10 Fights Signed for UFC 126

Chad Mendes | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Mendes last appeared at WEC 52 in November, when he earned a unanimous decision over respected Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Javier Vazquez at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. A two-time collegiate All-American wrestler at California Polytechnic State University, the 25-year-old Hanford, Calif., native has gone the distance in five of his nine career victories. Mendes trains under former WEC featherweight king Urijah Faber.

Spawned by the Yoshida Dojo, Omigawa has not competed since he submitted Cole Escovedo with an inverted armbar at Dream 16 in September. The 35-year-old judo black belt will carry a five-fight winning streak into his first Octagon appearance in more than three years. Omigawa has enjoyed a career renaissance following a move to 145 pounds, with wins over Nova Uniao’s Marlon Sandro, current Sengoku Raiden Championship featherweight titleholder Hatsu Hioki and reigning Dream featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya.

Meanwhile, former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres will make his Octagon debut in a featured 135-pound matchup against The Pit’s Antonio Banuelos.

Torres submitted Charlie Valencia with a second-round rear-naked choke at WEC 51 in September, halting the first two-fight losing streak of his career. The 29-year-old East Chicago, Ind., native holds notable victories over Japanese stalwart Takeya Mizugaki, Dream veteran Yoshiro Maeda and former WEC bantamweight champion Chase Beebe. A Carlson Gracie protégé, Torres has delivered 32 of his 38 career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

A longtime training partner of UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell, Banuelos last fought at WEC 51 four months ago, when he scored a unanimous decision over Chad George at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colo. The 31-year-old Californian has posted four wins in his past five appearances, losing only to one-time WEC bantamweight title contender Scott Jorgensen. Banuelos has not been submitted in more than eight years.

Finally, Japanese dynamo Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto will enter the UFC cage for the first time in his stellar career when he locks horns with Demetrious Johnson in a preliminary bantamweight tilt.

Yamamoto has not competed since he knocked out Team Quest’s Federico Lopez at Dream 14 in May. The 2005 K-1 Hero’s middleweight grand prix champion owns 10 first-round finishes among his 18 career victories. Wins against 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships winner Rani Yahya, former Dream featherweight champion Bibiano Fernandes and 2000 Olympian Kazuyuki Miyata anchor Yamamoto’s resume. In 22 professional MMA appearances, the 33-year-old has been finished only once.

A Matt Hume understudy, Johnson will carry a two-fight winning streak into the bout. The 24-year-old Madisonville, Ky., native submitted Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative Damacio Page with a third-round guillotine choke at WEC 52 in November. Despite his success at 135 pounds, most believe the 5-foot-3 Johnson is best suited to compete as a flyweight.

A five-round middleweight title match pairing longtime champion Anderson Silva with Vitor Belfort will headline UFC 126, along with a hotly anticipated light heavyweight showdown between former champions Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin. In addition, Jon Jones will lock horns with “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner Ryan Bader in a high-stakes duel at 205 pounds.

Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort

Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin
Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones
Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos
Chad Mendes vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Paul Taylor vs. Gabe Ruediger
Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Demetrious Johnson
Kyle Kingsbury vs. Ricardo Romero
Mike Pierce vs. Kenny Robertson
* Donald Cerrone vs. Paul Kelly

* Not Official