UFC fan favorites Matt Hamill & Jon Jones have agreed to do battle December 5th.
Despite being one of the youngest fighters in the UFC, the 21-year-old Jones has emerged as one of the fastest rising talents in the sport of mixed martial arts. The Endicott, NY resident has a perfect 9-0-0 professional record, his last three victories coming inside the UFC Octagon(r), most notable of which was a unanimous decision against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in January.
Hamill (10-2) gained national attention as a standout performer in season three of “The Ultimate Fighter.” The three-time NCAA wrestling champion with a devastating ground game has won his last three bouts in the UFC, including a knockout of Mark Munoz in the first round of their contest at UFC 96 in March. This light heavyweight bout will also be a battle for bragging rights in upstate New York, as Hamill trains in Utica.
Coming off an impressive victory over Sean Sherk at UFC 98 in May, Edgar (10-1) now ranks amongst the top 155 lb. fighters in the UFC. To continue his quest for BJ Penn’s lightweight crown, the Toms River, NJ product must defeat fellow New Jersey resident, Kurt Pellegrino.
The pride of Point Pleasant, NJ, Pellegrino (20-4) is coming off the biggest win of his career, a three-round decision victory over Josh Neer at UFC 101 in August. His third consecutive win in the Octagon put him in the upper echelon of the 155 lb. division and a victory against Edgar would move him ever-closer to a title shot.
Other bouts, including the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights,” will be announced at a later date. The two finalists will be competing for a six-figure contract with the preeminent mixed martial arts organization in the world, The Ultimate Fighting Championship(r).
