Patino-Rivera Lightweight Title Fight, Robert Drysdale Slated for Legacy FC 11

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Verbal agreements are in place for three bouts at the May 11 Legacy Fighting Championship event, officials from the Texas-based promotion announced on Monday.

Legacy welterweight champ Jorge “Macaco” Patino (Pictured) will drop to 155 pounds and face Jesus Rivera for the vacant lightweight title. Also, the recently signed Robert Drysdale will face Isaac Villanueva at middleweight, while Chad Robichaux and Joseph Sandoval will clash at featherweight.

A 39-fight veteran who has competed for the UFC, Pride FC and Strikeforce, Patino captured the Legacy welterweight crown by defeating Pete Spratt via split decision last September. At LFC 9, he defended the belt, earning a unanimous nod over Mike Bronzoulis over five rounds. The 38-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt began his career in 1995 and notably defeated Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the former Strikeforce champion’s 2003 MMA debut.

A four-time Legacy veteran, Rivera will look for his third consecutive win after stopping Reynaldo Trujillo with strikes and submitting Randy Hauer with a rear-naked choke in 2011. Only one of Rivera’s six career triumphs has gone to a decision.

Drysdale -- the 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships absolute division winner -- is unbeaten as a mixed martial artist. The Las Vegas resident has fought three times under the Armageddon Fighting Championships banner, submitting each of his opponents inside the first round. Most recently Drysdale elicited a tap out from “Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 alumnus Mike Nickels via guillotine choke last June.

Villanueva has lost two consecutive fights, falling to Larry Crowe at LFC 8 and Justin Ledet earlier this year. The Metro Fight Club representative has finished six of his seven wins by knockout or technical knockout.

Unbeaten in his first six appearances, Sandoval suffered the first loss of his career at UFC Live 6, as Walel Watson stopped him 1:17 into the opening frame. Nick Denis handed the 25-year-old Lubbock, Texas, native another brutal loss in the Octagon in January, knocking him out with elbows to the head in 22 seconds.

Robichaux also began his career on a tear, winning 11-straight fights before suffering his first loss at the hands of current Bellator bantamweight king Zach Makovsky. He was submitted by Jonathan Mackles in his most recent outing last July.

Emanating from the Arena Theater in Houston, the Legacy Fighting Championship 11 main card is set to air on HDNet. To date, the promotion has held 14 events since 2009; its next event is scheduled for Feb. 24 and will be highlighted by a welterweight scrap between Mike Bronzoulis and Eric Davila.