{allcanada} Toronto's Pierson signs with UFC

 

It's been a long time coming but Canadian Sean Pierson is finally headed to the UFC, the welterweight fighter told sportsnet.ca Wednesday.

"I faxed back my contract (Wednesday) morning," a happy Pierson said.

The Toronto native has agreed to replace an injured T.J. Waldburger and face Matt Riddle at the organization's Dec. 11 event in Montreal. The fight will appear on the undercard of UFC 124 at the Bell Centre.

Pierson, who is coming off a first-round TKO victory Saturday over Ricky Goodall at a Warrior-One event in Halifax, has been fighting professionally since 1999. A Greco-Roman wrestler first, Pierson (10-4) trains out of the Grant Brothers MMA facility in North York, Ont., the Tap Star gym in Richmond Hill, Ont., and Bruckmann Martial Arts in Oshawa, Ont.

The 34-year-old said he spoke to the UFC briefly earlier this year before signing with Bellator Fighting Championships to compete in that promotion's Season 2 welterweight tournament. He ended up pulling out of his first-round bout in April with a knee injury, one that ended up keeping him out of action since December 2009.

Following Saturday's win at the Halifax Forum, the UFC came calling Monday in need of a replacement for Waldburger.

"This opportunity just came up real quick," Pierson said. "I've still got six weeks (to prepare for the fight), and I'm just coming off a training camp as well.

"All in all, I'm ready for this."

Pierson joins fellow Canadians John Makdessi and Jesse Bongfeldt in making their Octagon debuts at the Montreal show, the second of the year. It is headlined by the welterweight title bout between champion Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99

Babe Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonthman.html