Couture set to fight Vera in UFC 105

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has been in need of a main event for UFC 105 in Manchester, England, since moving the initially announced main event to a future card in Memphis, Tenn.

Meanwhile, Randy Couture has been searching for an “intriguing opponent” for himself after dropping his second consecutive fight in the heavyweight division.

A solution to both problems has been found as the organization officially announced Monday that Couture will drop to light heavyweight to take on Brandon Vera in UFC 105.

The matchup replaces the previous main event of BJ Penn against Diego Sanchez, which will now headline UFC 107 on Dec. 12. UFC 105 will air on Spike TV.

The 46-year old Couture was the heavyweight champion when he returned to the UFC in November after what amounted to a 15-month contract dispute.

He lost the title to Brock Lesnar in his return bout, then dropped a decision to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on Aug. 29.

Couture, who signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC on the day of the Nogueira fight, has said his interest at this stage of his career lies in taking on intriguing opponents. A drop to light heavyweight opens up a whole new pool of potential fights that fit that bill.

Couture, who is in Colorado, confirmed the bout in a Twitter posting Monday.

“Looking forward to getting in the octagon with Brandon Vera at UFC 105 on November 14 in Manchester, England,” the post stated.

Vera also recently made the drop from heavyweight to the 205-pound class.

He has gone 3-1 since moving to light heavyweight, with two victories thus far in 2009.

Manchester native Michael Bisping will also be in action on the card. The middleweight will take on Canadian Denis Kang.

Penn’s lightweight title defense was moved to Memphis because that card’s original main event, a matchup of former light heavyweight champions Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, had to be postponed until early 2010 as Jackson is reportedly busy starring as B.A. Baracus in the film version of “The A-Team.”

• WEC 44 — World Extreme Cagefighting will return to Las Vegas on Nov. 18, but the organization will take its show to the other side of the Strip.

WEC 44 will be at the Palms, according to a source close to the promotion. Previously, all 11 of the organization’s Las Vegas cards have been at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Mike Brown will defend his featherweight title against Jose Aldo in the main event.

Also, former UFC lightweights Leonard Garcia and Manny Gamburyan have verbally agreed to square off at featherweight on the card. The bout agreements are expected to be signed in the coming days.

• LESNAR OPPONENT — The UFC officially announced that Brock Lesnar would defend his heavyweight title against unbeaten Shane Carwin in the main event of UFC 106 on Nov. 21 at Mandalay Bay.

The bout had been rumored for several weeks. Carwin was to take on Cain Velasquez at UFC 104 but was pulled from that fight to meet Lesnar.

Velasquez will instead face Ben Rothwell.

Also at UFC 106, Tito Ortiz will return to face Mark Coleman.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.