Cerrone-Diaz Tapped for Lightweight Co-Main Event at UFC 141

The 155-pound matchup will serve as co-main event on the Dec. 30 card headlined by a five-round heavyweight clash between former UFC champ Brock Lesnar and ex-Strikeforce titleholder Alistair Overeem. The UFC’s annual year-end event will air live on pay-per-view, with two prelims on Spike TV, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In their Zuffa careers, Diaz (Pictured) and Cerrone have won a combined 15 UFC or WEC bonuses: 10 “Fights of the Night,” four “Submissions of the Night,” and one “Knockout of the Night” from Cerrone.

Fresh off a submission win over dangerous German striker Dennis Siver at Saturday’s UFC 137, Cerrone will look to finish his rookie year in the Octagon at 5-0. The 28-year-old Greg Jackson student has torn through four opponents in eight months, finishing Siver, Charles Oliveira and Paul Kelly, and taking a lopsided decision over Vagner Rocha.

Diaz, 26, seeks to build on the momentum from his September armbarring of longtime Pride star Takanori Gomi at UFC 135. The first-round victory snapped a two-fight losing streak for the Cesar Gracie pupil and fifth-season winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” who was outpointed by Dong Hyun Kim and Rory MacDonald in consecutive welterweight appearances.