Diego Sanchez Set For 145-Pound Debut Against Ricardo Lamas At UFC Fight Night 79

“The Dream” has come true, well at least part of it.

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season one middleweight winner Diego Sanchez (25-7) is dropping down to the 145-pound division from lightweight to meet Ricardo Lamas (15-4). The UFC announced the bout will take place from Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico on Nov. 21, 2015 for UFC Fight Night 79.

Sanchez hadn’t exactly been setting the 155-pound division on fire in his recent bouts. “The Dream” has gone 2-3 in his last five fights. He earned a highly controversial split decision victory in his most recent contest against fellow TUF tournament winner Ross Pearson. Even UFC president Dana White felt “The Real Deal” was robbed.

Perhaps a change of scenery is what Sanchez needs.

From 2011 through 2013, Lamas was on a tear. He earned a shot at Jose Aldo‘s title by riding a four-fight winning streak. “The Bully” fell short against “Scarface,” but he rebounded nicely with a decision win over Hacran Dias and a submission victory over Dennis Bermudez. It appeared as if Lamas was on the fast track back to a title shot.

And then he ran into Chad Mendes.

“Money” obliterated “The Bully” on his way to a first round TKO victory. Lamas will need an impressive performance against Sanchez to start making fight fans forget about the one-sided affair.

“The Dream” will also have to make an impression in his 145-pound debut. Sanchez hasn’t been close to receiving another title shot after UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn starched him in their lightweight title bout back in Dec. 2009 at UFC 107.

UFC Fight Night 79 will be headlined by a welterweight clash between Matt Brown and TUF season 17 winner, Kelvin Gastelum. The event will also feature the TUF: Latin America 2 lightweight and welterweight finals. The main card for UFC Fight Night 79 will air on FOX Sports 1.