UFC Fight Night 83 preview, fight card: Donald Cerrone to make welterweight debut versus fellow 'Cowboy' Alex Oliveira
Two cowboys will collide inside the octagon when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heads to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for another edition of UFC Fight Night, this time featuring Donald Cerrone and Alex Oliveira.
Both Cerrone and Oliveira are using the "cowboy" monicker and will try to climb in the welterweight division rankings.
The bout marks the first time Cerrone is fighting at 170 pounds after spending his mixed martial arts (MMA) career competing in the lightweight division (150 pounds).
Cerrone was originally scheduled to take on Tim Means in the main event, but the latter faced issues involving the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and was removed from the card.
The 32-year-old Cerrone is just two months removed from a lightweight title, having lost to defending champion Rafael dos Anjos last Dec. 19. 2015.
Dos Anjos landed a powerful body kick in the opening round that spelled trouble for Cerrone, with him losing in just 66 seconds.
The recent setback ended Cerrone's eight-fight winning streak, and now he looks to bounce back against Oliveira.
Meanwhile, Oliveira stepped in for Means and is returning to the Octagon as a welterweight after his previous fight was held in the lightweight division.
Unlike Cerrone who is coming off a tough defeat, Oliveira is unbeaten in his past three fights, with victories over K.J. Noons, Joe Merritt, and Piotr Hallmann.
Before Cerrone and Oliveira go at it, middleweight contenders Derek Brunson (13) and Roan Carneiro (15) will face each other aiming to reach the top 10 in the division.
Undefeated bantamweight Cody Garbrandt puts his streak on the line against Augusto Mendez.
The main fight card also features The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) alumnus Dennis Bermudez (8) facing Tatsuya Kawajiri (12) in the featherweight division.
A battle of veterans will also take place as Joe Riggs and Chris Camozzi clash in the middleweight division.
The lightweight showdown between James Krause and Shane Campbell will also happen in Pittsburgh.
UFC Fight Night 83 will be held at the Consol Energy Center this Sunday, Feb. 21.
