UFC 121 has a new HeavyWeight Champ - Cain Velasquez ?

Cain Velasquez weathered an early storm from Brock Lesnar and proved why he has long been regarded as one of the top prospects in the sport, pounding Lesnar in a stunningly brutal and one-sided fight to win the UFC heavyweight championship at the Honda Center in the main event of UFC 121.






Cain Velasquez made quick work of former champion Brock Lesnar.




Velasquez hurt Lesnar with nearly every punch he threw and knocked him down several times. After the final knockdown, Velasquez pounded him with elbows and punches before referee Herb Dean stopped it at 4:12 of the first.



“He was better than me tonight,” Lesnar said.



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Lesnar roared out of his corner and threw a knee, but Velasquez answered with a hard combination that opened a small gash under Lesnar’s left eye. After they grappled briefly, Lesnar took Velasquez down hard.



Velasquez, though, was calm and worked back to his feet quickly. After one more Lesnar takedown, he bounced up and began letting his hands go. He battered the retreating Lesnar all over the ring, pummeling him with hard shots until Dean halted it.



Jake Shields won his UFC debut, but struggled to get it, pulling off a split decision over Martin Kampmann. Shields seemed to be completely gassed by the middle of the second round and struggled to do much in the final seven or eight minutes.



But judges had it 30-27 and 29-28 for Shields and 29-28 for Kampmann, apparently qualifying Shields for a shot at the winner of the welterweight title bout at UFC 124 on Dec. 11 between champion Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck. Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, Dave Doyle and Dave Meltzer all had it 29-28 Kampmann.



Kampmann never let his hands go, and that may have hurt him with the judges. But Shields was breathing hard, looking at the clock and appearing to try to stall over the final few minutes of the match.



Diego Sanchez was coming off a pair of bad losses, to then-lightweight champion B.J. Penn and to John Hathaway, and he seemed to be written off as a contender. But after a slow start against Paulo Thiago, it was vintage Sanchez the rest of the way.



In a high-action fight, Sanchez won the last two rounds on all three cards in a high-energy match to take a unanimous decision. Sanchez was flipped by Thiago in the second, got up and slammed Thiago hard. He dominated the fight after that point and won by scores of 30-26, 29-28 and 29-28.



“I was very humbled by the last two losses,” said Sanchez, who returned to train with Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, N.M. “My motto for this camp was ‘Just earn it.’ “



And earn it he did with a high-energy performance that had the large crowd roaring its approval.



Matt Hamill got an emotional victory over his former coach on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Tito Ortiz, scoring a unanimous decision that puts the future of the former UFC light heavyweight champion in question.



Ortiz is now 0-4-1 in his last five fights and 5-6-1 in his last 12 and appeared to run out of gas midway through the bout.



Ortiz had a solid first round and seemed in control, but Hamill took Ortiz down in the second and did a lot of damage. The third round was spent mostly with the men trading blows, with Hamill landing far more often and with much more authority. But with about 1:20 left, Hamill took Ortiz down and then beat on him for the remainder of the fight.





Velasquez won by referee stoppage at 4:12 in the first round.



(Jae C. Hong/AP)

Ortiz was cut on the side of the head and below his right eye. Both of his eyes were badly swollen.



“I’m happy that this fight is over because I had a lot of pressure heading into it,” Hamill said. “I feel like I controlled the wrestling. That’s something I wanted to prove because Tito is such a good wrestler. I was able to control him and I still have a lot of work to do but a win over Tito is huge.”



Brendan Schaub made a big statement in the heavyweight division, winning a unanimous decision over Gabriel Gonzaga. All three judges had it 30-27 for Schaub, whose punches wobbled the big Brazilian on several occasions.



Schaub backed Gonzaga up for much of the fight and avoiding the ground, where Gonzaga would have been able to work his jiu-jitsu.



Court McGee started slowly in his middleweight fight with Ryan Jensen, but roared down the stretch and pulled out an arm triangle submission victory in the third round.



Jensen’s strikes controlled the first round, but McGee picked up the pace in the second. In the third, he landed a big right that decked Jensen and put him in position to secure the triangle.



“I landed that big overhand right because I set it up well,” McGee said. “He kept hitting me and hitting me and I was able to get his timing. I got to mount and that was it.”



Tom Lawlor put on the performance of his career in scoring a unanimous decision victory over Patrick Cote in a middleweight bout.



Lawlor took Cote down repeatedly, got in the guard and pounded on Cote, who was a better than a 2-to-1 favorite. Lawlor also mixed in submission attempts in his best overall performance in the UFC.



“I’m very excited about the win,” Lawlor said. “I executed my game plan. This is the first time I ever started with a game plan. I know he has a big right hand and I did a good job staying away from it. I was happy that I was able to get the takedown when I needed it. I feel like I did a good job of controlling the fight.”



Still, Lawlor wasn’t about to call out the top dogs in the middleweight division.





Brock Lesnar took plenty of lumps in his loss to Velasquez.



(Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images)

“I’d like to fight an 0-15 fighter next so I can get an easy win,” he said, smiling.



Daniel Roberts went for a guillotine choke, didn’t like what he had and moved into an anaconda choke, which he applied beautifully to submit Mike Guymon at 1:13 of the first round of their welterweight bout.



“I was expecting a three-round war and I was surprised when I got the choke,” Roberts said. “First, I had a guillotine and then I went for the anaconda. I was surprised that I caught him because he’s a ground guy, but I’ll gladly take the win. I knew it was tight, so I just kept squeezing.”



A lot of media were predicting that the lightweight bout between Sam Stout and Paul Taylor would be Fight of the Night, and it turned out to be a high-energy standup battle.



Taylor landed a series of hard kicks, while Stout punished Taylor with big right-hand strikes. Stout pulled out a split decision. Cecil Peoples had it 30-27 and Mike Beltran scored it 29-28, each for Stout. Larry Landless had Taylor, 29-28.



“When the judges said his name first my heart dropped, because usually in a split decision they say the winner’s name first,” Stout said. “I knew he wanted a war and that’s not what the game plan called for. I’m not one to shy away from a war, but I knew he was going to come straight at me and I didn’t want to get caught in those exchanges. In fact, the only time he caught me was when he sucked me into an exchange.”



Chris Camozzi rallied in the second half of the fight to reverse the early momentum that Dongi Yang built and pulled out a split decision. Cecil Peoples had it 29-28 for Yang, but Landless and Nelson Hamilton each scored it 29-28 for Camozzi.



“I was a little nervous when the judges were announcing the decision,” Camozzi said. “I was a little nervous; I wasn’t landing the combos that I wanted to. His distance was throwing me off. I stunned him with that left and I feel like that was the determining factor. I felt like he was gassing in the first round.



“I feel pretty healthy so I’m going to go home and train. There are a lot of middleweight fights coming up and I’ll be ready if the UFC needs a late replacement and I’ll be ready for my own fight.”



In the opening fight, Jon Madsen took Gilbert Yvel down, got into Yvel’s guard and pounded him out, forcing McCarthy to stop the fight. Madsen had been criticized by many for being boring, but he put on a good show this time out.



“This win was huge,” Madsen said. “I needed to make a statement to Joe Silva and the UFC that I can finish fights.”

yahoomma.com

Thoughts on the fight?

UFC 121 fight card and Prodications ? Vote who will win

Brock Lesner vs. Cain Velasquez

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL
Winner: Lesner 2nd rd. TKO

I think Brock's size and strength advantage is going to help him with the skilled level of Cain Valasquez. I see Cain tagging Lesner and Brock running and falling to the ground like the Shane Carwin fight. Except Cain will throw proper and accurate punches and not gas and finish on the bottom of the mat , where Lesnner will Beat down Cain with his Hammer fist !!Mr. Lesner in the second round.






Jake Shields and Martin Kampmann

Winner: Kampann via split decision

Most people are not giving Kampmann a chance and are looking past Martin and already talking about a Sheilds vs. GSP.

Kampann only 2 UFC loses are to great powerful strikes and sheilds has a lot of great attributes but striking isn't one of them.

I think this will be a tough fight for both fighter and they will show the fans what a real
Mastering Jujitsu (Mastering Martial Arts Series)
mixed martial arts fight is.





Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill

Winner: Ortiz decision

Funny that a loud mouth is fighting a deaf guy!

If Ortiz doesn't come in with his laundry list of injuries ie. "cracked skull" he should beat Hamill with his experience and conditioning.





Brenden Shaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

Winner: Gonzaga vai 3rd rd. TKO

This one was hard to pick! Brendan has slowly been improving and showing great skill. Gonzaga has been very hot and cold but I think if Gabriel remembers that he has world class level Jiu-Jitsu skill he can grind out a decision.





Court McGee vs. Ryan Jensen

Winner: McGee Decision

Court McGee is a great story of overcoming obstacles and not afraid to share his story to help other people.

Court has another great attribute he has the heart of a true fighter! Ryan Jensen is no slouch but in this fight we will see who wants it more and I think McGee can go into the deep water and pull it off.

Thoughts ?

UFC® 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez

UFC® 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez

UFC 121
When:

Saturday October 23rd, 2010 10 pm EDT / 7 pm PDT

Venue:

Honda Center

Where:

Anaheim, CA

Countdown to the event:

00 Days

09 Hours

44 Minutes

24 Seconds Watch the UFC® 121 PPV on Yahoo! Sports

Live video on fight night streamed to your computer

High quality video streaming at 300k, 700k, and 1200k

$44.95 gets you the live event plus 24 hours of unlimited archive viewing

Buy NowUFC Fight CardMatchup #1

Fighter #1

Name:

Brock Lesnar

Height:

6’3” (191cm)

Weight:

265 lbs (120kg)

Record:

5-1-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Cain Velasquez

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

240 lbs (109kg)

Record:

7-0-0 Matchup #2

Fighter #1

Name:

Jake Shields

Height:

0’0” (0cm)

Weight:

0 lbs (0kg)

Record:

25-4-1 Fighter #2

Name:

Martin Kampmann

The Hitman

Height:

6’0” (183cm)

Weight:

185 lbs (84kg)

Record:

15-2-0 Matchup #3

Fighter #1

Name:

Diego Sanchez

Nightmare

Height:

5’11” (180cm)

Weight:

170 lbs (77kg)

Record:

23-2-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Paulo Thiago

Height:

5’11” (180cm)

Weight:

170 lbs (77kg)

Record:

12-1-0 Matchup #4

Fighter #1

Name:

Tito Ortiz

Huntington Beach Bad Boy

Height:

6’2” (188cm)

Weight:

204 lbs (93kg)

Record:

16-6-1 Fighter #2

Name:

Matt Hamill

The Hammer

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

205 lbs (93kg)

Record:

7-2-0 Matchup #5

Fighter #1

Name:

Brendan Schaub

Height:

6’4” (193cm)

Weight:

240 lbs (109kg)

Record:

7-1-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Gabriel Gonzaga

Napao

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

242 lbs (110kg)

Record:

10
 
Brock Lesnar doesn’t read any of the millions of words that have been written about him. He doesn’t have “The Ultimate Fighter” set to record automatically on his DVR. On Thursday during a television interview with Jim Rome, Lesnar claimed not to know Chael Sonnen, who only two months ago came within seconds of defeating Anderson Silva for the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title.




The UFC heavyweight champion is an outsider in the sport he dominates. Few of the other fighters know him well and those who do don’t have anything to say about him. There are more leaks about President Obama’s plans for the war in Afghanistan than there are from Lesnar’s camp about any aspect of his life, in the cage or out of it.



More From Kevin IoleShields' star turn a long time in the making Oct 21, 2010 Supposedly healthy Ortiz wants to be on top again Oct 20, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT





UFC champion Brock Lesnar will talk all day about the fight business. Just don't ask him about his personal life.



(Getty Images)

Lesnar does his share of interviews and public appearances in order to build interest in his fights, as all UFC fighters are required to do. But Lesnar controls his appearances in a manner that others are unable to do. Many of the fighters are exceptionally open and reveal the most intimate details of their private lives with the public. Court McGee has been extraordinarily open about his battles with heroin addiction. Aaron Simpson was forthcoming about his mother-in-law serving as his child’s surrogate mother.



They provide a look into their souls and what makes them tick as men and as fighters.



But there is no such look inside Lesnar’s world. There are no photos of Lesnar with his wife and family on a weekend outing, since Lesnar declared them off-limits.



He’s by far the biggest star in mixed martial arts, as evidenced by the fact that each of his last three bouts has sold more than a million pay-per-views and generated about $14 million in ticket sales.



He’ll fight in front of another sellout crowd on Saturday at the Honda Center when he defends his UFC heavyweight title against unbeaten Cain Velasquez in the main event of UFC 121.



But ask his training partners what kind of camp he had and how he’ll cope with Velasquez and they’re suddenly very late for an appointment.



The truth is, there isn’t a lot to know. He’s a simple guy with simple tastes who prefers a night at home in Alexandria, Minn., to a night in a club packed with people.



“It’s very basic for me,” Lesnar said. “When I go home, I don’t buy into any of the b.s. Like I said, it’s pretty basic: Train, sleep, family, fight. It’s my life. I like it.”



Lesnar is an extraordinarily competitive man – “I’ll tell you, I’m a sore frickin’ loser,” he said – and in an amazingly short time, has become one of the world’s finest fighters.



For as much success as he’s had, though, he still doesn’t get the kind of recognition he deserves. This is a man who in four of his five UFC fights has faced a current or former heavyweight champion.



In his last three fights, Lesnar has defeated Randy Couture, a Hall of Famer and the best strategist in the sport; Frank Mir, the best ground fighter in the heavyweight division; and Shane Carwin, the most powerful heavyweight in the world.



The scary part is, he’s still improving rapidly. He’s only been a professional for a little more than three years and he’s still picking up the finer points of MMA that Couture had down solid years ago.



“I consider Brock one of the best of all-time and he’s just getting started,” UFC president Dana White said.



When it’s all finally second nature to him, he may be virtually unbeatable. And so if there is a good time to get him, it must be now. In Velasquez, he meets a guy who has essentially the perfect style to beat him. Velasquez is a better pure boxer, has good movement and unlimited cardiovascular endurance.

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL

The conventional wisdom is that if Velasquez can survive the first three rounds, the pendulum will tilt enormously in his favor.



Lesnar’s legendary competitive nature won’t allow him to concede even the smallest point to an opponent, and he’s unwilling to concede he won’t be able to keep pace if the pace is fast and the fight moves into the later rounds.



He loves what he is doing and fighting, unlike professional wrestling, gives him a vehicle to channel his competitiveness. Fighting is a job, and a means of supporting his family, but it’s also a way of life for him.



As he’s talking about the UFC’s growth potential, White often says that “fighting is in our DNA; we get it and we like it.” Lesnar’s DNA is clearly loaded with the love-for-fighting genes.



Because he loves it so much, he’s eager to go to work and, as any human resources director will tell you, a happy worker is a more productive worker.



“At the end of the day, we all sit up here and we just love this,” Lesnar said of the fight game. “I don’t have to prod myself to get out of bed in the morning. I try to be the first one to the gym. I’m so thankful and glad there is an Ultimate Fighting Championship, because if there wasn’t, I don’t know what I’d be doing with myself.

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL

“I just want to be better and I want to be the best I can be. Everybody who fights and gets into the cage, that’s the whole purpose of this: Proving that I’m better than the guy I’ve stepped into the ring with.”



Since being submitted by Mir in his UFC debut, which was only his second pro bout, Lesnar has won four in a row and has gotten better each time out. But when it’s over, he retreats into the anonymity of his home in Alexandria, Minn., where he keeps a small circle of friends and a very low profile.



During his appearance on Rome’s show on Thursday, Lesnar was as revealing as he ever has been about his desire for privacy in his personal life.



“I’ve been in front of the cameras for 10, 12 years,” the 33-year-old Lesnar told Rome. “I was a star at the University of Minnesota. I went on to World Wrestling Entertainment. Wannabe NFL player. And here I am, the UFC heavyweight champion.


UFC 121
“I just don’t put myself out there to the fans and prostitute my private life to everybody. In today’s day and age, with the Internet and cameras and cell phones, I just like being old school and living in the woods and living my life. I came from nothing and at any moment, you can go back to having nothing.”



So, his private life will remain private. But he’s leaving us a heck of a lot to talk about in his public life, and that’s plenty good enough. yahoosportsufcmma.com

121 UFC Heavyweight Championship BROCK LESNAR vs. CAIN VELASQUEZ

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION BROCK LESNAR TO DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST UNDEFEATED CAIN VELASQUEZ ON Superfit: Royce Gracie's Ultimate Martial Arts Fitness and Nutrition Guide (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu series)THE NEWLY MINTED BROCKTOBER 23RD
UFC Heavyweight Championship
BROCK LESNAR vs. CAIN VELASQUEZ
Co-Main Event
JAKE SHIELDS vs. MARTIN KAMPMANN
Plus
DIEGO SANCHEZ vs. PAULO THIAGO
TITO ORTIZ vs. MATT HAMILL
BRENDAN SCHAUB vs. GABRIEL GONZAGA
DeathClutch Brock Lesnar "Champ" UFC MMA T-Shirt #2 (Mens X-Large, Black)
Live from the Honda Center – Tickets on Sale Saturday, August 21 at Noon PT
Official event page

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The baddest man on the planet, UFC® heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, is back in the main event for UFC 121, and unbeaten Cain Velasquez is looking to take his belt and become the first man to knock him out. Lesnar proved he had beaten the severe illness that kept him sidelined for a year by withstanding the onslaught by Shane Carwin at UFC 116 and defending his heavyweight title with a slick submission in the second round. His opponent at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on October 23, 2010, Cain Velasquez, has already made short work out of the heavyweight division and he promises to make the most of his first shot at the title.

Also on this star-studded UFC 121 card, which is presented by Boost mobile, welterweight star Jake Shields makes his long-awaited UFC debut against perennial contender Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann. Also featured is an exciting welterweight matchup as Diego Sanchez battles Paulo Thiago, while it is teacher vs. student as Matt “The Hammer” Hamill takes on his coach from The Ultimate Fighter®, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz. Rounding out the main card is a bout pitting rising heavyweight star Brendan Schaub against veteran contender Gabriel Gonzaga.

“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. “To do that though, he must defeat the baddest man on the planet, UFC heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. Also, fresh off his destruction of Dan Henderson, Jake Shields enters the UFC, and he’s got his sights set on the welterweight title, but he’s got to get by Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann first.”

“Having hosted the first-ever UFC event in the state of California, we’re thrilled to partner with Dana and the entire organization once again,” said Honda Center President/CEO Tim Ryan. “If the buzz already surrounding this fight card is any indication, October 23 should be one of the sport’s biggest spectacles of all time.”

Tickets for UFC 121 will go on sale Saturday, August 21 at noon PT and will be priced at $500, $400, $300, $200, $125 and $75. Tickets are available at HondaCenter.com, Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone (800.745.3000) and all Ticketmaster retail locations. In addition, any remaining tickets will be available at the Honda Center Box Office beginning Monday, August 23 at 10:00 AM.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, August 19 starting at 10am PT via UFCFightClub.com. A special internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Friday, August 20 starting at 10am PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.Lesnar UFC 116 Walkout T-shirt - Death Clutch, Medium

UFC 121 will be available live on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available). UFC 121 will also be available on Pay-Per-View in Spanish in the United States.

At UFC 121, Brock Lesnar (fighting out of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn./5-1) will be making his third title defense and, if successful, will tie Tim Sylvia for the most heavyweight title defenses. Lesnar will also set the record for most consecutive successful title defenses in the division. The four-time All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota also won two Big Ten championships, as well as a National championship in the heavyweight division. The native of South Dakota showed his evolution as a fighter during UFC 116, as he was able to submit Shane Carwin with an arm triangle choke. A polarizing figure, Lesnar perhaps gained a stronger following from the courage and drive he displayed to overcome his bout with diverticulitis in 2009, and the best heavyweight on the planet has used his new lease on life to motivate him even further.

“I’m looking forward to getting right back in the Octagon,” Lesnar said. “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 October 23rd, 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.”

At 8-0 as a pro, Cain Velasquez (fighting out of San Jose, Calif./8-0) is the 20th fighter to fight for a UFC title with less than 10 professional fights. Of the 19 previous fighters, only four were successful in winning the title and interestingly, all were heavyweight fighters. Much like Lesnar, Velasquez was an outstanding collegiate wrestler, as he was a two-time All-American at Arizona State University. His speed and power may be the keys to a victory over Lesnar, as Velasquez has been very successful in using his athleticism to beat bigger foes throughout his career.

“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."

After establishing an impressive international reputation, Jake Shields (fighting out of San Francisco, Calif./25-4-1) has made the transition to the Octagon to test his skills against the best fighters in the world. Shields’ resume is an impressive one, as he has been successful in defeating Carlos Condit, Mike Pyle, Robbie Lawler and former PRIDE champion and UFC veteran Dan Henderson. Shields’ signing has been highly anticipated by the MMA community and his first fight will be a true test to where he stands in the welterweight division.

An established fighter with the UFC, Martin Kampmann (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev./17-3) is riding a two fight win streak, and has also won four of his last five. Overall in the UFC, “The Hitman” has compiled a record of 8-2, dating back to August of 2006. The Denmark native has tremendous knockout power and an underrated ground game, which could prove to be a tough combination for Shields.

Diego Sanchez (fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M./23-4) made his UFC debut on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, defeating Kenny Florian to win a contract with the organization. The “Nightmare” was successful in the welterweight division, but chose to move to lightweight where he fought for the championship against BJ Penn. Sanchez has since moved back to the welterweight division, as well as back to Greg Jackson’s camp, where he hasn’t trained since he fought Josh Koscheck in 2007.

Special ops police officer Paulo Thiago (fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil/13-2) made a splash in the welterweight division in 2009 when he defeated Josh Koscheck via first round knockout. Thiago has only five UFC fights in his career, however he has proved to be a tough opponent with an iron chin. The submission specialist will be a formidable opponent for Sanchez, in a matchup that will help two fighters realize their position within the welterweight division.
2010 Topps UFC Trading Card # 92 Cain Velasquez (Ultimate Fighting Championship) Shipped in Screwdown Case!
One of the most recognizable figures in the MMA community, Tito Ortiz (fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif./16-7-1) is at an interesting place in his storied career. The “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” will be taking on his pupil from the third season of The Ultimate Fighter, Matt Hamill, and while Ortiz has dealt with some recent adversity due to injuries, the former world champion is healthy and firing on all cylinders in his quest to beat “The Hammer” and get his title back.

Matt Hamill (fighting out of Utica, N.Y. by way of Loveland, Ohio/10-2) has been flying under the radar recently, quietly putting together a four fight win streak. Impressive victories over Mark Munoz and Keith Jardine, coupled with a DQ victory over Jon Jones, have elevated Hamill to the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division. His status as a three-time Division III NCAA wrestling champion, as well as a two time world champion in freestyle wrestling, has helped “The Hammer” avoid 90% of total takedowns, as he continues to develop his standup technique.

Making his debut at The Ultimate Fighter 10 finale, Brendan Schaub (fighting out of Denver, Colo./7-1) has been victorious in his last two fights, most recently at UFC 116 when he defeated Chris Tuchscherer via first round knockout. A former Golden Gloves champion, “The Hybrid” has obtained a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which will help elevate his status in the heavyweight division.

Another fighter who is at a crossroads in his career is Gabriel Gonzaga (fighting out of Ludlow, Mass./11-5). Coming off tough battles with two of the division’s best in Junior Dos Santos and Shane Carwin, Gonzaga has seven wins in the UFC and has not been shy to fight top competition, as he has also fought Mirko Cro Cop, Fabricio Werdum and Randy Couture.