Former Bellator MMA lightweight king Will Brooks has signed a six-fight deal with the UFC and will face Ross Pearson at "The Ultimate Fighter 23" finale on July 8.
A promotion official confirmed the news on Wednesday following an initial report from MMAjunkie.com. Brooks makes his Octagon debut in place of James Krause, who was forced to withdraw from the matchup with Pearson earlier this week.
“The Ultimate Fighter 23” finale takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and is headlined by a strawweight championship bout between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha.