Penn fans have been chomping at the bit in anticipation for BJ’s next move and as the UFC announced today, it’s a welterweight bout with the fast rising Carlos Condit set for Oct. 29 in Las Vegas.

UFC 137 is set to take place on October 29th from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The pay-per-view event will feature a welterweight championship bout in the evening’s main event between George St Pierre and Nick Diaz.

Earlier this week the two welterweight contenders took to twitter in a campaign to book the match and UFC officials took note and booked the fight which is expected to serve as the co-main event on the evening’s pay-per-view card.

The UFC is calling it a “showcase for elite 170-pounders”.

In speaking with BJ Penn about to match up this evening he stated, “This is a fight the fans want and a fight that brings me closer to a shot at the title. I couldn’t be happier.”

Penn was last seen in action in Australia in the UFC 127 main event against long time number 2 ranked welterweight Jon Fitch. After opening the fight with a flurry of take downs that caught his opponent off guard, Penn was able to secure to first two frames of action. In a highly controversial 10-8 third round awarded to his opponent, the fight ended in a majority draw and the two later booked a rematch that failed to materialize.

With Fitch still on the mend, the UFC has opted to put Penn in against the fastest rising contender at 170 pounds and it is expected that the victor may very well be next in-line to square off with the winner of GSP vs. Diaz.

Condit was last seen in action in a KO of The Night performance over the previously unbeaten Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 132. It marked his fourth consecutive win since his promotional debut loss against Martin Kampmann back in April of 2009. Since the loss he has racked up wins over Ellenberger, MacDonald, Hardy and the aforementioned Kim.
- By Pedro Carrasco of BJPENN.COM