Nik Lentz and Thiago Tavares Agree to Rematch in February 2015

More than five years since they battled to a draw, Nik Lentz and Thiago Tavares are set to meet again inside the Octagon.

The booking was announced via UFC.com on Tuesday.

Pegged to appear at a UFC Fight Night event on February 14, it's likely Lentz and Tavares will land spots on the main card. The show, which will be held in Broomfield, Colorado, is expected to be headlined by welterweight contenders Matt Brown and Tarec Saffiedine.

A lot has changed since Lentz and Tavares last met in January 2010. 

Back then, both were competing in the lightweight division, and neither was considered very near title contention. Now the pair competes at 145 pounds, and Lentz is among the Top 10 contenders in the featherweight class.

With a point deducted from Tavares due to a kick to the groin, the initial confrontation between these two men ended in a majority draw. Two judges scored the bout 28-28, while a third saw the contest 29-27 in Lentz's favor. Although Lentz scored four takedowns and landed more strikes, he also had nine takedown attempts stopped.

There's little doubt grappling will be involved in the game plans for both competitors again.

In 2013, Lentz had won three in a row and was on a path toward a title shot before running into Chad Mendes. Following his loss to Mendes, Lentz rebounded with a victory over Manny Gamburyan in May and will now have an opportunity to rebuild some momentum against Tavares.

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Tavares made his 145-pound debut in August, when he made a statement with a quick submission win over Robbie Peralta. Lentz will be a big step up in competition and provides a completely different test than Peralta, but this matchup could allow Tavares to prove he's a threat to the elite in the featherweight division.

It's a pivotal bout for both Lentz and Tavares, and the rematch aspect adds that much more meaning to an already intriguing matchup.