Octagon veteran Din Thomas (19-6) will clash with UFC newcomer Jeremy Stephens (8-1) at UFC 71 on May 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to MMAWeekly.com.
Since appearing on season four of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) as a welterweight, Thomas has dropped down to 155 pounds and rattled off two consecutive wins.
His most recent victory over Clay Guida at UFC Fight Night 8 in January was an action-packed 15-minute brawl that demonstrated the toughness of the American Top Team (ATT) product.
Stephens is a young fighter from the Midwest who likes to bang, racking up six T(KO)s in his brief mixed martial arts career. He's performed well in smaller shows, and apparently the UFC thinks he's now ready for the big stage.
It's a tough first fight for Stephens and a curious opponent for Thomas. After taking out Guida — a very talented, experienced and respected lightweight — Stephens seems like a step back for Thomas.
Regardless, it appears that the match up will most likely not make the pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast.
That's because UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell is slated to rematch Quinton Rampage Jackson that same night, and other stars such as Keith Jardine, Karo Parisyan, Josh Burkman, Ivan Salaverry and others will most likely earn main card status.
For the developing UFC 71 fight card click here.
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