Featherweight Peralta Joins UFC, Faces Lullo on Sept. 17

Peralta’s trainer and manger, Jeff Clark, broke news of his fighter’s signing Saturday via Twitter. Peralta (Pictured) takes the place of the injured Mackens Semerzier, who was forced to withdraw from the bout last week after suffering a hand injury in training.

Alternately billed as “Battle on the Bayou,” UFC Fight Night 25 goes down Sept. 17 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The Spike TV-broadcast main card will be topped by a welterweight tilt between former title challenger Jake Shields and the fast-rising Jake Ellenberger.

Peralta, a former Gladiator Challenge 145-pound titleholder, made waves in April by spoiling the Strikeforce debut of Dream champion Hiroyuki Takaya with a three-round split decision. The win extended Peralta’s current streak to seven, with six of those coming by way of knockout or submission.

A product of Illinois’ Midwest Training Center, Lullo moves down the scale after an unsuccessful Octagon debut against lightweight striker Edson Barboza last November. The loss, which saw Barboza chop Lullo down with leg kicks for a third-round stoppage, snapped the American’s eight-fight winning streak.