UFC officials recently announced another new addition to the UFC 149 fight bill, as hard-hitting Californian Francisco Rivera will take on “Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 veteran Roland Delorme.
After making a successful return to the Octagon on May 15 at UFC on Fuel TV 3, Rivera was expected to collide with Ken Stone last Friday at UFC on FX 4 as an injury replacement for Edwin Figueroa. Instead, Stone faced Dustin Pague, who stepped up on even shorter notice replace the injured “Cisco.” Rivera has won three straight bouts since an ill-fated two-fight stint under the Zuffa umbrella saw him receive his promotional walking papers one year ago.
Delorme, meanwhile was briefly linked to a showdown with Bibiano Fernandes at UFC 149 before it was learned that Fernandes had not actually signed with the UFC. Just once beaten as a professional, Delorme has yet to taste defeat in his Octagon career, submitting “TUF 14” cast mate Josh Ferguson with a rear-naked choke this past December before doing the same to Nick Denis in a come-from-behind victory at UFC on Fox 3 last month.