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Legend Meets Rising Star In UFC 91

Lesnar, Couture Meet For Heavyweight Title

POSTED: Friday, November 14, 2008
UPDATED: 6:26 pm CST November 15, 2008

On Saturday night, an Ultimate Fighting Championship legend meets the future of mixed martial arts.

Randy "The Natural" Couture, 44, will meet Brock Lesnar, 31, in UFC 91 in Las Vegas.

The heavyweight bout is expected to be the UFC's biggest pay-per-view event, attracting fans to the matchup that will feature two fighters with contrasting resumes, sizes and records.

Couture, the heavyweight champion, enters UFC 91 with a 16-8 mark. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound fighter returns to the octagon after a 15-month layoff following a contract dispute with UFC.

The veteran said he made the most of his time off and continued his training.

"I fought every week that I was (off)," Couture said. "I may not have had a fight in a cage, but I've got a cage right here in my gym."

Before Couture rose up the UFC ranks, he originally aspired to be an Olympic skier before eventually turning his interest to wrestling. He was a national champion in Greco-Roman style wrestling and was an Olympic alternate on the U.S. team four times.

His opponent has also built up an impressive wrestling resume.

Lesnar, 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, posted a 106-5 record while wrestling at the University of Minnesota. The NCAA heavyweight champion participated in the WWE before trying out for the Minnesota Vikings. Now, he's one of the UFC's rising stars.

The South Dakota native enters Saturday's fight with a 2-1 professional mixed martial arts record. In his most recent fight, Lesnar defeated Heath Herring in a three-round decision in UFC 87 in August.

Just a few months later, Lesnar is starring in a title bout.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me," Lesnar said. "Anybody that would be in my position would never have turned this fight down."

Lesnar will be tested by Couture, but the newcomer said he isn't concerned. When asked during a teleconference what concerns he has with his opponent, Lesnar's answer was simple: "I have none."

"Randy has something that I dearly want," Lesnar said. "I want to be the heavyweight champion."

He'll have his chance Saturday.

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