Exclusive - Jeff Monson: I'm Dropping to 205 Pounds.

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger ”Snowman” Jeff Monson (28-8) told Fighters.com Wednesday, “I am dropping to 205 after the Fulton fight.”

Monson will fight “Ironman” Travis Fulton (211-44-8) at Alabama Pride at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama December 12.

Fulton submitted Tony Crawford (0-2) in a rear naked choke at Midwest Fighting Championship 8 in Knoxville, Iowa August 14.

Monson lost a disappointing three-round unanimous decision to “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-9) at Bitetti Combat 4 in Rio de Janeiro September 12, halting a two-year climb back up the heavyweight ladder since getting TKO’d by Rizzo at Art of War 3 in Dallas in September 2007.

The 5′9″, roughly 240-pound fighter lost a five-round UD to then UFC heavyweight champion “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (25-6) at UFC 65 in Sacramento in November 2006.  Sylvia held an 11-inch height advantage.

Though rippling muscle from head-to-toe at 240 pounds, Monson’s 5′9″ height has always rendered him at a disadvantage in a heavyweight division where most fighters are 6′4″ or taller.  A successfull cut to 205 pounds will eliminate at least a lot of the very tallest fighters in MMA and allow Monson to take back a lot of that height and reach advantage he’s given up throughout his career.

Reliable sources have also mentioned to Fighters.com that Monson and Strikeforce are in talks and Monson could actually debut at 205 pounds in Strikeforce in 2010.  Neither Monson nor Strikeforce could confirm, but Monson did confirm he continues talks with Strikeforce.