ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® PRESENTS UFC 81: BREAKING POINT

Courtesy of the Ultimate Fighting Championship:

SHOWDOWN SET BETWEEN BROCK LESNAR AND FRANK MIR
SATURDAY, FEB. 2, 2008 LIVE FROM MANDALAY BAY

Tickets on Sale Sunday, Dec. 9 at 10am PT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – 12/04/2007 – On the night before the biggest football game of the year, Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization takes center stage with an immense night of hard-hitting heavyweight fight action. At UFC 81, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir will put former WWE Champion and world-renowned superstar Brock Lesnar to the ultimate test, as Lesnar makes his move from the squared circle into the Octagon™ to prove that he is for real. This will be a feature fight of the night at UFC 81: BREAKING POINT taking place live from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Feb. 2, 2008, on the eve of Super Bowl XLII.

“It’s an interesting matchup,” said UFC President Dana White. “Lesnar is a great wrestler, a good athlete, and this is definitely gonna be a big test for him. Frank Mir is a former world champion who is coming off a big win over Antoni Hardonk, and he’s looking to get his career back on track while Lesnar’s looking to walk into the UFC and prove what type of fighter he’s gonna be by trying to knock him off.”

Tickets for UFC 81: BREAKING POINT go on sale Sunday, Dec. 9 at 10am PST and are priced at $800, $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50. Tickets will be sold at any Mandalay Bay box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s West at the Fashion Show Mall and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the Mandalay Bay box office at (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.ufc.com, www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 10am PT via the website www.ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, Dec. 7 starting at 10am PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com.

There also will be a special auction for Octagon-side floor seats available only through www.ticketmaster.com starting Sunday, Dec. 9 at 10am PT.

UFC 81: BREAKING POINT is available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

The 6-3 ½, 265 Lesnar (1-0) comes to the UFC with stellar college wrestling credentials that saw him earn All American status four times, win Big Ten Championships twice, and also win the 2000 NCAA National Championship. After leaving the University of Minnesota, the South Dakota-born Lesnar gained fame as a professional wrestler and also had a stint with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. In 2007, he made his mixed martial arts debut and annihilated Min Soo Kim in just 69 seconds on June 2nd.

“This guy’s not trying to duck anybody,” said White of Lesnar. “He knew once he got in the UFC that he was gonna fight tough guys.”

28-year old Las Vegan Frank Mir (10-3) was destined for stardom from the moment he stepped in the UFC Octagon, and he lived up to all expectations when he submitted Tim Sylvia in 50 seconds in 2004 to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Unfortunately, Mir’s career ground to a halt when a serious motorcycle accident later that year forced him to the sidelines for almost two years. His eagnerness to return forced him into some spotty performances when he did return in 2006, but at UFC 74 in August, Mir was back in top notch form as he submitted Antoni Hardonk in just 77 seconds.

The remaining bouts for UFC 81: BREAKING POINT will be announced in the near future. All bouts live and subject to change. For further information on the UFC visit www.ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or www.ufcespanol.com.