When “The Apachi Kid” reigned as the WEC 145-pound champ, Zuffa had yet purchased the company. Following a nasty case of staph in his spine, which left unable to compete for several years, Escovedo made his return to the cage in May of 2009 with a TKO win over current bantamweight prospect Michael McDonald, clinching the Palace Fighting Championships 135-pound title.

Since then, Escovedo has gone 6-2 overall, most recently having submitted Steven Siler this past January with his signature triangle choke. Now, Cole finds himself in the ufc climbing back up the bantamweight ranks against fellow WEC vet Renan Barao at UFC 130.

The win over Siler helped Escovedo bounce back from a two-fight skid against notables Michihiro Omigawa (at featherweight) and Michael McDonald—the two rematched July of last year, where Michael was this time able to record the knockout finish of his own.

Escovedo has some nostalgia behind his name, as he remains the WEC’s first featherweight champion before fan favorite Urijah Faber dethroned Cole in 2006. Having reinvented himself as a bantamweight, Cole has become a dangerous fighter both on the ground and on his feet. One of his more notable wins in recent memory remains a head-kick knockout win over former WEC title challenger Yoshihiro Maeda under the DREAM banner in March of last year.

Renan, one of the top prospects coming out of Brazil, went 2-0 in the WEC before the promotion was merged with the UFC earlier this year. He was originally expected to meet with Demetrious Johnson upon his UFC debut this May, though “Might Mouse” was pulled from the bout in order to take on Miguel Torres after original opponent Brad Pickett was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Barao is currently 25-1-1 in his six-years as a mixed martial artist, and with another win here over Escovedo, he could be just a few fights away from title contention.

MMAJunkie.com initially reported the bout between Cole and Renan, which will be taking place on May 28 for “UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? With those who are familiar with Escovedo, are you excited to see him finally enter the UFC after a long and arduous career? I’m sure Reed Harris had something to do with this. Sound off in the comment section below.