Joey Beltran Returns To UFC, Faces James Te Huna At 'UFC On FUEL TV 4'

Joey Beltran returns to the UFC in such short order fans may not realize he was even gone.


Beltran (14-7) will return to action — this time as a light heavyweight — against James Te Huna (14-5) at July's "UFC on FUEL TV 4" card, promotion officials announced on Monday.


"UFC on FUEL TV 4" takes place on July 11 and is headlined by a pivotal middleweight tilt between fellow world-ranked standouts Mark Munoz and Chris Weidman. 


Formerly a heavyweight, Beltran was released by the UFC after a pair of losses to Stipe Miocic and Lavar Johnson respectively. Now at 205-pounds, "The Mexicutioner" bounced back last April picking up a win over Anton Talamante at under the C3 Fights banner. 


Te Huna, meanwhile, was originally scheduled to meet Brandon Vera at the summer event, however, Vera was plucked from the card to take on Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the main event of August's "UFC on FOX 4". The New Zealander has put together back-to-back knockout victories over Ricardo Romero and Aaron Rosa in has last pair of outings, bringing his UFC win record to three KO's in three victories.