Centennial, Colo. – Oct. 1, 2010 – Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) returns to movie theaters with the biggest fight of the year with UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez featuring this championship heavyweight battle in more than 300 select movie theaters nationwide on Saturday, October 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT. The baddest man on the planet, reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar will attempt to successfully defend his title for a third-consecutive time, this time against unbeaten Cain Velasquez, who is looking to take Lesnar’s belt and become the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion in fighting history. Broadcast live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., the much anticipated fight card also features the light heavyweight match-up between Tito Ortiz and his former “The Ultimate Fighter” protégé, Matt Hamill.
UFC fans can catch all the action in their local theaters by purchasing tickets at www.FathomEvents.com and at presenting theater box offices. Visit the NCM Fathom website for a complete list of theater locations and prices (theaters and participants are subject to change).
“Throughout fighting history, there has never been a Mexican-American 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.”
Coming off his UFC 116 win over interim title holder Shane Carwin, Lesnar comes to UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez willing to put his title on the line just three months after defending it. A former NCAA National Wrestling Champion, Lesnar made his MMA debut in 2007, and has since skyrocketed up the ranks to become one of the most feared fighters in the sport. Now, Lesnar looks to defeat Velasquez, the game’s top rising star. Velasquez last met “Minotauro” Nogueira in the Octagon in February, finishing him with a TKO in the first round.
In addition to this highly-anticipated main fight card, the UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez Fathom event will include the pivotal welterweight showdown between 170-pound contenders Jake Shields, in his Octagon debut, and Martin Kampmann, winner of four of his last five fights. Plus, Tito Ortiz returns to the Octagon from surgery for a match-up against his former friend and “Ultimate Fighter” protégé, Matt Hamill, as they try to knock each other down a rung on the light-heavyweight ladder.
“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 finalist Brendan Schaub squares off against Gabriel Gonzaga in a heavyweight showdown and Diego Sanchez attempts to take out Paulo Thiago, a special ops police officer who has defeated Josh Koscheck and Mike Swick.
“There are some moments in sports that are just too big to miss and UFC 121 on the big screen is one of those,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. “UFC fans will experience the thrill of sitting Octagon-side in local movie theaters around the country for this ultimate UFC event.”
UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez will be shown in select movie theaters including AMC Entertainment Inc., Celebration! Cinema, Cinemark USA Inc., Clearview Cinemas, Cobb Theatres, Hollywood Theaters, Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, Marcus Theatres, National Amusements, Rave Motion Pictures, R/C Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters, as well as The Beacon Cinema (Pittsfield, MA) and High Five Cinema (Durango, CO), through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network – North America’s largest cinema broadcast network.
