Former welterweight and lightweight champion B.J. Penn will face Carlos Condit in a 170-pound fight at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the fight on Friday, according to a release from the company.

Penn (16-7-2) was expected to fight Jon Fitch in a rematch of February’s bout that ended in a draw. Both men were originally expected to fight in July before injuries forced the bout to be postponed.

As early as last week, it was still thought that Fitch would likely be Penn’s next opponent. However, Penn suggested on Twitter that the UFC had other ideas.

"Tried to make it happen, but (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva said, ‘The fans don’t want it, and I’m not interested,’ " Penn wrote on Monday. "Not much more I can do on my end."

Condit (27-5) earned knockout of the night honors with his victory over previously undefeated Dong Hyun Kim earlier this month at UFC 133.

Nicknamed the "Natural Born Killer," Condit has won his last four fights in the UFC and was a finalist in an eight-man welterweight grand prix hosted by the Rumble on the Rock organization at the Blaisdell Arena in 2006.

He defeated Renato "Charuto" Verissimo and Frank Trigg before losing to former StrikeForce champion Jake Shields in the final.

Condit was the WEC champion at 170 pounds before the organization merged with the UFC.

UFC 137 will be headlined by a welterweight title fight between Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz. Other bouts scheduled for the event are Mirko Cro Cop vs. Roy Nelson and Matt Mitrione vs. Cheick Kongo.

Penn’s brother to make MMA debut in Hawaii

Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Reagan Penn, B.J.’s younger brother, will make his professional mixed martial arts debut at ProElite Fighting’s Aug. 27 event at the Blaisdell Arena.

No opponent has been named, but Reagan’s long-awaited MMA debut will take place on ProElite’s first self-named card. The company previously operated under the EliteXC banner and hosted two events in Hawaii.

Penn has no pro experience, but he is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

The event will be headlined by former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

Other fights expected for the event include Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann against Raquel Pa‘aluhi, former University of Hawaii linebacker Jake Heun against NCAA wrestling champion Mark Ellis and Drew McFedries against Kala Kolohe Hose.

Also rumored to be on the card is former UFC middleweight Kendall Grove.