Erik Koch, Ricardo Lamas to fight

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Featherweight contenders Erik Koch and Ricardo Lamas will meet Dec. 29 at UFC 155 in Las Vegas, the promotion announced Monday.

Koch (13-1) has had two dates scheduled with 145-pound titleholder Jose Aldo, but neither fight happened. A leg injury suffered by Aldo forced the July 21 bout to be postponed. Their Oct. 13 fight was subsequently canceled when Koch suffered a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

With Koch unable to perform against Aldo on Oct. 13 at UFC 153 in Rio de Janeiro, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar was named as his replacement.

But Aldo suffered a foot injury on Sept. 1 when a car hit the motorcycle he was riding, leading to the postponement of his bout with Edgar. A new date has not been set for the Aldo-Edgar fight.

Koch, an Iowa native who last stepped into the Octagon on Sept. 17, 2011, has won four fights in a row. He has earned two "knockout of the night" honors during that span.

Lamas (12-2) put his name on the featherweight contender list June 22 with an impressive unanimous decision over Hatsu Hioki. The victory extended Lamas' win streak to three.

UFC officials also announced that hard-hitting bantamweight contender Brad Pickett will meet former WEC champion Eddie Wineland on the Dec. 29 card. Erik Perez will seek his eighth win in a row when he takes on Byron Bloodworth in a bantamweight fight.

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Franklin McNeil

Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts

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• MMA columnist for ESPN.com
• Analyst for "MMA Live"
• Covered MMA/Boxing for The Star-Ledger