Two-time CFFC featherweight champion [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] has gotten the UFC call.
With Mike Trizano out, Sabatini (13-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has stepped in on short notice to face [autotag]Rafael Alves[/autotag] (19-9 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 185, which takes place Feb. 20 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Alves was first to report the news on his social media.
Winner of five of his past six, Sabatini captured the vacant featherweight title at CFFC 91 in December with a second-round submission of Jesse Stern. Sabatini has finished 11 of his 13 professional victories with 10 submissions and one knockout.
Alves, a former Titan FC lightweight champion, punched his ticket to the UFC on Dana White’s Contender Series this past August with a submission of Alejandro Flores. The Brazilian, who trains at MMA Masters in Florida, has won five in a row.
With the change, the UFC Fight Night 185 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis
- Yana Kunitskaya vs. Ketlen Vieira
- Darrick Minner vs. Charles Rosa
- Chris Daukaus vs. Aleksei Oleinik
- Rafael Alves vs. Patrick Sabatini
- Andrei Arlovski vs. Tom Aspinall
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
- Nassourdine Imavov vs. Phil Hawes
- Danny Chavez vs. Jared Gordon
- Drakkar Klose vs. Luis Pena
- John Castaneda vs. Eddie Wineland
- Julian Erosa vs. Nate Landwehr
- Shana Dobson vs. Casey O’Neill
- Drako Rodriguez vs. Aiemann Zahabi
- Serghei Spivac vs. Jared Vanderaa
- Jamall Emmers vs. Chas Skelly