“The Ultimate Fighter 8” winners Efrain Escudero and Ryan Bader have dance partners for April Fool’s Day.

The unbeaten Escudero (11-0) will meet Jeremy Stephens in a featured lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1 at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. The UFC has announced 11 fights for the show, as the promotion plunges head first into the Music City.

A collegiate All-American wrestler, Escudero roared through the competition on “The Ultimate Fighter,” capping his run with a unanimous decision victory against the favored Phillipe Nover in December. Shaped by the Rage in the Cage and Cage Supremacy promotions, the 23-year-old Arizonan has secured nine of his 11 career wins by submission.

The 22-year-old Stephens (14-4) fought earlier this month when he submitted to an armbar from Joe Lauzon at UFC Fight Night 17. The heavy-handed Iowan scored one of the most spectacular knockouts of 2008 when he leveled Rafael dos Anjos with an uppercut at UFC 91. Stephens also holds victories against American Top Team’s Cole Miller and Diego Saraiva .

Meanwhile, Bader will tackle ATT light heavyweight Carmelo Marrero in his first appearance since he won “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Based out of Arizona Combat Sports, Bader (8-0) stopped Vinicius Magalhaes at “The Ultimate Fighter 8” Finale in December. A two-time All-American and three-time Pac-10 conference champion in college, the 25-year-old can call upon considerable wrestling skills inside the cage. Only one of his eight career bouts has gone to the judges, and he has finished six opponents inside one round.

Marrero (10-2), a former heavyweight, will enter the Octagon for the first time since he submitted to a Wilson Gouveia guillotine choke at UFC 71 in May 2007. He last fought in November, when he earned an underwhelming split decision against Bader’s teammate, Steve Steinbeiss , at WEC 38. Marrero will carry a three-fight winning streak into the match.

Other UFC Fight Night 18 matches pair former King of Pancrase Ricardo Almeida with one-time International Fight League middleweight champion Matt Horwich , dos Anjos with lightweight contender Tyson Griffin and Miller with the volatile Junie Allen Browning . In addition, middleweight veteran Jorge Rivera will collide with Nissen Osterneck .

One-time World Extreme Cagefighting welterweight champion Carlos Condit will make his promotional debut against Danish striker Martin Kampmann in the main event. The 24-year-old Condit (22-4) will take an eight-fight winning streak into the bout.

UFC Fight Night 18
Wednesday, April 1
Sommet Center
Nashville, Tenn.

Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann
Efrain Escudero vs. Jeremy Stephens
Ryan Bader vs. Carmelo Marrero
Cole Miller vs. Junie Allen Browning
Tyson Griffin vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Horwich
Brock Larson vs. Jesse Sanders
Jorge Rivera vs. Nissen Osterneck
Rob Kimmons vs. Joe Vedepo
Tim McKenzie vs. Aaron Simpson
Steve Steinbeiss vs. Ryan Jensen