7 Fights Greenlit for UFC 119

Pride Fighting Championships veteran Mark Hunt will make his promotional debut against unbeaten heavyweight prospect Sean McCorkle at UFC 119 “Mir vs. Nogueira 2” on Sept. 25 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Seven fights are now official for the event, which will air live on pay-per-view.

Based in Sydney, Australia, Hunt has lost five consecutive fights dating back to May 2006. However, those defeats have come to former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett, Russian great Fedor Emelianenko, one-time Strikeforce light heavyweight titleholder Gegard Mousasi, current Strikeforce heavyweight kingpin Alistair Overeem and Dutch knockout artist Melvin Manhoef. The 36-year-old New Zealand native holds notable victories against Brazilian icon Wanderlei Silva and 2006 Pride open weight grand prix winner Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. A seasoned kickboxer, Hunt won the 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix.

The 6-foot-7 McCorkle has secured eight of his nine career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. He last appeared in May, when he stopped Johnathan Ivey on second-round punches under the Legends of Fighting banner in Indianapolis. McCorkle sports six first-round finishes on his resume, including 29-, 30- and 31-second victories.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Stephens will lock horns with Melvin Guillard in what promises to be a barnburner at 155 pounds.

Stephens will carry a two-fight winning streak into the match. The 24-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, native last appeared at UFC 113 in May, when he earned “Fight of the Night” honors in a split decision victory against Sam Stout. Stephens has delivered 12 of his 17 career wins by knockout or technical knockout. Victories against Diego Saraiva, American Top Team’s Cole Miller and Rafael dos Anjos dot his resume.

In the midst of a renaissance, Guillard has rattled off five wins in his last six appearances. Anchored at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., the 27-year-old New Orleans native has not competed since he knocked out Waylon Lowe with a knee to the body at UFC 114 two months ago. More than half (16) of Guillard’s 25 wins have come by KO or TKO. He owns notable victories against current Tachi Palace Fights lightweight champion Gabe Ruediger and American Top Team’s Gleison Tibau.

The event will also feature a heavyweight scrap pitting Matt Mitrione against Joey Beltran and a welterweight duel pairing T.J. Grant with Julio Paulino.

A rematch between world-ranked heavyweights Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will headline UFC 119, along with a pivotal light heavyweight showdown between unbeaten “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner Ryan Bader and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

UFC 119: Mir vs. Nogueira 2
Saturday, Sept. 25
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis

Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Jeremy Stephens vs. Melvin Guillard
Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran
Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle
T.J. Grant vs. Julio Paulino
* Evan Dunham vs. Sean Sherk
* C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
* Aaron Riley vs. Pat Audinwood
* Waylon Lowe vs. Steve Lopez

* Not Official