UFC
Jamie Varner steps in against Joe Lauzon at UFC on Fox 4
Jun 28, 2012 - 12:50:31 PM

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Former WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner is stepping into August's UFC on Fox 4 event, taking Terry Etim's spot against Joe Lauzon on the card in Los Angeles.

The UFC announced the change on Wednesday night.

It's the second straight fight that Varner has taken as an injury replacement, but it worked out pretty well for him once this year. Varner was not brought into the UFC when the WEC was folded over, as he was winless in his final four fights in the organization. However, he won three of his next four fights in 2011, and got a late call to step in against Edson Barboza at UFC 146 in May.

In that fight, Varner shocked most, who expected Barboza to follow up on a January knockout over Terry Etim. Varner had other plans, and he battered Barboza en route to a first round stoppage and his third straight win.

Now he'll try to follow that up with a win over Lauzon, who is looking to bounce back from a vicious loss in February. After submitting Melvin Guillard last October, Lauzon was booked against Anthony Pettis at UFC 144, but the final WEC Lightweight Champion knocked him out with a head kick in that bout in Japan.

UFC on Fox 4 takes place from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., headlined by a light heavyweight bout between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Brandon Vera.