Petruzelli announced the fight, which takes place July 3, via his Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Seth takes the spot that had been reserved for “Robot” Steve Cantwell (7-3). Cantwell was expected to fight until the Nevada State Athletic Commission pulled him from UFC 108 in January. Since that time they had re-licensed Steve but this fight with UFC newcomer Romero fell apart in the past few weeks.

Petruzelli is not just known for his underdog victory of Kimbo, he made it to the semi-finals of “The Ultimate Fighter” (TUF) season two.

After the show he stepped into the Octagon twice, losing both times before being released. The losses were to “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (7-2) and Wilson Gouveia (12-8) with the last loss coming at UFC Fight Night 9 in 2007.

Since that time he has gone 4-0 with the hopes of getting back into the UFC. Many speculated that we might me see Seth back inside the Octagon after Kimbo’s stint on TUF. The UFC had a chance to put together a rematch that many would have liked to have seen. That did not happen and here we are with Seth about to fight a highly touted Romero.

Romero has signed a four-fight deal with the UFC and recently began training at AMA Fight Club with UFC veterans “The Mongoose” Jim Miller (17-2) and Dan Miller (11-4). Over half of Romero’s wins come via first-round stoppage.

What are your thoughts on Seth being back in the UFC? Should they have brought him back to face Kimbo before cutting him?

White wouldn’t disclose the nature of Cantwell’s ailment at the UFC 108 pre-fight press conference Wednesday.

UFC 108 will go on with ten bouts (as of today), five to air on pay-per-view, two on SpikeTV, and the first three for the live audience.

Matyushenko has been promised a return on a future UFC card.

The holdovers from the WEC’s downsizing split a pair in Zuffa’s little show, Stann TKOing Cantwell at WEC 26 in Alabama in March 2007 and most recently Cantwell equaling the result at WEC 35 in Las Vegas in August 2008.

Cantwell is 1-1 in the Octagon, most recently dropping a UD to “Banha” Luiz Arthur Cane (8-1) at UFC 97 in Montreal 18 April.

Stann is 0-1 in the Octagon, suffering a consecutive TKO to “The Experiment” Krzystof Soszynski (19-8-1) at the same event.

Al-Hassan’s striking was respectable from the opening round landing a strong left hand to the chin and a leg kick. But just as Al-Hassan’s striking appeared more accurate, Cantwell soon answered the shots with a double dose of clean left punches.

Cantwell’s counter soon led to a takedown where Al-Hassan found himself under the weight of side control. Soon after, Cantwell grabbed Al-Hassan’s right arm and secured a tight armbar. Al-Hassan refused to tap out but such refusal resulted in an dangerously extended arm cuing referee Mario Yamasaki to step in and stop the fight.

The instant replay of the submission showed what appeared to be Al-Hassan’s elbow popping out of socket as his arm was bent tremendously in an unhealthy direction.

Steve Cantwell officially won via submission (armbar) at 4:04 of the first round.

The remaining bouts are:

Luigi Fioravanti (13-4) v Brodie Farber (13-4)
Dale Hartt (5-1) v Corey Hill (2-1)
“Berserk” Ben Saunders (6-0-2) v Brandon Wolff (7-2)
Timothy Credeur (10-2) v Nate Loughran (9-0)
“Hater Hurter” Johnny Rees (10-1) v Steve Bruno (11-4)
Justin McCully (8-4-2) v Eddie Sanchez (8-2)

Five fighters on the card have served in the military.  Fioravanti was a Marine, Hartt, Credeur, and Bruno served in the Navy, and Wolff was a Navy SEAL.

Missing from the card is a previously announced match between former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-1) and current champ Steve Cantwell (6-1).  Stann, a former Marine, has reportedly sustained a foot injury in training and was forced to withdraw from the event.

Fioravanti last fought at the TUF finale in June and was TKO’d by “Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (19-2) in the last minute of round three.

Farber had his six-fight win streak snapped at Fight Night 14 in July when Rory Markham (16-4) KO’d him with a head kick at 1:37 of the first round.

Hartt suffered his first career loss in July at his UFC debut, submitted via first-round rear naked choke by fellow debutant Shannon Gugerty (11-2).

Hill, a TUF 5 lightweight, lost his last fight to Justin Buchholz (8-2) via rear naked choke in round two in July.

Saunders, a TUF 6 alum, won his last six, most recently submitting Ryan Thomas (9-2) with a second-round armbar in August.

Wolff will be making his Octagon debut.  He won his last fight in May with a split decision over “The Grinder” Chad Reiner (18-6).

Credeur, from TUF 7, TKO’d Cale Yarbrough (0-1) in round one in July.  He has gone past round one only once,

Loughran, who has submitted all but one opponent, caught Johnny Rees with a first-round triangle choke at their UFC debuts in July.

Bruno lost his Octagon debut in August by unanimous decision to Chris Wilson (14-4).

McCully was submitted via kimura in 1:57 by Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked heavyweight “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) in July.

Sanchez was TKO’d in round two by Antoni Hardonk (7-4) at UFC 85 in June.

Stann won their first fight via TKO in 41 seconds back in March 2007, but Cantwell TKO’d Stann in the second round in August to take his title.  The Fort Bragg fight will be their first in the UFC.

For Stann, who used to serve in the Marines, fighting at the military base is “a dream come true”.

“I have so much experience with my guys that suffer from TBI [traumatic brain injury] and to get to fight on a military base. I was in Iraq when they fought on the marine base last time so I didn’t get a chance to fight or even be there.”

He added, “Most people go to fights to watch their heroes or their role model fight.  For me, to fight in Fort Bragg, and Fort Bragg is only an hour and 15 minutes away from my old Marine corps base, so a ton of my Marines are going to be up there, plus all the young soldiers.  That’s like a dream come true to me.  Now, I’m fighting in front of my heroes, the people who inspire me.”

At 4:43 of round four, Condit touched – and, maybe that’s all too literal of a description – Miura with a knee to the noggin.

Miura’s body and heart gave in to a brutal back-and-forth battle.  He dove for Condit’s ankle, and that was it.  He had nothing left.

Several times, Condit could’ve similarly surrendered on the receiving end of clean punches from the one-time middleweight, but didn’t.

That’s why Condit is a champion and Miura isn’t, both tonight and in general.

However, before the fight Condit made clear that he didn’t feel like Miura should be on the other side of the cage from him.

Isn’t that always the preface to a brutal back-and-forth battle?

Condit sits on the precipice of the welterweight top ten; and, now, Miura sits on a 9-5 record.

Condit was dumped on the mat thrice in the first round alone, swept from the mount consistently, and tagged with clean power shots from Miura.

Should Miura have been such a challenge?  Untested at the top of the division, Condit’s “W” only exposed how far the rising star has to go.

“All American” Brian Stann (6-1) has still farther.

Stann didn’t so much collapse at the end of any particular strike from Steve Cantwell (6-1) as collapse at the end of all of them.

Cantwell won the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship by TKO at 4:01 of round two when Stann fell face first into the mat.

Both fighters were gassed at the second round’s opening bell after a first session fought in scintillating spurts and won by Stann on all three judges’ scored cards.

Cantwell sustained the pressure with a mixed bag of fists, knees, and feet while Stann withered.

Cantwell’s win was revenge for a 2007 TKO loss to Stann, but may be for naught as the WEC will knockout its 205-pound division before the end of this year.

Fighters.com speculates that the next time Stann fights it’ll be in the UFC’s middleweight division.

WEC Lightweight Champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (15-2) looked like he got hit by…well, a “Wrecking Ball” after a minute in the cage with Marcus Hicks (8-1).

Varner was slammed twice, nearly tapped in Hicks’s bread-and-butter guillotine, and couldn’t get a beat on the 5’7″ brawler standing-up.

“He kept taking me down.  I’ve never been taken down like that in MMA before,” Varner admitted after the fight.

But, one minute was about how long it took Varner to find his range.

Once Varner rattled Hicks with a knee as Hicks shot to dump Varner, it was all “Worm” digging holes in Hicks’s skull.

Varner unloaded a barrage that Hicks seemed to walk through until the final onslaught beginning with two knees square on Hicks’s jaw and three straight rights that finally left Hicks limp on the mat at 2:08 of round one.

“I’m sure I’ll see [Hicks] again,” Varner said after the TKO title defense.

Bantamweight Brian Bowles (6-0) fell “Angel of Death” Damacio Page (10-4) at 3:30 of round one in a guillotine choke cinched as Page hoisted Bowles for a slam.

Page stumbled with Bowles monkeyed around him holding the submission before rocking backwards and collapsing as he tapped out.

The fighters had exchanged evenly to begin the fight, Page taking his advantage standing while Bowles had nearly locked a guillotine on the mat early in the round.

“Fluke” Josh Grispi (9-1) tagged Micah Miller (9-2) with an overhand right to Miller’s temple that spiraled Miller to the mat.  Grispi closed the show with a pair of rights before referee Herb Dean stepped in to end the fight at :50 of round one.

Brock Larson (23-2-1) slobberknocked Carlo Prater (23-6-1) with a straight left and finished him off on the mat at :37 of round one.

Las Vegas favorite Blas Avena (3-2) wheeled lefts and rights at the cage, dropping opponent Dave Terrel (5-2), then leaving him slumped and eating clean shots until the referee stoppage 1:07 of the first round.

Lightweight Shane Roller (4-1) finally locked in a guillotine choke on his third attempt at 3:00 of the first round to tap “Maniac” Todd Moore (9-2).

Lightweight Mike Budnik (7-0) tapped Greg McIntyre (5-3) by triangle choke at 3:21 of round three.

Bantamweight Scott Jorgensen (5-2) won a unanimous decision over Kenji Osawa (13-8-2).

Everyone made weight, except for WEC lightweight title challenger “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0), who needed an hour to drop one pound before stepping into the cage across from Champ “Worm” Jamie Varner (14-2).

Curiously, WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann (6-0) weighed 201 1/2 pounds, causing “Version 2.5″ Rory Singer (11-8) to shout from the crowd, “201!  What!?”

Stann’s opponent, Steve Cantwell (5-1), weighed-in at the 205-pound limit.

Refresh Fighters.com tonight for live coverage from The Joint in Las Vegas.

Condit has obliterated the 170-pound field since joining the WEC from Pancrase, winning four-straight, all by stoppage, three of the four in the first round.

In February, it took Condit just 3:48 to vanquish Brazilian Carlo Prater (22-6-1) in a guillotine choke before Condit’s hometown crowd in Albuquerque.

Miura has won two straight since losing his WEC debut by UD to Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5).

In March, Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of round one.

The WEC also officially announced light heavyweight champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-0) will defend his title from Steve Cantwell (5-1) and lightweight champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (14-2) will be challenged by “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0); but, Fighters.com readers already knew that…

“Jus’ gonna play my game,” Hicks said about his strategy to take Varner’s title.

Varner TKO’d “Razor” Rob McCullough (15-4) in February to claim the gold.  Hicks will be his first defense.

“Wrecking “Ball” has been just that since joining the WEC in April 2007, submitting all three of his opponents by guillotine choke, most recently dealing “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) his first loss.

The card will be headlined by “All American” Brian Stann‘s (6-0) first defense of his light heavyweight title in a rematch versus Steve Cantwell (5-1).

Stann TKO’d Cantwell in March 2007.

On the undercard of 33, lightweight “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0) swung through formerly undefeated “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) in 1:42.

Steve Cantwell (5-1) impressed in a first round rear naked choke deconstruction of 205-pound “Wrecking Machine” Tim McKenzie (11-5).

Top middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) scored a unanimous decision after a three-round workout with late replacement Bryan Baker (6-1).

“Cleat” Rich Crunkilton (16-2) went into the trenches with lightweight Sergio Gomez (7-2) to score a unanimous decision.

Also on the card, Hiromitsu Miura (9-4), Brock Larson (23-2), Alex Serdyukov (7-4), and “The Pink Pounder” Logan Clark (10-1) added wins to their respective records.

Bantamweights Kenji Osawa (13-7-2) and American Top Team’s Chris Manuel (6-0-2) reached a split draw by scores of 29-28 for Osawa, 29-28 for Manuel, and 28-28.

The main event between Stann and Marshall spanned the most action-packed 1:35 of the televised card.

At the bell, Stann marched forward while a more cautious Marshall circled in a hurky-jerky Muay Thai stance.

Stann scored first, a kick to Marshall’s thigh.  Marshall countered with the same, but Stann grazed a right hook across the “Rhino’s” horn.

Again, the light heavies traded leg kicks, but Marshall’s counter was checked by a statuesque “All American”, sending the champion off-balance into the cage.

Stann was just too powerful as Marshall wrapped a Thai clinch around the back of his opponent’s neck at the cage, but wasn’t strong enough to control Stann’s head.

Marshall broke the clinch with a right haymaker and Stann countered with a spot-on left hook that dropped Marshall to his ass.

Stann followed Marshall to the mat with a barrage of fists, but referee Herb Dean waved the battle finished as Marshall struggled to avoid the onslaught.

Stann burst into tears upon victory.  “This belt represents all my Marines and my friends who couldn’t be here right now, who died in combat with me.”

Stann looked polished in victory after spending time with Team Quest to prepare and will be a tough customer for future challengers.

Another tough customer, lightweight Marcus Hicks, treated formerly undefeated Ed Ratcliff to a man-sized, first-round whoopin’.

After a clumsy standing guillotine against the cage by Hicks, “The Wrecking Ball” broke the clinch with an uppercut, then retreated with looping roundhouse that landed flush on Ratcliff’s chin.

Hicks pressed and dumped shell-shocked “9mm” on the mat in a double-leg takedown.  This time Hicks’s guillotine would bite deep and Ratcliff tapped.

The 5’6″, stocky Texan, Hicks, improves his high-pressure strategy with every outing.

After suffering a 41-second TKO premier in the WEC c/o newly-crowned champion, Stann, Steve Cantwell has followed with consecutive first round stoppages.

A Cantwell right high kick partially landed and backed up Tim McKenzie, a light heavyweight with a win over former division champion Doug Marshall.

Cantwell followed with a right piston, left hook combo that dropped McKenzie.

On the mat, Cantwell wrestled into the full mount where still-dazed McKenzie rolled to his stomach under Cantwell’s looping G’n'P.

Cantwell easily dug-in a rear naked choke causing McKenzie to tap once and weakly.

Chael Sonnen appeared ready for WEC Middleweight Champion “Ely” Paulão Filho (16-0); but, late replacement for Filho, Bryan Baker wasn’t prepared for Sonnen.

Sonnen out-positioned and banged Baker in three rounds fought mostly on the mat.

In another three-round decision, Rich Crunkilton won unanimously in a bloody slog with Sergio Gomez also fought mostly on the mat because of Gomez’s inability to clear his feet during Crunkilton’s textbook takedowns.

The blood started flowing in the first frame, obviously from a Crunkilton elbow to the back of Gomez’s head unseen by referee Herb Dean.

Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of the first round.

“The Natural” John Alessio (22-11) was disqualified in 1:50 after kneeing middleweight Larson in the noggin while his knees were down.

Welterweight Serdyukov blemished Ryan Stonitsch’s (8-1) perfect record in the kickboxer’s WEC debut with a triangle choke submission at 1:35 of round one.

“The Pink Pounder” rebounded from a loss to TKO WEC rookie middleweight Scott Harper (8-4) at 4:37 of round one.