UFC 156: Tyron Woodley replaces injured Erick Silva against Jay Hieron

The UFC officials have announced that former Strikeforce fighter Tyron Woodley will make his debut at UFC 156 against UFC veteran Jay Hieron. Woodley will be replacing Hieron’s original opponent Erick Silva who had to withdraw from the bout with an injury.

Woodley (10-1) suffered his first professional defeat in his last outing, a TKO loss against UFC veteran and now Strikeforce welterweight champion Nate Marquardt. The bout was for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title. Woodley has won five fights via submission and one fight via TKO, and has a decorated college wrestling background at the University of Missouri.

Hieron (23-6) is coming off a paper thin unanimous decision loss against Jake Ellenberger in his return to the UFC last October. Hieron is a UFC, Bellator, IFL, and Strikeforce veteran who was a National Junior College Wrestling Champion. He has won seven fights via submission and six fights via TKO/KO.

The UFC 156 event will feature UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo putting his title on the line against former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar as he moves down to the featherweight division. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans will face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and Alistair Overeem will face Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in heavyweight action.

UFC 156 will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 2nd which is Super Bowl weekend.

Be sure to stay tuned to ProMMAnow (www.prommanow.com) for more UFC 156 news and coverage.