliminary lightweight matchup at UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber 2” on July 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Ten bouts have now been booked for the event, which will air live on pay-per-view.
Sotiropoulos, a two-time “Fight of the Night” award winner, trains out of the Fisticuffs Gym and 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. He was a semifinalist on Season 6 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.
An injury replacement for Evan Dunham, Dos Anjos (14-5, 3-3 UFC) has posted three wins in four appearances. However, he has not competed since UFC 117 in August, when he submitted to a Clay Guida-induced jaw injury at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. The 26-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has lost back-to-back bouts only once as a professional.
Meanwhile, fast-rising prospect Erik Koch will lock horns with Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative Cub Swanson in a preliminary featherweight duel.
Koch (12-1, 1-0 UFC) will carry a three-fight winning streak into the match. The 22-year-old Duke Roufus protégé dazzled in his promotional debut at UFC 128 in March, as he knocked out the highly regarded Raphael Assuncao at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Koch, on the verge of title contention at 145 pounds, has delivered 10 of his 12 career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission, eight of them inside one round.
A three-time “Fight of the Night” winner in the WEC, Swanson (15-4) will enter his Octagon debut on the strength of his split decision victory over Mackens Semerzier at WEC 52 in November. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, the 28-year-old Palm Springs, Calif., native holds notable wins against reigning Dream featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya, American Top Team’s Micah Miller and former King of the Cage titleholder Charlie Valencia.
A bantamweight title bout pairing champion Dominick Cruz with Urijah Faber will headline UFC 132. The event will also feature a showdown pitting former 205-pound kingpin Tito Ortiz against “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner Ryan Bader, a middleweight battle matching Brazilian icon Wanderlei Silva with Chris Leben and a key welterweight tilt between former WEC champion Carlos Condit against the unbeaten Dong Hyun Kim.
UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber”
Saturday, July 2
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas
UFC Bantamweight Championship
Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber
Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben
Ryan Bader vs. Tito Ortiz
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman
Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller
George Sotiropoulos vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Aaron Simpson
Erik Koch vs. Cub Swanson
* Andre Winner vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Not Official