11 Bouts Booked for UFC 121

Dutch knockout artist Gilbert Yvel will lock horns with “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 quarter-finalist Jon Madsen in a preliminary heavyweight duel at UFC 121 “Lesnar vs. Velasquez” on Oct. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Eleven fights are now official for the event, which will air live on pay-per-view.

Yvel will enter the matchup on a two-fight losing streak. The 34-year-old has secured 31 of his 36 career victories by knockout or technical knockout and owns notable victories against three-time UFC heavyweight title challenger Pedro Rizzo, French kickboxer Cheick Kongo and four-time K-1 World Grand Prix winner Semmy Schilt. Spawned by the Vos Gym, Yvel last competed at UFC 115 in June, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Ben Rothwell. The Pride Fighting Championships veteran has been disqualified three times in his career, once for attacking a referee.

Unbeaten in six professional appearances, Madsen was a three-time collegiate All-American wrestler and Div. II national champion at South Dakota State University. The 30-year-old HIT Squad representative last appeared in July, when he outpointed Karlos Vemola en route to a unanimous decision at UFC 116. Madsen, an Orange County, Calif., native, has gone the distance in each of his past four bouts.

A heavyweight title match between champion Brock Lesnar and undefeated challenger Cain Velasquez will headline UFC 121, along with a pivotal welterweight showdown between former Strikeforce titleholder Jake Shields and the world-ranked Martin Kampmann. The event will also feature a light heavyweight tilt pairing Tito Ortiz with Matt Hamill and a heavyweight matchup pitting “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 finalist Brendan Schaub against Gabriel Gonzaga.

UFC 121 “Lesnar vs. Velasquez”
Saturday, Oct. 23
Honda Center
Anaheim, Calif.

UFC Heavyweight Championship
Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann
Paulo Thiago vs. Diego Sanchez
Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill
Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Court McGee vs. Ryan Jensen
Patrick Cote vs. Tom Lawlor
Michael Guymon vs. Daniel Roberts
Sam Stout vs. Paul Taylor
Dongi Yang vs. Chris Camozzi
Gilbert Yvel vs. Jon Madsen