UFC lightweight Roger Huerta (20-2-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is set return from a year-long layoff when he faces top lightweight prospect Gray Maynard (7-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City.
The fight was first reported as a possibility by Sherdog.com, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that both fighters have agreed to the contest and bout agreements are expected to be signed shortly.
UFC Fight Night 19, which will serve as the lead in for Spike TV's "The Ultimate Fighter 10" debut, is scheduled for Sept. 16 at the Cox Convention Center.
Although the match-up is nearly set, event organizers could move the Huerta vs. Maynard bout from UFC Fight Night 19 to UFC 103 on Sept. 19 as the two fight cards, which take place just three days apart, are finalized over the next couple weeks.
A former "TUF 5" cast member, Maynard was eliminated on the show by eventual champion Nate Diaz. The Xtreme Couture fighter was involved in a bizarre no-contest finish at the season's live finale, but Maynard has since reeled off five-straight wins in the UFC.
After defeating Joe Veres by knockout in September 2007, Maynard has since earned impressive unanimous-decision wins over Jim Miller, Rich Clementi, Frankie Edgar and Dennis Siver.
Huerta last fought in an August 2008 decision loss to current No. 1 contender Kenny Florian. Prior to the defeat, Huerta had gone 17 consecutive contests without a defeat – a streak that included 16 wins and a no-contest with Melvin Guillard in a 2005 bout outside of the UFC.
The bout with Maynard serves as the final fight on Huerta's contract. The relations between the popular lightweight and his employer have been a bit strained since Huerta turned down a February bout with Joe Stevenson due to "personal issues with family and stuff."
Huerta told MMAjunkie.com in March that he was ready to fight but was simply waiting on a call from the UFC.
"(I'm waiting) for the UFC to give me a phone call and I'm able to fight my last fight," Huerta said. "I'm just kind of waiting on that."
The fight was first reported as a possibility by Sherdog.com, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that both fighters have agreed to the contest and bout agreements are expected to be signed shortly.
UFC Fight Night 19, which will serve as the lead in for Spike TV's "The Ultimate Fighter 10" debut, is scheduled for Sept. 16 at the Cox Convention Center.
Although the match-up is nearly set, event organizers could move the Huerta vs. Maynard bout from UFC Fight Night 19 to UFC 103 on Sept. 19 as the two fight cards, which take place just three days apart, are finalized over the next couple weeks.
A former "TUF 5" cast member, Maynard was eliminated on the show by eventual champion Nate Diaz. The Xtreme Couture fighter was involved in a bizarre no-contest finish at the season's live finale, but Maynard has since reeled off five-straight wins in the UFC.
After defeating Joe Veres by knockout in September 2007, Maynard has since earned impressive unanimous-decision wins over Jim Miller, Rich Clementi, Frankie Edgar and Dennis Siver.
Huerta last fought in an August 2008 decision loss to current No. 1 contender Kenny Florian. Prior to the defeat, Huerta had gone 17 consecutive contests without a defeat – a streak that included 16 wins and a no-contest with Melvin Guillard in a 2005 bout outside of the UFC.
The bout with Maynard serves as the final fight on Huerta's contract. The relations between the popular lightweight and his employer have been a bit strained since Huerta turned down a February bout with Joe Stevenson due to "personal issues with family and stuff."
Huerta told MMAjunkie.com in March that he was ready to fight but was simply waiting on a call from the UFC.
"(I'm waiting) for the UFC to give me a phone call and I'm able to fight my last fight," Huerta said. "I'm just kind of waiting on that."
