- UFC 121: LESNAR VS. VELASQUEZ OFFICIAL -
by MMAWeekly.com Staff
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Monday released the main card for UFC 121, which takes place Oct. 23 in Anaheim, Calif.
A title bout between current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Cain Velasquez will headline UFC 121 as expected.
The rest of the main card features more of the promotion’s heavy hitters. Slotted in as the co-main event, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields makes his Octagon debut as a welterweight against Top 10 fighter Martin Kampmann. Also featured on the pay-per-view are Diego Sanchez in his continued return to welterweight against Paulo Thiago, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz coming back from surgery against a fighter he coached on “The Ultimate Fighter” in Matt Hamill, and Brendan Schaub trying to continue his rise up the heavyweight contender ranks in a battle with former contender Gabriel Gonzaga.
“I’m looking forward to getting right back in the Octagon,” Lesnar said, fresh off of a hard fought win over Shane Carwin at UFC 116 in July. “After the long layoff, my last fight was just an appetizer, I’m still hungry.
“I’m in great condition and the timing couldn’t be better. Cain Velasquez is undefeated and he’s the legitimate No. 1 contender, but he’s not the guy that is going to take my UFC heavyweight title. It’s not his time; it’s my time. I’m coming to California to defend my crown, and on Oct. 23, I’ll be walking out of the Octagon with my hand raised and the belt around my waist. Cain will be leaving with his first loss. It’s as simple as that.”
“I feel honored to be fighting for the heavyweight title against Brock,” Velasquez said. “He is a great fighter with a lot of size and is super athletic. This will be a great fight with a lot of action and it means a lot to me to be fighting for the title in L.A., close to my hometown. I will have a lot of people behind me cheering me on."
