The "Garden State" just got a smidgeon of much-needed good news.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones, and the self-anointed "Peoples Champion," Chael Sonnen -- despite their recent MetroPCS love fest -- will spend weeks exchanging verbal barbs on the set of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 17 on FX.

On April 27, 2013, the two will exchange punches in a UFC pay-per-view (PPV) main event planned for the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., according to an official announcement released this evening.

The unlikely pairing, which the promotion wanted to serve up as the last-minute, makeshift UFC 151 main event when Dan Henderson couldn't make his date with "Bones" because of injury, has been met with mixed reactions.

Many fight fans feel it's just a UFC money grab, relying on Sonnen's gift of gab to sell seats and boost FX ratings, while others feel it's an intriguing match up between the sport's most dynamic talent against an experienced and capable veteran.

No matter which side of the fence you sit, you'll now have nearly a half-year to hear all about it for better or worse.

Jones is no stranger to "The Rock," defeating Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 via technical knockout back in 2011 to win the Light Heavyweight title. He has defended his 205-pound belt four times since with relative ease, including a recent submission over Vitor Belfort at UFC 152 just six weeks ago.

Before talking himself into another title fight, Sonnen last appeared at UFC 148, losing to Middleweight champion Anderson Silva via technical knockout in round two. It marked his second defeat to the "Spider," forcing him to change divisional scenery and setting the stage for his appearance on TUF and a championship fight with Jones.

Brilliant.

For more on Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen click here, here and here.