Former WEC champion Mike Brown
Brown vs. Pineda added to May event
A featherweight contest between Mike Brown and Daniel Pineda is set for UFC 146 this May in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship confirmed the bout earlier this week.
Brown, who at one point in time was considered one of the sport’s top featherweights, has struggled to find consistency since losing his title to current champion Jose Aldo at WEC 44 in November of 2009. The American Top Team product would finish his WEC career with two wins and one loss before moving on to the UFC.
However, the transition was not a smooth one for Brown. In his first fight in the promotion since 2004, Brown lost to Diego Nunes via split-decision on New Year’s Day, 2011. A loss to Rani Yahya just 21 days later dropped Brown further down the 145 lb. ladder, but he was able to right his course at UFC 133 against Nam Phan, earning a dominant unanimous decision nod from the judges.
Meanwhile, Pineda cannot exactly relate to Brown’s plight, as the 24-fight veteran has not been defeated in nearly two years. During that unbeaten streak, the fighter, nicknamed “The Pit,” has earned seven victories, including two as a UFC employee. In his most recent contest, Pineda defeated WEC veteran Mackens Semerzier via first round submission.
“Pineda is developing as a serious contender as he will be looking for his third stoppage in the octagon in only 5 months and (is) riding an almost-two-year unbeaten streak,” UFC president Dana White said. “This will be the toughest test of his career, dealing with Brown’s experience, power, and submission prowess.”
UFC 146 is set for “Sin City” on May 26. The card will feature a highly-anticipated heavyweight title clash between titans of the division Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem.