After UFC release, Tim Means to fight Pete Spratt in Legacy FC 23 headliner

Following a pair of losses to notable lightweights and his subsequent UFC release, Tim Means (18-5-1) has agreed to fight Pete Spratt (25-22) next month at Legacy FC 23.

Legacy FC promoter Mick Maynard told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) verbal agreements are in place for the fight, which will be contested at welterweight.

Spratt initially was slated to fight Danny Salinas (11-5), who recently suffered an injury, according to Maynard.

Legacy FC 23 takes place Sept. 13 at Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio. Means vs. Spratt is expected to headline the AXS TV-televised main card.

Means had put together an 11-fight unbeaten (10-0-1) streak, which included a decision win over Bernardo Magalhaes and a TKO of Justin Salas in his first two UFC fights. However, following decision losses to Jorge Masvidal and Danny Castillo, the heavy-handed 29-year-old received his UFC walking papers. While back-to-back losses to notable names can sometimes be forgiven by UFC officials, Means’ inability to make weight for the Castillo fight (he weighed 160 pounds) likely was the primary factor in his release.

However, the former King of the Cage champion can get back on track quickly by defeating a veteran like Spratt, a UFC vet and Texan who’s been a regular at Legacy FC events. The 42-year-old was on a 3-1 run, which included a narrow split-decision defeat to Jorge Patino in a title fight, before his decision defeat to Dan Hornbuckle in February’s Legacy FC 17 headliner.

The latest Legacy FC 23 card includes:

MAIN CARD (AXS TV, 10 p.m. ET)

• Danny Salinas vs. Pete Spratt
• Leonard Garcia vs. Nick Gonzalez
• Richard Odoms vs. Sammy Smith
• Joseph Daily vs. Rodrigo Pinheiro
• Roger Narvarez vs. Chris Spicer
• Ray Rodriguez vs. Patrick Ybarra

PRELIMINARY CARD (Untelevised, 8 p.m. ET)

• Paulina Granados vs. Tessa Simpson
• Billy Buch vs. Raymond Moreno
• Jonathan Ramirez vs. C.J. Vergara
• Cameron Martin vs. Allen Wilson
• Chris Lopez vs. Marcel Lumakang

For the latest on Legacy FC 23, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Tim Means)