Nick Diaz will not get a second crack at EliteXC lightweight champion K.J. Noons anytime soon.

The talented but troubled Diaz will instead face World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Thomas Denny at EliteXC: Unfinished Business on Saturday, July 26 at the Stockton, Arena in Stockton, Calif. Sherdog.com reported the matchup on Tuesday.

Never far from controversy, Diaz (17-7) last fought on June 14, when he stopped Muhsin Corbbrey on strikes at EliteXC: Return of the King. He returned to the cage following the show's main event and confronted the last man to defeat him -- reigning EliteXC lightweight champion K.J. Noons. The spat seemed a perfect setup for a rematch between the two, but promoters had other plans.

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie, the 24-year-old Diaz owns victories against reigning EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler and UFC veterans Josh Neer, Drew Fickett and Gleison Tibau. A Stockton, Calif., native, he has not fought in his hometown in more than two years.

The well-traveled Denny (26-16) has not competed since he defeated Muay Thai standout Malaipet Sitprapom by disqualification on the ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series. The colorful Californian has posted four wins in his last five fights and has secured 21 of his 26 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

EliteXC: Unfinished Business
Saturday, July 26
Stockton Arena
Stockton, Calif.

EliteXC Middleweight Championship
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith

EliteXC Welterweight Championship
Jake Shields vs. Nick Thompson

Nick Diaz vs. Thomas Denny

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MARKHAM TO MAKE UFC DEBUT JULY 19

International Fight League mainstay Rory Markham will lock horns Brodie Farber at UFC Fight Night 14 on Saturday, July 19 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. MMAJunkie.com reported the bout between welterweight newcomers on Tuesday.

Based out of the Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Markham (14-4) has won seven of his past nine fights. A talented finisher, he has delivered all 14 of his victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission and has yet to have a fight go the distance. Markham last competed on June 14, when he submitted Jay Ellis with a first-round triangle choke at the Adrenaline MMA premiere.

On a career-long six-fight winning streak, Farber (13-3) will enter his UFC debut with plenty of momentum. He has not appeared since he knocked out Eduardo Gonzalez in 27 seconds at an MMA Xtreme event in January. More than half (seven) of Farber's 13 career wins have come by submission.

UFC Fight Night 14
Saturday, July 19
Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas

Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin
Hermes Franca vs. Frankie Edgar
Brandon Vera vs. Reese Andy
Jake O'Brien vs. Cain Velasquez
Anthony Johnson vs. Kevin Burns
Rory Markham vs. Brodie Farber
Brad Blackburn vs. James Giboo
Johnny Rees vs. Nate Loughran
Shannon Gugherty vs. Dale Hartt

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WCL KICKBOXER TO TEST MMA WATERS IN STRIKEFORCE

World Combat League superstar Raymond Daniels will try his hand at mixed martial arts when he squares off with Jeremiah Metcalf in a middleweight bout at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson on Friday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Daniels holds a sixth degree black belt in Kenpo and Shotokan Karate and a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He has already drawn favorable comparisons to Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le.

"I'm going to give MMA fans something that they've never seen before," Daniels said. "I want to become the greatest fighter of all time. Anybody that steps in front of me is just going to be on my next highlight reel."

Daniels was undefeated in 18 career fights inside the World Combat League, a striking-based martial arts promotion founded by Chuck Norris. Despite the parallels being drawn between Daniels and Le, the Californian wants to carve out his own niche in the sport.

"I don't try to be the next anybody," Daniels said. "I look to be greater than Cung and surpass anyone who's been considered at the top of their game. I try to live up to who I am, and I expect great things from myself."

Metcalf (8-4), who owns a submission victory against UFC veteran Ronald Jhun, will carry a three-fight winning streak into the bout. He last competed in May, when he coaxed a tapout from James Terry at a Cage Combat Fighting Championships show in Santa Rosa, Calif.

Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
Friday, June 27
HP Pavilion
San Jose, Calif.

Strikeforce Lightweight Championship
Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson

Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship
Bobby Southworth vs. Anthony Ruiz

Luke Stewart vs. Joe Riggs
Nam Phan vs. Billy Evangelista
Raymond Daniels vs. Jeremiah Metcalf
Elaina Maxwell vs. Meisha Tate
Bobby Stack vs. Jose Palacios
Cyrillo Padilha vs. Jesse Jone