UFC roundup: Nelson vs. Kongo set for UFC 159

Popular heavyweight contenders Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo will meet at UFC 159 on April 27 in a battle of knockout artists, the UFC announced Tuesday night.

Nelson (18-7) is coming off back-to-back first-round knockout wins over Matt Mitrione and Dave Herman. The Ultimate Fighter season 10 winner is 5-3 in the UFC with all five of his victories by knockout or TKO.

Meanwhile, Kongo (18-7-2), who won a unanimous decision over Shawn Jordan at UFC 149 in Calgary in his last outing, has had seven of his 11 UFC wins come by way of strikes.

Also added to the card at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., was a light-heavyweight matchup between Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes.

Davis (10-1, 1 NC) submitted Wagner Prado in quick succession at UFC 153 less than three months after a no contest with Prado due to an accidental eye poke. The 28-year-old former Division I collegiate wrestler meets a fellow grappling standout in Magalhaes, who is a world champion Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist.

Magalhaes (10-5, 1 NC) is on a six-fight win streak and coming off a submission of Igor Pokrajec at UFC 152 in what was his first UFC bout since 2009.

Plus, perennial lightweight contender Jim Miller will welcome Strikeforce veteran Pat Healy back to the UFC for the first time since 2006.

After being released following his lone UFC appearance — a submission loss to Anthony Torres at UFC Fight Night 6 — Healy (29-16) went on to find success in various promotions including Strikeforce, Maximum Fighting Championship and the defunct International Fight League. In his 12-year MMA career the Salem, Ore., native has notable wins over Carlos Condit, Paul Daley, Dan Hardy and Canadian Ryan Ford. Healy has won six straight fights and nine of his past 10.

Miller (22-4) is riding high after his decision win over Joe Lauzon at UFC 155 in December in what was a Fight of the Year candidate for 2012. Known as one of the most well-rounded 155-pounders, Miller’s only losses have come to eventual UFC champions or title challengers — Benson Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz. Miller is second on the UFC’s all-time list for submission attempts with 29 and just two behind Chris Lytle’s 31 for the promotion’s all-time lead.

UFC 159 is scheduled to be headlined by a light-heavyweight title fight between TUF 17 coaches Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen.

ALVAREZ IN LIMBO

Former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez was tentatively scheduled to make his UFC debut on the card; however his former promotion is in the process of taking him to court over a contract dispute, which may delay his UFC debut or keep him under contract with Bellator.

Last week, the U.S. District Court of New Jersey denied a claim by Alvarez for an injunction that would have allowed him to fight on the Newark card.

Alvarez’ last appearance in the cage was a dynamic head-kick knockout of Patricky Freire at Bellator 76 in October in Windsor, Ont., which was the final fight on his Bellator contract. However, in early January Bellator sued Alvarez for breach of contract after the Philadelphia native reportedly accepted a multi-fight offer from the UFC. Bellator claims he cannot sign with the UFC because his current Bellator deal, signed in 2008, includes a stipulation for a 90-day window for Bellator to match any contracts offered to Alvarez within one year and Bellator contends it has done so.

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