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December 14th's UFC on FOX card at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento will see a pivotal bantamweight battle, as UFC Tonight announced Wednesday that "The California Kid," Urijah Faber, will be in tough for his homecoming bout, as he takes on Modesto's Michael "Mayday" McDonald.


http://www.ufc.com

The main event for UFC Fight Night on FOX December 14 has been verbally agreed to as UFC lightweight world champion Anthony "Showtime" Pettis will defend his title against number-five ranked contender Josh "The Punk" Thomson.

Pettis recently reclaimed the belt from Benson Henderson, from whom he'd won the WEC lightweight title in 2010, via a first-round armbar that earned Submission of the Night honors. Thomson most recently earned a Knockout of the Night bonus for his highlight-reel finish of Nate Diaz. Neither Henderson nor Diaz had previously been stopped in their UFC careers.

Top-ranked TJ Grant, who'd been expected to challenge for the title at UFC 164 before being injured, tweeted an update on Monday night. "I am still not yet 100% and can't commit to fight," he wrote. "It sucks but it is the best for both myself and the UFC. Please don't worry. I'll be back."

The card also features a blockbuster 135-pound fight between Urijah Faber and Michael McDonald.

Nik Lentz, undefeated since dropping to featherweight and solidly in the top ten, has volunteered to enter hostile territory and fight Chad Mendes, one of the most feared fighters in the division. That fight will take place December 14 in Sacramento, Calif., the home of Mendes' Team Alpha Male and air on FOX. Mendes has been on an absolute tear, stopping his last four opponents inside the distance and three of those within the first round. Originally slated to fight Steven Siler in November, Lentz jumped at the chance to face the perennial top-ranked contender and force title shot considerations with a victory.

The Sacramento event will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Anthony Pettis and Josh Thomson and also feature Urijah Faber facing Michael McDonald at bantamweight. With Lentz moving into another bout, Steven Siler will now face Dennis Bermudez on November 6th at the UFC Fight For The Troops event.


UFC on Fox 9: Pettis vs Thomson
December 14, 2013
Sleep Train Arena
Sacramento, California


Anthony Pettis (17-2) vs. Josh Thomson (20-5, 1 NC) - UFC lightweight title bout
Urijah Faber (29-6) vs. Michael McDonald (16-2)
Chad Mendes (15-1) vs. Nik Lentz (24-5-2, 1 NC)

A welterweight Fight of the Year candidate is on tap for December's stacked UFC on FOX card, as former interim UFC champ Carlos Condit attempts to stop the hot streak of Matt "The Immortal" Brown in Sacramento.

Heading into the December 14th bout, Brown has won six straight bouts, five by knockout, including consecutive finishes of Mike Swick, Jordan Mein, and Mike Pyle. But "The Natural Born Killer" is also showing career-best form, as he looks to follow up his August stoppage of Martin Kampmann with another highlight-reel finish.

The UFC on FOX card is headlined by Anthony Pettis' first UFC lightweight title defense against Josh Thomson, and in the co-feature, hometown hero Urijah Faber takes on rising star Michael McDonald.

www.ufc.com

Here is the updated card:


UFC on FOX 9: Pettis vs Thomson
December 14, 2013
Sleep Train Arena
Sacramento, California


Anthony Pettis (17-2) vs. Josh Thomson (20-5) - UFC lightweight title bout
Urijah Faber (29-6) vs. Michael McDonald (16-2)
Chad Mendes (15-1) vs. Nik Lentz (24-5-2, 1 NC)
Scott Jorgensen (14-7) vs. Ian McCall (12-4-1)
Mac Danzig (21-11-1) vs. Joe Lauzon (22-9)
Carlos Condit (29-7) vs. Matt Brown (18-11)
Kelvin Gastelum (7-0) vs. Court McGee (16-3)
John Moraga (13-2) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (8-4)
Edson Barboza (12-1) vs. Danny Castillo (16-5)

The latest addition to the Dec. 14 event in Sacramento is a lightweight bout between former WEC champion Jamie Varner and Pat Healy.


UFC on FOX 9: Pettis vs Thomson
December 14, 2013
Sleep Train Arena
Sacramento, California


Anthony Pettis (17-2) vs. Josh Thomson (20-5)
Urijah Faber (29-6) vs. Michael McDonald (16-2)
Jamie Varner (21-8-1) vs. Pat Healy (31-16)
Chad Mendes (15-1) vs. Nik Lentz (24-5-2, 1 NC)
Scott Jorgensen (14-7) vs. Ian McCall (12-4-1)
Mac Danzig (21-11-1) vs. Joe Lauzon (22-9)
Carlos Condit (29-7) vs. Matt Brown (18-11)
Kelvin Gastelum (7-0) vs. Court McGee (16-3)
Roger Bowling (11-4, 1 NC) vs. Abel Trujillo (10-5, 1 NC)
Cody McKenzie (14-3) vs. Sam Stout (19-9-1)

Scott Jorgensen (14-7 MMA, 3-3 UFC) will no longer fight Ian McCall (12-4-1 MMA, 1-2-1 UFC) in his flyweight debut at UFC on FOX 9. McCall has suffered an undisclosed injury and was forced off the card, and a replacement is being sought for Jorgensen's first fight at 125 pounds, a source close to the fighters today told MMAjunkie.com.

The latest UFC on FOX 9 card includes:

MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)

Anthony Pettis vs. Josh Thomson - for UFC lightweight title
Urijah Faber vs. Michael McDonald
Matt Brown vs. Carlos Condit
Nik Lentz vs. Chad Mendes

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1)

Mac Danzig vs. Joe Lauzon
Scott Jorgensen vs. TBA
Pat Healy vs. Jamie Varner
Edson Barboza vs. Danny Castillo
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Court McGee
John Moraga vs. Darren Uyenoyama
Roger Bowling vs. Abel Trujillo
Cody McKenzie vs. Sam Stout