In addition to Ross Pearson vs. Ryan Couture and Philip DeFries vs. Matt Mitrione, welterweights Ben “Benny Blanco” Alloway and Ryan LaFlare will square off at UFC on Fuel 9, which is the promotion’s return to the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden on April 6, 2013.

Alloway, the 31-year-old fighting out of Fiore MMA in Australia, is 13-3 in his MMA career and is coming off a knockout victory over Manuel Rodriguez in his UFC debut last December at UFC on FX 6: Sotiropolous vs. Pearson. The undefeated LaFlare (7-0) who fights out of the Bellamore Kickboxing Academy in Lindenhurst, NY was originally scheduled to fight Josh Burkman at the World Series of Fighting 2 event on March 23. However, he will now be making his UFC debut in Stockholm when the promotion returns this April.

Headlined by a match-up pitting the fast-rising European star and native Swede Alexander Gustafsson against former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion (and UFC newcomer) Gegard Mousasi, UFC on Fuel 9 looks to be a promising card. The event sold out in just hours according to a tweet sent by UFC President Dana White, which makes it the second consecutive sellout in as many events for the UFC in Sweden.

Both Alloway and LaFlare will undoubtedly be looking to make statements to climb the ladder of the UFC’s 170-pound division. With such a deep roster, and on the heels of the so-called “Welterweight Tournament” featured at UFC 158, both fighters have their work cut out for them.

Here’s to hoping they take that as initiative.

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