Tony Ferguson vs. Mike Rio added to UFC 166

Lightweights Tony Ferguson (13-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and Mike Rio (9-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) have been added to this fall’s UFC 166 event.

The Houston Chronicle first reported the matchup, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed it with a source close to the event.

UFC 166 takes place Oct. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston. The event’s main card airs live on pay-per-view following prelims on Fox Sports 1 and Facebook. It wasn’t immediately clear where the Ferguson vs. Rio event bout will fit on the evening’s lineup.

After winning “The Ultimate Fighter 13,” Ferguson is in need of a win after a decision loss to Michael Johnson halted a two-fight streak. Previously, he beat Aaron Riley and Yves Edwards by TKO and decision, respectively.

Rio, a veteran of “The Ultimate Fighter 15,” also needs a boost after a first-round submission loss to Francisco Trinaldo this past May at UFC on FX 7. The former collegiate wrestler fell short on the reality show but graduated with a third-round submission over fellow cast member John Cofer.

Ferguson will have a slight edge in experience going into the fight, which hasn’t officially been placed on the card as of yet.

UFC 166 is headlined by a rubber match between heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez and former champ Junior dos Santos. With the addition to the card, the latest lineup now includes:

• Champ Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos – for heavyweight title
• Hector Lombard vs. Nate Marquardt
• Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez
• Tony Ferguson vs. Mike Rio

For the latest on UFC 166, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Tony Ferguson)