Music: {allcanada} VETERAN ALESSIO RETURNS TO UFC, WILL TAKE ON CANADIAN BOCEK

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

{allcanada} VETERAN ALESSIO RETURNS TO UFC, WILL TAKE ON CANADIAN BOCEK

TORONTO -- John Alessio is back in the UFC.

Fellow Canadian lightweight Mark Bocek tweeted Tuesday that Alessio would be his new opponent at UFC 145, replacing (Handsome) Matt Wiman who is out with a knee injury.

UFC 145 was originally set for late March in Montreal but has been pushed back to April 21 in Atlanta, where Jon (Bones) Jones will defend his light-heavyweight title against former champion Rashad Evans.

Alessio, a native of Duncan, B.C., who trains out of Las Vegas, last fought in the UFC in October 2006 when he lost to Thiago Alves. He made his UFC debut at UFC 26 in June 2000 when he lost to Pat Miletich.

Alessio (34-14) is coming off a decision over Ryan Healy last month in Hamilton on a Score Fighting Series card.

Bocek (10-4), from Woodbridge, Ont., defeated Nik Lentz at UFC 140 last December.