UFC president Dana White confirmed the news in a media conference call on Tuesday afternoon.
“The winner of Brock and Randy will be the UFC heavyweight champion,” he said. “And at the end of The Ultimate Fighter series eight, Nogueira will fight Frank Mir for the interim title.
“The winner of each fight will then face off next year for the heavyweight title, so it’s a nice little tournament we’ve got there.”
Asked how Lesnar came to be the number one contender, White said: “We’re not caught up in the boxing bullshit so we can put on the fights that people want to see. It will be the biggest fight in UFC history.”
Couture’s return to the UFC apparently means an end to the legal difficulties between himself and the organisation.
The heavyweight champion said that there is “an understanding” between the two parties.
White also confirmed that the announcement means that the UFC will not be staging an event in Portland, Oregon in November.
