Champ Couture returns to UFC

A freakishly fit athlete who is known as a cardio machine, Randy Couture finally ran into an opponent that wore him down.

The 45-year-old Las Vegan resigned from the Ultimate Fighting Championship in October as its heavyweight champion. Ever since, Couture has been embroiled in a bitter legal dispute with the company over the length and terms remaining on his contract.

On Tuesday, a settlement was announced that will bring him back to fight Brock Lesnar on Nov. 15 at the MGM Grand in the first of at least three Couture bouts in UFC.

"The biggest part of my decision (to return) was first of all the communication with Lorenzo (Fertitta, UFC CEO) and Dana (White, UFC president) about some of the things I was feeling," Couture said in a conference call that included White and Lesnar. "The second thing was being frustrated with the legal system and throwing money at lawyers, and I was just tired of it. I want to fight in the octagon, not in the courtroom."

The case between the parties never made it to trial, but the lead litigation counsel to Zuffa, LLC, which owns the UFC, thinks the deposition of Couture on July 7 and 8 might have been the beginning of the end.

"During the course of that deposition, I think some of his contractual obligations were illuminated," Donald J. Campbell said. "We think that following that deposition, we pointed out some things that perhaps he didn't consider or fully consider."

Later that month, Couture lost a battle in a Texas appellate court that meant the case would have to be adjudicated in Nevada.

"After that time, Mr. Couture reached out to Dana White and told him that he was tired of litigating the matter and that he wanted to come back to the UFC," Campbell said.

On Tuesday, Couture seemed relieved just to have the issue behind him.

"I feel like I've been walking around under a black cloud for a year," he said. "So to have the clouds kind of dissipate and see a little sunshine is pretty nice."

White was even happier.

"It's all behind me. Randy Couture is back in the UFC," he said. "That's all I care about. I'm like a giddy little girl right now."

One of Couture's main points of contention with the UFC was the promotion's inability to secure him a fight with Fedor Emelianenko, the man widely considered the world's best heavyweight.

Couture still has his sights set on Emelianenko, saying he hopes the bout can be arranged in the UFC at some point.

Emelianenko is signed to the Affliction promotion, and while White maintained that he would never interfere with a contract, he thinks the problem will work itself out.

"Those guys are dying on the vine," he said of Affliction. "They'll be gone in a couple of months anyway, and then he'll have to come (to the UFC)."

Couture expressed optimism that the fight would eventually happen.

"I think the UFC is working diligently to make the Fedor fight happen, which was the whole thing that started this a year ago," Couture said.

In the meantime, Couture will defend his belt against Lesnar, a former collegiate and professional wrestler who has just three professional MMA fights on his resume.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who won the interim title in Couture's absence, will defend that belt against Las Vegan Frank Mir in December.

The winners of the two heavyweight bouts will meet in early 2009 to unify the belt.

Couture last fought on Aug. 25, 2007, when he stopped Gabriel Gonzaga in the third round.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.