Music: {allcanada} CANADIAN BANTAMWEIGHT MENJIVAR ADDED TO UFC 148 CARD

Sunday, March 25, 2012

{allcanada} CANADIAN BANTAMWEIGHT MENJIVAR ADDED TO UFC 148 CARD

TORONTO -- It will be up to Canadian Ivan (Pride of El Salvador) Menjivar to end bantamweight Renan Barao's 31-fight unbeaten streak.

The 135-pounder from Montreal will face the Brazilian at UFC 148, stepping in for Jeff (Hellbound) Hougland at UFC 148 on July 7 in Las Vegas.

Hougland has been shifted to a televised May 15 card in Fairfax, Va., replacing the injured Mike Easton. Hougland will face Montreal's Yves (Tiger) Jabouin.

The UFC says the outcome of the Barao-Menjivar bout "could cement the next challenger" for the bantamweight title-holder Dominick Cruz.

Montreal's Menjivar (24-8) has won his last three UFC bouts. Barao (30-1 with one no contest) has also won his last three.

In other UFC 148 news, Brazil's Demian Maia will drop to welterweight to face South Korean Dong Hyun (Stun Gun) Kim and middleweight Riki Fukuda will face Costa Philippou.

Other fights on the card include Tito (The People's Champ) Ortiz against Forrest Griffin in a battle of former light-heavyweight champions and former UFC middleweight title-holder Rich Franklin against Strikeforce champion Cung Le.

Middleweight Tim (The Barbarian) Boetsch meets England's Michael (The Count) Bisping.