Ross Pearson (12-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is considering a move to the featherweight division.
The British fighter, who won "The Ultimate Fighter 9" as a lightweight, won four of his first five UFC fights.
However, following a recent split-decision defeat to Edson Barboza at UFC 134, the 26-year-old stated that he's considering a move from 155 to 145 pounds.
"I will do a test run an keep u all posted on how I do at making 145lbs," he tweeted. "Need to sit down speak to UFC and coaches see what they think."
Pearson, a veteran of the U.K. fight scene, joined the U.S. vs. U.K. season of the UFC's reality series and breezed through his "TUF" competition. He knocked out A.J. Wenn, submitted Richie Whitson and then scored a unanimous-decision victory over Jason Dent to qualify for the finale against Andre Winner. There, he scored a 29-28 decision victory for the "TUF 9" title.
After the successful "TUF" run, he defeated Aaron Riley, Dennis Siver and Spencer Fisher with a lone setback (via submission) to a tough Cole Miller. The well-rounded fighter then suffered the close split-decision defeat to Barboza in a "Fight of the Night" performance this past month.
Pearson, a taekwondo black belt and judo brown belt, trains at Team Rough House overseas and in the U.S. with Alliance MMA, the home of UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz and light-heavyweight contender Phil Davis, among others.
The UFC's featherweight division currently is ruled by champ Jose Aldo, who puts his belt on the line against Kenny Florian next month.
Source: UFC's Ross Pearson hints at possible drop to featherweight division