Australia's George Sotiropoulos will press his claims for a shot at the lightweight title - and to become one of UFC's poster boys - when he faces off against Joe Lauzon at UFC 123 in Detroit on Sunday.

This is the first time the Geelong native has been inside the cage since he was awarded a lop-sided decision victory at UFC 116 in Las Vegas, a win that took his undefeated run in the UFC to 6-0.

Although a win will not guarantee Sotiropoulos a title fight, it will push his name up to the top end of the weight division. Many suspect that the Australian is only two fights away before being given a title fight.

Before Sotiropoulos can think about being the next lightweight champion he must defeat Lauzon, a man that has amassed an impressive record of six wins and two losses inside the Octagon.

This particular fight throws up an array of tantalising possibilities, the most likely of these being a jiu-jitsu chess match, with both fighters extremely dangerous on the ground and off their backs.

Sotiropoulos has finished three of his six fights in the UFC via submission; the other three of his fights have also been dominated by his ground game, with all three coming perilously close to being finished via armbar or kimura.

Lauzon has also shown a high level of skill once the fight goes to the ground, finishing four of his fights via submission. Three of these victories were awarded submission of the night honours, further highlighting his technique and ability to pull off an armbar or a choke on a consistent basis.

On paper the advantage may well be given to Lauzon, who has had nine more fights than Sotiropoulos and finished four of those fights via knockout. Sotiropoulos has fought 14 times but has only managed to finish one of those fights via punches. This, it may seem, gives the advantage on the feet to Lauzon, but many see Sotiropoulos' stand-up game superior to his opponent.

This advantage may well stem from the Australian's amateur boxing career, a career that was highlighted by a Victorian state title victory in 2004.

Although Sotiropoulos has the solitary knockout to his name it is not through lack of trying, with strong technique being displayed throughout his six fights in the UFC. It is Lauzon however, who has the question mark hovering over his stand-up, with many commentators highlighting the lack of power in his hands as his major weakness

On the ground Sotiropoulos has some of the best jiu-jitsu and guard passing in the UFC and should take this advantage going into the fight at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

During his training camp leading up to this weekend's fight Sotiropoulos was confident that he had the attributes to counter Lauzon's strengths.

"I've studied all of his wins and all of his losses, and he's an erratic fighter with good jiu jitsu that I have to be careful of, but I'm confident that I will be able to impose my will and my game on him. Technically and physically I am superior. I will dominate."

Lauzon, who is known for his wild and uncharacteristic fighting style, was also confident that he would be able to leave the Octagon on Sunday the victor.

"I think I have the ability to hurt someone faster than anyone else," Lauzon said earlier this week. "I do have a wild style—we always joke that it's controlled chaos—but because I'm always taking chances like that in training I have a good idea of what I have a good chance of getting when I go for it or whether I should just ignore it."

Whether this fights stays on its feet or goes to the ground it promises to be an exciting way to kick off UFC 123, an event that has four former champions on the card.

Quinton ‘Rampage' Jackson and Lyoto ‘the Dragon' Machida are the main event of the evening, a fight that has ‘stand -up war' written all over it. Machida will try and use his elusive karate style striking to frustrate Jackson and avoid long exchanges where his opponent has the advantage with his heavy hands.

Jackson will want to close the distance and land heavy blows before taking Machida to the ground before pounding out a victory.

The co-main event is a rubber match between former lightweight champion B.J ‘the prodigy' Penn and former welterweight champion Matt Hughes. This will be the third match between the two, after the spoils of the first two fights were shared one a piece.

This bout is shaping as a fight of the night contender as both fighters are looking at runs at the title in the welterweight division. Penn is coming off two consecutive losses to lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and has jumped up a weight division to face Hughes. Hughes has won his last three fights and must beat Penn if he wants to win back the welterweight belt currently held by Georges St Pierre.

Phil ‘Mr Wonderful' Davis will take on Tim Boetsch in a light heavyweight encounter that could lead to either a stunning knockout or a submission of the night contender.

Gerald Harris and Maiquel Falcoa round out the main card with Harris looking to improve on the three wins he already has inside the Octagon.