Vera vs Couture in UFC 105

Local fight fans will have two exciting matches to look forward to next week as Filipino-American Brandon Vera faces the legendary Randy "The Natural" Couture in the main event of UFC 105 at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England.

Vera, who sports an 11-3 record with seven knockouts and one submission, said he is excited to square off against Couture, a five-time UFC champion.

The barrel-chested Vera also considers his fight with Couture as the biggest match of his MMA career.

"It will be an honor and a privilege to fight a living legend like Randy Couture. He has been someone that I have looked up to and I can't wait to get in there," Vera said on UFC.com last September when the fight card was announced.

Vera's match coincides with Manny Pacquiao's bout with Miguel Cotto in a 12-round, welterweight boxing match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The 6-foot-2, 205 lb, 32-year old Vera, born to a Filipino father and an Italian-American mother, won his last two bouts against Polish fighter Krzysztof Soszynski (unanimous decision) in UFC 102 and American Mike Patt (TKO) in UFC 96. - Jonas Terrado