Pat Barry vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in the works for UFC 115

*Please visit FiveKnuckles.com for more mixed martial arts media*

Unexpected, but awesome, MMA news sure to leave fight fans anticipating the bout for months to come, was revealed today.

Former Pride Grand Prix champion Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and Pat Barry have verbally agreed to face each other in a heavyweight bout slated for the main card of UFC 115. News of the bout was first reported by MMA Scraps Radio.

Barry was originally rumored to be facing Gilbert Yvel at UFC 115, however, the UFC was so impressed that Barry wanted to fight Filipovic on short notice, that they instead decided to make that fight instead.

Barry was one of several fighters contacted to fill for the ill Ben Rothwell to face "Cro Cop" at last weekend's UFC 110 event, however, he couldn't accept the fight due to a couple issues, obtaining a work visa, and his health.

At the post fight press conference for UFC 110, UFC President Dana White mentioned that Filipovic would likely face Rothwell next, however, those plans have apparently been shelved for the moment.

Barry (5-1) is coming off of a very impressive second-round TKO win over Antoni Hardonk at UFC 104 in October. The fight with Hardonk earned Barry two fight night bonuses totaling a staggering $120,000 in extra pay. Barry, along with his opponent, Hardonk, each took home $60,000, as they were awarded "Fight of the Night" for their exciting heavyweight battle. Barry pocketed another $60,000 for earning the "Knockout of the Night" bonus.

Prior to the win over Hardonk, Barry suffered his first career loss in his second fight with the UFC against Tim Hague at UFC 98 last May. He sports a 2-1 UFC record, with a win in his Octagon debut over Dan Evensen.

Filipovic (26-7-2) is 3-1 in his last four bouts, most recently scoring a second-round TKO win over late replacement Anthony Perosh at the aforementioned UFC 110 event on February 20. His lone loss over that four-fight stretch came in his previous outing against Junior dos Santos at UFC 103 in September.

Filipovic has put together an even 3-3 record in six fights with the UFC, with other Octagon wins coming over Eddie Sanchez and Mostapha Al-Turk, while suffering his other UFC losses against Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo.

Though not yet officially announced, UFC 115 is expected to take place on June 15 at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.