Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight number one contender Chad Mendes may be the second best 145 pounder in the world.

Unfortunately, he's not being paired up that way.

After knocking the stuffing out of former "Ultimate Fighter" jetsam Cody McKenzie, "Money" will get to cash in an Octagon rookie in the form of Yaotzin Meza, who fills in for the injured Hacran Dias at the upcoming UFC on FX 6 event this Friday night (Dec. 14, 2012) in Australia.

But with only a week to find a replacement for "Barnabe," beggars can't be choosers.

With the exception of a first-round knockout at the knees of Jose Aldo, Mendes (12-1) has been virtually unstoppable at 145 pounds, thanks to his powerful wrestling and neverending cardio. Beating him will be a fairly tall order for Meza (18-7), who is coming off a technical knockout loss to Andres Quintana last April on the regional circuit.

Anyone thinking upset?

UFC on FX 6 will be headlined by an international-inspired lightweight fight between the homegrown George Sotiropoulos and British import, Ross Pearson. Both 155-pound fighters are former contestants featured on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and most recently served as coaches for the Australian version, "Sm-Ashes," which will conclude on the night's main card.

In the 170-pound final, Brad Scott will collide with Robert Whittaker, while Colin Fletcher and Norman Parker will duke it out in the show's 155-pound counterpart.

Of course, UFC on FX 6 also features the return of Brazilian bone crusher Rousimar Palhares, who will lock limbs with adopted Australian, Hector Lombard, in what could very well be the most unstable -- albeit intriguing -- middleweight fight imaginable.

See the entire fight card and line up here.