Unable to pick up a win at 170 pounds in his two appearances since returning to the UFC roster, Joe Riggs has decided to move up to 185 pounds. Welcoming Riggs back to the middleweight division will be The Ultimate Fighter 17 contestant Uriah Hall.
The UFC broke the news of the matchup via its own website on Friday morning.
Having recorded one of the most spectacular knockouts in TUF history, Hall has been considered a competitor with huge potential since he was first introduced to UFC fans. Entering his last outing with three straight victories, it looked as though he was finally about to realize that potential and become a contender at 185 pounds.
Instead, Hall disappointed against Rafael Natal and suffered an upset loss via split decision. With that deflating defeat, Hall will now have some work to do before he can be considered a title threat in the middleweight class, and his road starts with a victory over Riggs.
With six straight victories, Riggs earned his way back into the big show despite many believing he would never return to the Octagon. However, things have not gone as planned for Diesel in the UFC welterweight division.
First, Riggs was removed from his originally scheduled return after accidentally shooting himself in the hand while cleaning a gun. Then, Riggs suffered back-to-back losses and is now turning to a move up in weight to avoid being released by the UFC brass once again.
Given Hall's size and Riggs' lack of success against UFC competition, this bout seems designed to get the former back into the win column. With Hall developing a reputation as an inconsistent and unreliable fighter, though, anything could happen.
It's tough to be certain where this bout will end up on the fight card. Hall and Riggs could serve as main card openers or appear in one of the more notable prelim contests.
Glover Teixeira and Ovince Saint Preux will headline UFC Fight Night 73, which is scheduled to be held on August 8. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, will host the event.
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