UFC president Dana White revealed on Twitter this morning that a very interesting middleweight bout has been added to the May 5th UFC on Fox 3 card in New Jersey, as Brazilian leg-mangler Rousimar Palhares will meet Louisiana's own Alan Belcher:

Alan Belcher vs Rousimar Palhares fight added to FOX card!!!!!!

Many fans had called for this match-up given the recent successes of both men and their positioning in the upper echelon of the UFC's 185 lb. ranks. Belcher returned in September after over a year spent battling a potentially career-ending eye injury, and he quickly dispatched of the always-game Jason MacDonald. Although he's shown a solid ground game in addition to his dynamic muay thai, Belcher will want to avoid the ground at all costs against Palhares, who is one of the most feared submission artists in modern MMA, given his brute strength and penchant for crushing leg locks, along with his ability to snatch them from seemingly any position.

Alan "The Talent" Belcher (17-6)
W Jason Macdonald (submission - punches) - UFN 25
W Patrick Cote (submission - RNC) - UFC 113
W Wilson Gouveia (TKO) - UFC 107

Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares (14-3)
W Mike Massenzio (submission - heel hook) - UFC 142
W Dan Miller (unam. decision) - UFC 134
W Dave Branch (submission - heel hook) - UFC on Versus 3

Here's how the UFC on Fox 3 card is shaping up:

-Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller (5-round main event)
-Josh Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks
-Alan Belcher vs. Rousimar Palhares
-Pat Barry vs. Lavar Johnson
-John Dodson vs. Darren Uyenoyama
-Anthony Ferguson vs. Dennis Hallman
-John Hathaway vs. Pascal Krauss
-Danny Castillo vs. John Cholish
-Louis Gaudinot vs. John Lineker
-Mike Massenzio vs. Karlos Vemola

UFC on Fox 3 coverage