Strikeforce and Dream veteran Jason High is in the UFC once again after a three-year absence. The welterweight has been scheduled for a June 8th meeting with Ildemar Alcantara, who is dropping from 205 lbs to 170 lbs for this one. News of this fight was first reported by Tatame magazine.
High (16-3) had only one fight in the UFC, a decision loss to Charlie Brenneman at UFC Fight Night 21 in March 2010. That gave him his 2nd straight loss -- he was knocked out by Marius Zaromskis in Dream -- and an immediate release. He's since won his last 7, including over Hayato Sakurai, Jordan Mein, and Quinn Mulhern. High's last three fights have all taken place under the Strikeforce banner, with his final fight a 26 second submission win over Nate Moore.
Alcantara (18-5) was the #5 ranked middleweight on the 2012 Bloody Elbow Scouting Report. He subbed in for the injured Roger Hollett to face Wagner Prado in a light-heavyweight fight at UFC on FX 7. Alcantara pulled off a kneebar submission win in the 2nd round to send Prado out of the UFC. Now Ildemar, who is the brother of current UFC bantamweight Yuri Alcantara, is making the very rare multi-weight class change from LHW directly to WW.
UFC on Fuel 10 doubles as the TUF Brazil 2 Finale in Fortaleza, Brazil. Coaches Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fabricio Werdum are expected to headline the event.
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There are many paths to freedom....not all are peaceful.
While at first, the drop may be a bit concerning, he only took the Prado fight at LHW so he could get into the UFC, I think he came it without cutting at 201. He's a pretty regular sized MW and I think should make the cut without too much issue.
__________________ MY MMA RANKINGS
HW Velasquez Cigano Werdum Cormier Bigfoot Barnett Mir Browne
LHW Jones Machida Evans Hendo Davis Goose Teixeira Shogun Mousasi Bader