Efrain Escudero returns to the octagon at UFC Fight Night 51

“The Ultimate Fighter 8? winner Efrain Escudero is once again back in the UFC.

Sources close to Escudero’s today confirmed the news to MMAjunkie. A report from MMAFighting.com stated the “TUF” winner meets Francisco Trinaldo (14-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 51.

UFC Fight Night 51 takes place Sept. 13 at Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil, and is headlined by a heavyweight rematch between ex-champ Andrei Arlovski and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. The event’s broadcast plans have not yet been announced.

It’s up to Escudero to prove his third stint in the UFC is the charm after two previous stints went sideways. The “TUF 8? winner’s post reality-show career initially showed promise when he stopped Cole Miller via TKO at UFC 103. But he subsequently went 1-2 in the octagon and was released amid issues with UFC President Dana White, who said he needed an attitude adjustment.

Escudero (22-8 MMA, 3-4 UFC) earned a ticket back to the UFC with a 5-1 stretch on the regional circuit, but he lost two straight in the octagon and then dipped to his lowest point with another pair of losses. In his most recent run, he’s gone 4-1 on the regional circuit and won the Superior Challenge lightweight title in Sweden.

He now meets Trinaldo, who looks to rebound from a decision loss to Michael Chiesa at UFC 173. The Brazilian submission specialist is 2-2 in his past four UFC outings.