Burgeoning UFC 159 Bill Gets Vinny Magalhaes-Phil Davis, Roy Nelson-Cheick Kongo

Light heavyweights Vinny Magalhaes and Phil Davis will square off at the April 27 show, as will heavyweights Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo.

UFC officials recently revealed the matchups, which join a headlining light heavyweight title showdown between Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen, as well as a pivotal 185-pound tilt pitting Michael Bisping against Alan Belcher. The show takes place at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and the evening’s main card airs live on pay-per-view immediately following the prelims on FX and Facebook.

A meeting between Magalhaes and Davis has been anticipated for several months, as both men have publicly expressed a desire to fight. The reigning ADCC heavyweight submission grappling champion, Magalhaes captured the M-1 Global light heavyweight crown in 2011 and returned to the UFC last September to take out Igor Pokrajac with a slick second-round armbar at UFC 152.

Davis was last seen on Oct. 13, when he rematched Brazilian newcomer Wagner Prado after their first fight ended with an accidental eye poke. The former NCAA Division I champion took care of business in their return bout, submitting the overmatched Prado with a second-round anaconda choke at UFC 153 to earn his sixth Octagon victory in eight outings.

Nelson enters the cage fresh off a first-round knockout of Matt Mitrione at “The Ultimate Fighter 16” finale, as “Big Country” felled “Meathead” with a solid uppercut to earn his 11th career knockout. The hard-hitting 36-year-old has won back-to-back bouts, previously knocking out Dave Herman at UFC 146.

Kongo has won three of his last four fights. The Frenchman was victorious over Shawn Jordan in his most recent appearance at UFC 149, taking a lackluster unanimous nod from the former LSU fullback this past July.