Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks has been unveiled as the UFC’s latest signing.
Despite holding the 155lb title, Bellator terminated the 29 year-old Brooks contract a month ago after he became increasingly vocal about his unhappiness with life in the promotion.
Brooks holds a 16-1 career record, with the only loss of his career coming against Saad Awad back in February of 2013 – and he’d avenge that defeat just eight months later.
‘Ill Will’ is currently on an eight fight winning streak, and that includes having won both the interim and vacant lightweight titles with back-to-back wins over another bellator favorite, Michael Chandler, and then going to successfully defend the belt twice.
Brooks won’t have long to wait to make his UFC debut, as he’s immediately been drafted in to replace James Krause against Ross Pearson at the TUF 23 Finale on July 8th in Las Vegas.
Pearson isn’t currently ranked at lightweight and has been alternating between wins and losses for some time, but he has defeated the likes of Gray Maynard, Sam Stout, Paul Felder and Chad Laprise over the past couple of years, so it’s a solid first test for Brooks.
It’ll be interesting to see how he fairs in the Octagon compared to the last Bellator lightweight champion to make the jump, Eddie Alvarez, who’s currently scheduled to fight for the UFC 155lb belt against Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night 90 just one day prior to Brooks debut.
