[bears9]

It’s been a long time coming, but light heavyweight Reese Andy will soon step into the Octagon.

A longtime presence behind the scenes of MMA, Andy has been inactive as a competitor since ending his 12-month stint on the International Fight League’s Seattle Tigersharks team last June. Today, Andy confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that he has a bout agreement in his email inbox for a July 19th fight with Brandon Vera at UFC Fight Night 14, and he intends to sign it.

“That is one opponent that would be good to add to my resume as a win,” Andy said from Seattle.

It’s certainly the most significant uptick in the level of talent Andy has faced. A three-time All American wrestler at the University of Wyoming, Andy was introduced to MMA by veteran trainer Matt Hume. At Hume’s AMC Pankration in Seattle, Andy helped a who’s who of the sport prepare for their fights, but didn’t step into the spotlight until 2005. He found success in the IFL, going 5-1 in the International Fight League with a 7-1 overall record. His strong wrestling base overpowered most of his opponents.

- UFC PITS REESE ANDY VS. BRANDON VERA - MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more