James Wilks is out of a potential meeting with Rory MacDonald (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at UFC 129. Stepping in for the native Brit is the always-game Nate Diaz (13-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC), who's anxious to redeem himself after a setback earlier this month against Dong Hyun Kim.
Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that bout agreements have been signed and official word is on the way.
UFC 129 takes place April 30 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto and features a welterweight title bout between reigning champ Georges St-Pierre and challenger Jake Shields.
It is unknown whether MacDonald vs. Diaz will make the event's televised main card.
Diaz saw a successful run at welterweight come to a halt when he was out-grappled and outworked by Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 125. Prior to the loss, he handily dispatched Marcus Davis and Rory Markham.
The mean-mugging fighter ran into a similar wall during his time in the lightweight class. After winning "The Ultimate Fighter 5," he racked up five straight wins before a 1-3 stretch against the division's top talent. A loss this past January to Gray Maynard was the last straw, and he announced his move upward shortly thereafter.
MacDonald, a fast-rising Canadian prospect who submitted veteran Mike "Joker" Guymon in his early-2010 UFC debut, recently suffered his first career loss with a third-round TKO defeat to contender Carlos Condit at UFC 115. MacDonald then was slated to fight Matt Brown at UFC 123 but was forced off the card with a knee injury.
The former King of the Cage champ looks for his 11th stoppage in 11 career wins.
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