Newcomer Erik Perez Steps In at TUF Live Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale fight card is still a work in progress, awaiting the results of the reality series to help put some of the bouts in place, but there’s been a change to one of the fights already on the card.

UFC newcomer Erik “El Goyito” Perez steps in with just a couple of weeks to go before the show to face John Albert, according to MMAWeekly.com sources. It was unclear why Byron Bloodworth had to withdraw from the bout.

A product of Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., Perez is riding a five-fight winning streak – all of the bouts taking place in 2011 – into the Octagon. He maintains an impressive 10-4 record with three of the four losses coming by way of split decision.

Albert (7-2) competed in season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter unfortunately losing to that season’s eventual winner John Dodson in his first fight after making it into the fighter house.

He bounced back with a win over David Pogue at the TUF 14 Finale, but was submitted by wily veteran Ivan Menjivar his last time in the Octagon.

A welterweight contenders showdown between Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann headlines the TUF: Live Finale on June 1 in Las Vegas.

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