Diego Sanchez books return to welterweight

Recent lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez (21-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) made waves in January when he teased a potential return to the welterweight division, and now it appears he'll make good on that promise.

Sanchez today posted on his Twitter account that he will face 170-pound Brit John Hathaway (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) at the as-yet-unannounced UFC 114 event.

Although not yet officially announced by the organization, UFC 114 is expected to take place on May 29 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in conjunction with the UFC's second-ever fan expo. "The Ultimate Fighter 10" coaches Rashad Evans and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson are expected to face off in the evening's main event.

Hathaway fights for the first time on U.S. soil after UFC wins in England, Germany and Ireland. The English native has defeated Paul Taylor, Rick Story and Tom Egan in his UFC run, and eight of his 12 career wins have come via stoppage.

While Hathaway has developed a bit of discussion with his unblemished record, the 22-year-old could make major strides in the division with a win over Sanchez.

Meanwhile, Sanchez returns to the welterweight division after a 2-1 run at 155 pounds. "Nightmare" earned decision wins over Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida before falling victim to B.J. Penn in a lightweight title bout in the main event of this past December's UFC 107 event.

While the return to 170 pounds came as a surprise to many MMA observers, Sanchez said prior to the bout with Stevenson, his first at 155 pounds, that lightweight was never intended as his permanent home.

"I don't see myself staying at lightweight forever," Sanchez said. "That's one of the reasons I dropped to lightweight was because I was like, 'Hey, if I'm going to drop to lightweight, I better do it now while I'm in my 20s.' Because when I get into my 30s, it's only going to get harder. And from what everyone says, when you hit your 30s, it's so hard to lose weight."

While UFC 114 has yet to receive any official bout announcements, the Hathaway vs. Sanchez contest appears a likely candidate for the evening's main card.

For the latest news on UFC 114, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.