World Extreme Cagefighting on Thursday officially announced WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff, which takes place on December 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and is headlined by a matchup between lightweight contenders Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff.

The Versus-televised event also features a lightweight co-main event between former IFL standout Chris Horodecki and Anthony Njokuani and a featured bout between bantamweight contenders Joseph Benavidez and Rani Yahya.

“Four of our top lightweights are going to be competing on Dec. 19, each with his sights set on securing a coveted shot at the world title,” WEC GM Reed Harris said in a release announcing the card. “Cerrone vs. Ratcliff has the potential to be an explosive standup war. We can expect much of the same from Njokuani and Horodecki as well. This is the perfect holiday gift for fans.”

“On Dec. 19, we are showcasing two of the world’s most dynamic bantamweights,” Harris continued. “Benavidez-Yahya has the potential to steal the show. We are really excited to bring this card to The Palms.”

Tickets, priced from $50 to $175, go on sale to the general public this Saturday, October 31 at 12 pm PT and are available online at Ticketmaster.com.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest WEC 45 news and WEC 45 rumors.

Tags: Anthony Njokuani, Chris Horodecki, Donald Cerrone, ed ratcliff, Joseph Benavidez, Rani Yahya