UFC 126: Miguel Angel Torres Target for 135-lb. Bout Against Antonio Banuelos

The bantamweights will take the stage on Super Bowl weekend, boys and girls!

Heavy.com reports that perennial fan-favorite and former WEC Bantamweight king Miguel Angel Torres, will look to create a nice hot streak in the UFC on February 5th, as he faces Antonio Banuelos in what is sure to be an electrifying bout for all to see.

Torres has the distinction of havingthe longest WEC Bantamweight title run in the promotion's history, defeating the likes of Yoshiro Maeda, Manny Tapia and WEC 52 headliner Takeya Mizugaki, after winning the belt from Chase Beebe.

Since losing the belt to Brian Bowles, Torres has found himself trying to endure, after not only losing the belt by KO to Bowles, but also submitting to a former WEC Bantamweight contender and a consensus favorite to ignite a potential UFC Flyweight division, in Joseph Benavidez.

Torres was able to bounce back with a "Submission of The Night" win over Charlie Valencia, bumping up his record to 38-3. However, standing across from him in Las Vegas will be a test as tough as any Torres has ever faced in the WEC.

A member of John Hackleman's camp, The Pit, Banuelos himself has been on a little bit of a tear as of late.

He has one three of his past four fights, with the only loss coming to Scott Jorgensen at WEC 48, in a bout that saw Jorgensen try to avenge a previous loss to Banuelos in the WEC.

For those who haven't seen Banuelos, they can expect a solid wrestler who also possesses some devastating knockout power in his hands, which has spelled trouble for seven opponents in what will be a twenty-five fight MMA career, when he faces Torres on February 5th.

Equally, Banuelos will has to keep the pressure on Torres and not the other way around.

Torres has always been a threat to any opponent he faces, with his Muay Thai and his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu being as lethal as you can find it in the Bantameight division. He's clearly shown himself to be a changed man, since signing himself on with Firas Zahabi prior to the Banuelos fight.

Subsequently, he's shown signs of the old Torres that we all remember, but he's definitely a changed Miguel Torres.

That, to me, spells trouble for Banuelos in Sin City. It also spells danger for the members of the now-UFC Bantamweight division, and most of all, with what Banuelos is capable of, Torres's new mentality makes this fight one you won't want to miss come Super Bowl Saturday.

Dale De Souza is a Man on Fire—or as the regulars of MMA writing call it, an “Analyst”—for Bleacher Report MMA, as well as a contributor to Sprawl-N-Brawl MMA, RealSportsNet, Sports Haze and Hit The Ropes MMA.

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