Ross Pearson

(Write on his boots at your own peril. Photo courtesy of urdirt.com.)

After winning a unanimous decision over Andre Winner at the TUF 9 finale to score the season's lightweight contract, former Team U.K. member Ross Pearson is set to begin his post-TUF career at UFC 105 (November 14th, Manchester). MMA Weekly reports that Pearson will take on Aaron Riley, who's coming off his own decision win against Shane Nelson at UFC 101.

Team U.K. will be dominating the Manchester card, with welterweight winner James Wilks reportedly fighting Matt Brown, lightweight runner-up Andre Winner booked against Roli Delgado, and coach Michael Bisping slated to fight Denis Kang in the co-headlining bout; the card's main event hasn't yet been determined. Elsewhere on the card, Team U.S.A. welterweight nemesis DaMarques Johnson takes on German fighter Peter Sobotta, Paul Kelly faces Dennis Siver — another German fighter; do we detect an Allies vs. Axis theme? — and rising welterweight star Dan Hardy will likely fight Dong Hyun Kim. The event is expected to be broadcast for free on Spike.

Related: "I am going to go for the KO like Hendo!…To me he is not ‘cocky Michael Bisping,’ he is just a sack of flesh and bones across the Octagon that I am waiting to pound on." — Denis Kang

With MMA Madness reporting that Frank Lester vs. Nick Osipczak will be added to the TUF 9 finale, and the Grant/Markham scrap taken off the card, we have a pretty solid idea of what Saturday's show will look like, barring any last-minute surprises. Here's the lineup:

MAIN CARD
Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida (LW)
DaMarques Johnson vs. James Wilks (TUF 9 welterweight finals)
Ross Pearson vs. Andre Winner (TUF 9 lightweight finals)
Joe Stevenson vs. Nate Diaz (LW)
Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns (WW)

PRELIMINARY CARD
Melvin Guillard vs. Gleison Tibau (LW)
Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal (LHW)
Brad Blackburn vs. Edgar Garcia (WW)
Cameron Dollar vs. Jason Dent (LW)
Frank Lester vs. Nick Osipczak (WW)

So if you participated in round 1 of our pick-off contest and you still want the Lyoto Machida "Karate for Mixed Martial Arts" DVD set, read on...

(The completed TUF 9 lightweight bracket; click above for larger image. Props to Wikipedia.)

With Damarques Johnson taking the first finale spot in the welterweight bracket, Team U.S. has momentum, and Dan Henderson says he wants to make the finale "Dana's nightmare, no U.K. guys." But the Brits have other ideas. First up in the lightweight semis will be Team U.K.'s Andre Winner vs. Team U.S.'s Cameron Dollar, who's struggling in practice due to injured cartilage in his ribs. "I catch a body shot or a kick, I'm gonna fold in half," he says.

Andre says Jason Pierce gave him some insight into Cameron's striking, and all he really needs to do is stay away from the big right hook. He looks tight on the focus mitts. Andre also sucks his thumb, it turns out. Cameron says he can't lose to a thumb-sucker, and prays he has God's speed and the Devil's rage.