("So, do you chicks party?")

Here’s one for the Pride nerds out there: A report from MMAFighting.com on Saturday says the UFC may have softened its stance on Ricardo Arona enough to slide a contract his way some time in the near future.  This news comes after a report by Tatame.com last year quoted company president Dana White saying some not-so-complimentary things about the streaky light heavyweight.  Now Arona says he hopes to make his Octagon debut by October or November.

The report cites “a pair of brief meetings over the last couple of days” and says Arona was set to meet with the bossman after the conclusion of UFC 114. For his part, Arona is talking about it like it’s almost a done deal.

"It’s going to be great, because everyone is waiting for it, especially me," he said. "I really want to come here to the UFC."

Arona hasn’t fought for a major MMA organization since 2007 and after more than two years away from the ring entirely, returned last August to defeat all-purpose fall-guy Marvin Eastman by decision in Bitetti Combat 4 in Rio de Janeiro.

After starting on a 7-1 tear in Pride from 2001-2005, Arona lost three of his last four fights with the company. Though he advanced to the final of the Pride Grand Prix in 2005, he is also arguably most famous for being on the receiving end of one of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s notable career highlights: The powerbomb slam that ended their fight at “Critical Countdown” in June of 2004.

Since 2006, what MMAFighting terms a “series of injuries and illnesses” has limited his activity and Arona has fought just three times in the last four years. Reports out last year indicated he might sign a deal with Strikeforce, but that contract never materialized.