Johnny Rees’ first fight in the UFC didn’t turn out the way he had planned. So when his agent presented an opportunity to redeem himself, Rees didn’t hesitate.

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva tapped Rees after Luke Cummo withdrew from his scheduled welterweight bout against Steve Bruno. Even though Bruno is affiliated with the high-profile American Top Team camp and has experience fighting overseas, Rees feels “like a heavy favorite.”

The Indianapolis-based fighter was controlling the action in his UFC debut against Nate Loughran when, according to Rees, ““I got ahead of myself and got sloppy.” Getting sloppy in the Octagon leads to knockouts and tapouts, and Rees’ first fight ended with the latter when Loughran locked in a triangle.

Rees is confident that focus won’t be an issue the second time around. He says he is in the best shape of his life and is more confident than ever. “I don’t think [Bruno is] as athletic as I am, I don’t think he’s as fast as I am, and I don’t think he hits as hard as I do,” Rees says.

The fighter and his fans will find out soon enough if Rees’ predictions are on point. His bout with Bruno will take place tonight on the undercard of UFC Fight Night 16: UFC Fights for the Troops. The show will be held at Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C. and will benefit the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which supports men and women of the United States Armed Forces and their families.

UFC Fight Night 16, headlined by a welterweight fight between Josh Koscheck and Yoshiyuki Yoshida, will air on Spike TV at 9 p.m. tonight, Dec. 10, and Rees vs. Bruno is the swing bout. That means it will be the first un-televised match to be broadcast should time allow.