UFC
Minnesota's Marcus LeVesseur replaces Aaron Riley against Cody McKenzie at UFC on Fuel 3
Apr 24, 2012 - 3:00:25 PM Minnesota's Marcus LeVesseur replaces Aaron Riley against Cody McKenzie at UFC on Fuel 3

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

One of the top lightweights in Minnesota is headed to the Octagon, as Marcus LeVesseur will take on Cody McKenzie at UFC on Fuel TV 3. McKenzie was scheduled to face Aaron Riley on the card, but Riley has been forced out with an injury.

McKenzie revealed the change on Twitter, and MMATorch confirmed the booking with LeVesseur, who has signed a four-fight deal with the UFC.

"It's been a long time coming," LeVesseur commented. "And I can't wait to get in there."

The 29-year-old LeVesseur was a four-time Division III wrestling champion at Minnesota's Augsburg College, posting an undefeated record throughout his collegiate career. He brings a 21-5 record with him into his UFC debut, and has won three straight fights and is 10-2 in his last 12.

McKenzie has been submitted in two straight fights, the only losses in his MMA career, to Yves Edwards and Vagner Rocha. A third straight loss will likely send him out of the Octagon.

UFC on Fuel 3 takes place May 15 in Fairfax, Va., headlined by the featherweight bout between Dustin Poirier and "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung.

Penick's Analysis: LeVesseur is a very talented lightweight, and I've seen him multiple times on local shows here in Minnesota. Even though he's taking this fight on short notice, this is a fight he can absolutely win, and he could be another solid addition to the UFC's most packed division at 155 lbs. I'm definitely excited to see what he can do inside the Octagon after seeing him in several local shows.