WSOF 15: Yushin Okami earns title fight against Middleweight champion David Branch on Oct. 24, 2014

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran and top-ranked 185-pound mixed martial arts (MMA) standout, Yushin Okami, has earned a World Series of Fighting (WSOF) championship opportunity after just one win with the upstart promotion.

Company president Ray Sefo announced earlier this afternoon during a media conference call that Okami will challenge newly-crowned Middleweight champion -- and fellow Octagon veteran -- David Branch at WSOF 15, which is scheduled for Oct. 24, 2014, at a soon-to-be-disclosed venue and location.

Okami made his WSOF debut in March 2014, submitting Svetlozar Savov in the second round (arm-triangle choke) at WSOF 9. Prior to the victory, "Thunder" had won three of his four most recent matches under UFC's umbrella,topping Buddy Roberts (technical knockout), Alan Belcher (decision) and Hector Lombard (decision) before Ronaldo Souza ended his seven-year Octagon run with a technical knockout.

In his 18-fight tenure with UFC, Okami compiled an impressive record (13-5) and even competed for a world title (unsuccessfully) against then-champion, Anderson Silva.

Branch, meanwhile, submitted The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 castoff, Jesse Taylor, at WSOF 10 (D'arce choke) last month to win the promotion's first-ever 185-pound belt. The Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu-trained veteran is in the midst of a four-fight win streak and has won six of his last seven matches since 2011.

His only loss during that stretch is to the resurgent Anthony Johnson. And it's safe to assume that Okami will be his stiffest challenge since that "Rumble" back in 2012.

Keep it locked on MMAmania.com for more WSOF 15 news and notes, including fight announcements and other important event details as they emerge.