Undefeated Brazilian prospect Edson Barboza (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will welcome former WEC contender Anthony Njokuani (13-4 MMA, 4-3 WEC) to the UFC.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the promotion that the two lightweights have verbally agreed to meet at UFC 128, and bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.
The bout's placement on the card has yet to be determined.
Featuring a light heavyweight title fight between current champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and former title holder Rashad Evans, "UFC 128: Shogun vs. Evans" takes place March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Barboza burst on to the UFC scene at November's "UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida." The 24-year-old used a devastating arsenal of low kicks to chop down replacement opponent Mike Lullo. After dropping his opponent a handful of times with the vicious low attacks, Barboza was granted a third-round TKO win in the preliminary bout.
The win was Barboza's seventh straight victory to open his career, and all seven wins have come via stoppage.
Njokuani makes his first appearance in the UFC's octagon after fighting seven times for the promotion's recently merged sister organization, the WEC. A striking specialist, Njokuani earned four wins for the WEC, and all four came via TKO.
Njokuani fought most recently at "WEC 52: Faber vs. Mizugaki," where he earned a second-round TKO of Edward Faaloloto with a vicious standing elbow strike.
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