Brock Lesnar file photo: Sherdog.com
Heavyweight champion
Brock Lesnar will defend his title against unbeaten American Kickboxing Academy standout
Cain Velasquez in the
UFC 121 “Lesnar vs. Velasquez” headliner on Oct. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. UFC officials on Monday made the matchup official, along with four others.
In just six professional fights, Lesnar has ascended to the top of the heavyweight division. A four-time collegiate All-American wrestler, he won a Div. I national championship at the University of Minnesota in 2000. Lesnar submitted the previously unbeaten
Shane Carwin with a second-round arm-triangle choke in the UFC 116 headliner last month in Las Vegas, as he returned to the cage following a lengthy illness. Since entering mixed martial arts in 2007, the 6-foot-3, 265-pound former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar has become the sport’s biggest box office draw. Lesnar holds other notable wins against UFC hall of famer
Randy Couture, former UFC heavyweight champion
Frank Mir and Pride Fighting Championships veteran
Heath Herring.
Velasquez has finished seven of his first eight foes, five of them inside one round. The 28-year-old last appeared at UFC 110 in February, when he blasted through beloved Brazilian
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a little more than two minutes. A junior college national champion, Velasquez was a two-time All-American wrestler at Arizona State University. Victories against French kickboxer
Cheick Kongo and former International Fight League standout
Ben Rothwell anchor his resume.
Other matchups greenlit for the pay-per-view event include a co-feature pitting former Strikeforce middleweight champion
Jake Shields against
Martin Kampmann, a welterweight duel pairing
Paulo Thiago with
Diego Sanchez and a light heavyweight tilt between one-time UFC champion
Tito Ortiz and
Matt Hamill. In addition, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 finalist
Brendan Schaub will lock horns with former heavyweight title contender
Gabriel Gonzaga.
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
*
Todd Duffee vs.
Jon Madsen
*
Patrick Cote vs.
Tom Lawlor
*
Court McGee vs.
Ryan Jensen
*
Dongi Yang vs.
Chris Camozzi
* Not Official
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