At UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida, Claude Patrick (14-1; 3-0 UFC) steps in as a replacement to face Brian Ebersole (48-14-1, 1 NC; 2-0 UFC). This Welterweight fight is the third bout of the evening. Ebersole is currently ranked as the #21 Welterweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings; Patrick is unranked. The PPV card begins Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

This is a replacement for the originally scheduled Ebersole vs. Rory MacDonald fight. That was changed when MacDonald had to drop out due to injury. Patrick, originally set to face Rich Attonito on the undercard, got the call up to fill in for MacDonald. That's a shame, because I don't want to take anything away from Patrick, but Ebersole vs. MacDonald was a great fight between two men who have surged in the division over the past year. Still, there is definite intrigue added to this fight thanks to the recent news that Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre is sidelined and an interim champion will be crowned. This is the chance for new Welterweight contenders to make a move - let's see if either man here can take advantage.

How do these two stack up?

Patrick: 31 years old | 5'11" | 75" reach
Ebersole: 31 years old | 6'0" | 73" reach

What have these two done recently?

Patrick: W - Daniel Roberts (UD) | W - James Wilks (UD) | W - Ricardo Funch (Sub)
Ebersole: W - Dennis Hallman (TKO) | W - Chris Lytle (UD) | W - Hamish Robertson (TKO)

How did these two get here?

Ebersole is a ridiculously well-travelled veteran, with over 60 fights all over the world. He made his UFC debut in his adopted home of Australia earlier this year, and made the most of it, defeating veteran Chris Lytle. After that, he had the absurd Dennis Hallman fight, best known for Hallman's crotch exposing tights. Ebersole is a goofy guy, with some very weird techniques, but he's also an extremely dedicated and talented fighter. This UFC run is the culmination of 11 years of hard work as a professional, and Ebersole seems on a mission to make the most of it.

Claude Patrick is 3-0 in the UFC. The Canadian fighter trains out of Elite Training Center. His only loss comes against UFC veteran Drew McFederies in Patrick's 2nd ever pro fight, and he has been winning ever since. He's done well against increasingly tough UFC competition, but will be making a big step up here. This is a huge opportunity that has fallen in his lap - if he can pull off the upset, it will quickly elevate him in the division.

Why should you care?

I don't tend to love fighters that rely on being goofy above all else, but Ebersole combines that weird streak with a real focus on winning. He's a crafty veteran, and I am interested to see just how far this run will take him. He also always makes his fights fun. If he does lose to Patrick, then we'll be seeing the arrival of a new player in the division, which is always good to see.

More UFC 140 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.

• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
• UFC 140 Video: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Undisputed 3 Fight Prediction - Anton Tabuena
• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Dissection - Dallas Winston
• UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Predictions
• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Full Weigh-in Video - Brent Brookhouse
• UFC 140: Is Lyoto Machida Sick Heading Into Fight With Jon Jones? - Brent Brookhouse
• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Claude Patrick vs. Brian Ebersole Dissection - Dallas Winston
• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Fight Odds - Brent Brookhouse
• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung Dissection - Dallas Winston
• UFC's Jon Jones Nominated For ESPN SportsNation Award - Josh Nason
• UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 3 - Fraser Coffeen
• Dana White On Lyoto Machida's UFC 140 Title Shot: 'Do You Think That This Fight is Going to Suck?' - Brent Brookhouse
• Lyoto Machida: The Mystery May Be Gone, But is There Still Room for Romance? - David Castillo
• Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 107: UFC 140 Preview - Matt Bishop
• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - ION Television Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston
• Video: UFC 140 Jones Vs. Machida Pre-Fight Press Conference - Matthew Roth
• Chan Sung Jung Talks Underdog Status to Hominick at UFC 140: "Wait And See!" - Dallas Winston
• Judo Chop: Shogun Rua's Half Guard Game and How Jon Jones Shut It Down - Ben Thapa
• UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena
• UFC 140's Tito Ortiz Talks Repairing Relationship With Dana White - Brent Brookhouse
• UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - Facebook Card Dissection - Dallas Winston
• UFC 140 Round Table: Is Jon Jones' Lack Of Star Power to Blame for UFC 140 Not Being Sold Out?
• UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 2 - Fraser Coffeen
• UFC 140's Jon Jones Talks Lyoto Machida, Religion and Says Rashad Evans Has No Chin - Brent Brookhouse
• UFC Light Heavyweight Division State of the Union - Fraser Coffeen
• UFC 140 Main Card Betting Lines - Tim Burke
• UFC 140 Still Not Sold Out A Week Out From The Event - Matthew Roth
• UFC 140: Lyoto Machida Talks About His Preparation for Jon Jones - Tim Burke
• UFC 140: The Complete Jon Jones Career Part 1 - Fraser Coffeen
• UFC 140 Video: Tito Ortiz Considering Retirement - Brent Brookhouse
• UFC 140 Fight Card: Jones vs. Machida - Tim Burke