Australia's Anthony Perosh secures UFC fight with US star Ryan Bader

AUSTRALIAN UFC fighter Anthony Perosh says he can now make a play for the light heavyweight Top 10 after securing a bout with US favourite Ryan Bader.

Anthony Perosh

AUSTRALIAN UFC fighter Anthony Perosh insists he can now make a play for the light heavyweight Top 10 after securing a bout with US favourite Ryan Bader.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Perosh, who has won four of his past five fights inside the Octagon, will square off against Bader at UFC Fight Night card on December 7 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

The announcement is a huge one for the fighter dubbed ‘Hippo’, whose most recent bout saw him require just 14 seconds to knock out rival Vinny Magalhaes.

While Bader has dropped two of his past three fights, the Nevada native is still ranked No.11 having regularly fought the best his division has to offer – including champion Jon Jones, plus superstars Tito Ortiz, Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson, the last of whom he beat via unanimous decision in February, 2012.

"This is my chance to show I belong in the division’s Top 10," Perosh says. "This fight means everything to me. Ryan’s one of the guys I was really chasing because, having won four of my last five, all by finish, I rwanted to take a step up. To test myself against a quality opponent.

"Even despite a couple of recent losses, Bader is rated among the best in the division. He’s fought the best, Jones, Machida, won against Rampage . . . everyone who follows the sport knows who he is.”

For Australian fight fans, the addition of Bader continues the formation of a strong fight card that already includes superstar Brazilian pairing Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua and Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva.

Rua, the former light heavyweight world champion, will fight Aussie James Te Huna, while Silva squares off against heavyweight favourite Mark Hunt.

"It’s shaping up as a huge card isn’t it?" Perosh said. "I know in the past fans here have complained about some of the cards but given the UFC is an international brand, and fighters get injured, you can’t always have top 10 guys challenging one another.

"So the complaints, I don’t really like it. But this card is a great one for Australian fans.

"Personally, Bader will be the best wrestler I’ve ever fought. My game has always been to get blokes to the ground and finish them, which won’t change. But I’ve also been working hard on my boxing so if he wants to stand and trade that’s fine by me. I’ll go looking for the knockout.”

A UFC spokesman also confirmed the fight late today, saying: "Anthony has verbally agreed to face his toughest light heavyweight challenge yet in Ryan Bader. Coming off his spectacular knock out of Vinny Magalhaes it shapes as a great fight for Australian fans."