MINNEAPOLIS — Reigning welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre held on to his title belt by unanimous decision over top contender Jon Fitch at UFC 87, an Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view bout at Target Center on Saturday night.

In the other featured fights, hometown heavyweight Brock Lesnar beat Heath Herring and Kenny Florian defeated Roger Huerta in the lightweight division — both by unanimous decision.

St. Pierre, the French Canadian who reclaimed his title in April by beating Matt Serra in Montreal, had hundreds of his fans here from across the border waving maple leafs and fleurs-de-lys and chanting "GSP! GSP! GSP!"

Fitch, who wrestled at Purdue, was tied with Royce Gracie for a UFC-record eight straight wins. The streak's end was sealed in the third round when St. Pierre kneed him in the neck, landed a couple of blows to the face and body-slammed him to his back. Fitch could barely sit on his stool after the round. He feistily held on through five rounds, but it wasn't enough.

The three judges scored it 50-43, 50-44, 50-44.

"I'm ready to fight everybody, everybody who deserves a shot," St. Pierre said, after praising his opponent for an "awesome" performance.

Florian beat Huerta by a 30-27 score from each of three judges. The 32-year-old Bostonian had a slight, but clear edge to the end and might now have a shot at the 155-pound title if reigning champ B.J. Penn is up for the fight.

Huerta, who heard his name loudly cheered at every mention, wrestled at Division III Augsburg College in Minneapolis and continues to train here. His career record fell to 22-2 after Florian, who has a black belt in jiujitsu, took control in the final round.

Florian had Huerta in the fetal position and landed several punches to the face as a huge welt next to Huerta's left eye swelled. When time expired, Florian lifted his hands in the air — realizing victory — while Huerta chucked his mouthguard to the floor.

"I didn't want to get into a brawl with him. He's very, very tough," Florian said.

A former NCAA wrestling champion for the University of Minnesota, Lesnar had the crowd roaring after his first UFC victory.

"Can you see me now?" Lesnar shouted afterward.

He tried pro wrestling and even dabbled in football, spending training camp with the Vikings in 2004, before taking his 6-foot-3, 265-pound frame to the bloody world of mixed martial arts.

Faking a left and then connecting on a hard overhand right cross in the first round, Lesnar sent Herring — nicknamed "The Texas Crazy Horse" — falling to his feet. Herring's left eye was nearly swollen shut after that, and he was frequently on the floor.

With seconds left in the final round, and again after it was over, Lesnar celebrated by taunting Herring with a fake lasso-twirling motion in mockery of his Texas roots.

This was the UFC's first visit to Minnesota, one of 35 states that now sanction ultimate fighting. Among the celebrities sitting near the patented octagon ring were Vikings stars Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson and former Gov. Jesse Ventura, himself a one-time professional wrestler. Attendance was announced at 15,082, for tickets ranging from $50 to $600.

Also on the main card Saturday: Middleweight Demian Maia beat Jason Macdonald by submission in the third round. Rob Emerson knocked out Manvel Gamburyan 12 seconds into their lightweight bout.

In the preliminaries, Ben Saunders beat Ryan Thomas by submission in the second round. Chris Wilson defeated Steve Bruno by unanimous decision. Jon Jones beat Andre Gusmao by unanimous decision. Cheick Kongo defeated Dan Evensen by technical knockout in the first round. Tamden McCrory beat Luke Cummo by unanimous decision.