Couture Tops November UFC Card

Heavyweight Champion Returns To Ring Following Year-Hiatus

By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 9/4/2008 12:06:00 PM

UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture will return to the octagon after a one-year absence as part of the mix martial arts company’s Nov. 15 UFC 91 pay-per-view fight card, the company announced Tuesday.

Couture, who recently signed a three-year deal with the UFC after resigning from the organization last year  will fight rising star Brock Lesnar in the main event of the card, which carries a suggested retail rate of $44.95.

White said he expects the fight to draw between 1.2 million and 1.5 million pay-per-view buys, which would shatter the record of 1.05 million set with UFC 66, according to Yahoo! Sports.

“I am happy to announce that UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture will be returning to action in the Octagon,” said UFC President Dana White in a statement. “He's a legend in the UFC, and one of the fighters that helped build this sport.  I have always said that wrestling is one of the best bases you can have in MMA and not only is Randy a top level wrestler but his opponent is as well. This is one that will go down in the history books.”