Lesnar set to defend title at UFC 121 against Velasquez
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Brock Lesnar will defend his heavyweight title against unbeaten Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 on Oct. 23 in Anaheim, the UFC confirmed Monday.
Also on the Honda Center mixed martial arts card, former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields makes his UFC debut against welterweight Martin (The Hitman) Kampmann.
Former light-heavyweight title-holder Tito (The Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz meets Matt (The Hammer) Hamill while heavyweight Brendan Schaub takes on veteran Gabriel Gonzaga and welterweight Diego Sanchez faces Brazilian Paulo Thiago.
Lesnar (5-1) rallied to submit Shane Carwin at UFC 116 in a July fight that saw him survive a beating in the first round.
Velasquez (8-0) is coming off a first-round knockout of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110 in February.
Velasquez — a two-time all-American wrestler at Arizona State University — fights out of San Diego, although his heritage is Mexican. The words "Brown Pride" are tattooed on his chest.
"Throughout fighting history, there has never been a Mexican heavyweight champion, but at UFC 121, Cain Velasquez will try to make history and become the first," UFC president Dana White said in a release. "To do that though, he must defeat the baddest man on the planet, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar."
Velasquez is the 20th fighter to fight for a UFC title with less than 10 pro fights. Of the 19 previous fighters, only four were successful in winning the title — all heavyweights.
The four were Lesnar, Randy Couture, Mark Coleman and Frank Mir.
