By FCF Staff

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced that top ranked featherweight Hatsu Hioki will make his Octagon debut on October 29^th against George Roop. The bout will be part of UFC 137, which will be hosted by the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Hioki (24-4-2) will make his way into the UFC riding a four fight winning streak. Most recently at a Shooto event in April, the 27 year-old Hioki (pictured) submitted Donald Sanchez with a second round triangle-choke. Prior to that, at the December 30^th “Soul of Fight” event, the former Shooto and Sengoku champion worked his way to a unanimous decision victory over Marlon Sandro.

Roop (12-7-1) recently rebounded from his quick TKO loss to Mark Hominick in January, by stopping Josh Grispi in the third round at the TUF 13 Finale on June 4^th. The 29 year-old Roop is 2-2-1 in his last five fights, which includes a devastating, head kick KO win over Chan Sung Jung.

UFC 137 will be headlined by a welterweight bout between champion Georges St. Pierre and former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz.

Photo: Sengoku Raiden Championship