Kang to make UFC debut in Dublin

The upcoming card for UFC 93 in Ireland is starting to fill up fast as MMAWeekly.com has confirmed that newly signed middleweight Denis Kang will take on Alan Belcher as part of the main card of the promotion's first foray into Dublin on Jan. 17 at the O2 Arena.

MMAWeekly.com has learned that both fighters have verbally agreed to the bout and signed agreements will be in place shortly, according to sources close to the fight.

Kang, who just officially signed with the UFC last week, told MMAWeekly.com after the contract became official that he felt he would be ready to return to action in early 2009 and the timing seems to have worked perfectly.

"I can fight as early as January," he said. "Whether the UFC makes the decision to put me on that card is entirely up to them, but I can be ready as early as January."

That decision seems to have been made, as Belcher will welcome Kang to the UFC officially.

Belcher steps into the fight with a 4-3 record in his time with the UFC, having faced very stiff competition along the way. He has never been one to shy away from a tough fight.

The Mississippi native is coming off of a win over Ed Herman at UFC Fight Night in September. He will look to make it two in a row facing a very game fighter in Kang.

As for Kang, he will likely remain in Canada for this training camp, as he had already previously stated before taking any fight that he planned on helping Georges St-Pierre prepare for his Jan. 31 fight against B.J. Penn.

UFC 93 takes place in Dublin, Ireland on Jan. 17 and will feature a light heavyweight co-main event pitting Rich Franklin against Dan Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua versus Mark Coleman.