Win or lose, Munoz will join UFC

Up-and-comer Mark Munoz will take one-half of World Extreme Cagefighting's last fight to feature light heavyweights at WEC 37 on Dec. 3. The decorated wrestler will face off with jiu-jitsu exponent Ricardo Barros, who makes his first and likely last appearance with the Zuffa-owned organization.

Munoz was originally scheduled to round out the last fight on his contract Sept. 10 at WEC 36, but was forced to withdraw due to an undisclosed injury.

Munoz's manager, Mike Roberts, recently told MMAWeekly radio his client was currently training in Los Angeles at the Joker's Wild Academy and RenatoSobral's new gym in Cerritos.

Munoz spent much of his early career at Urijah Faber's gym, Ultimate Fitness, but decided to spread his training out to take advantage of gyms with more fighters in his weight class.

Roberts says Munoz has inked a deal to fight in the UFC following his fight with Barros, win or lose. He sees a bright future for the former Oklahoma State wrestler, given his work ethic.

"His last WEC fight he looked really sluggish to start with, I mean, he was fighting a guy that was 6-foot-8," Roberts said. "It took a minute for him to adjust, but he finished the guy in devastating fashion. That fight was on a Sunday, and him and Urijah were both there in the gym Monday by 5 o'clock the next day."