Shane Carwins Talks About His Upcoming Fight With Mir
Shane Carwin talks to Thegarv.com about his upcoming match up with Frank Mir at UFC 113 and feels he has what it takes to put Frank Mir out of the heavyweight title picture:
"I think I have what it takes to win the fight standing or through ground and pound. He is going to be looking for mistakes and openings for his submissions. It will be a true honor to test myself against Frank."
"Frank Mir's trash talk won't affect me at all. I really do not pay a lot of attention to smack talk. Whatever my opponent needs to do to get themselves ready to fight me is fine. At the end of the night the better fighter (that evening) should have his hand raised and really that is all I care about. I have a lot of respect for Frank as a fighter and as a MMA professional. I have a long ways to go to be on his Hall of Fame level so whatever he says is likely justified."
Breaking News: Brock Lesnar To Return This Summer
They just showed Brock Lesnar and Dana White sitting in the studio, looking like they've got some things to say.
Lesnar's telling his story. Initially diagnosed with mononucleosis. He's bashing Canadian health care.
He was stricken with a 104 degree fever in Canada. Then came back to the States where they found a hole in his stomach.
They gave him an option to heal on his own or get a colostomy bag. He went 11 days without food or water -- being fed intravenously.
Then he healed -- when doctors went back in, they couldn't find a hole in his stomach at all.
Lesnar claims "there is literally no sign of anything even existing in there." Meaning presumably that he's 100% healed.
Lesnar and White say that Lesnar’s illness should have ended his career, but it is a “miracle” he has returned to full health.
UFC 111: Carwin vs. Mir winner faces Lesnar this summer if healthy. If not, Nogueira vs Cain winner will face Lesnar.
Interim UFC Heavyweight Title Fight Announced for UFC 111
The UFC announced earlier this week that former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will be looking to become only the second man in UFC history to win the championship three times when he takes on number one contender Shane Carwin for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy on March 27, 2010.
"I can’t say enough about a fight that has undefeated powerhouse wrestler Shane Carwin taking on former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir for the interim belt," said UFC President Dana White. "This fight pits Carwin’s one punch KO power versus Mir’s fight-ending submission game. Both of these matches are ‘can’t miss’ fights in terms of action."
Winner of four of his last five fights, former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir has put on the necessary muscle and weight to face the biggest challengers in the heavyweight division, and he is refocused on earning back the world title. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with immensely improved striking, the 30-year-old knocked down feared striker Cheick Kongo at UFC 107 and then proceeded to submit the French contender with a guillotine choke, putting him firmly back in the title picture.
"Shane Carwin is an extremely dangerous opponent and being matched up against him is an honor," Mir said. "It’ll be a great challenge to face him and get to match wits against his coaches. Greg Jackson is like the ‘Yoda’ of mixed martial arts and I will need a strong gameplan heading into this fight."
Originally scheduled to face UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, No. 1 contender Shane Carwin has been on a tear ever since he stepped foot into the Octagon. A former national wrestling champion with dynamite in his fists, Carwin has made quick work of all three of his UFC opponents, finishing Christian Wellisch, Neil Wain and Gabriel Gonzaga within 91 seconds each. Now he takes the next step in his career against Frank Mir.
"It’s an honor to not only fight for the interim UFC heavyweight title, but to do so against a respected former champion like Frank Mir," said Carwin. "This is going to be a fight to remember for the fans, and I plan on making it one of my most memorable performances as well. Beating Frank is going to be a test, but I’m confident that it’s a test I will pass with flying colors."
The highly anticipated bout will be one of two title fights at UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy. The card also features UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre defending his title against Dan Hardy.
Frank Mir To Face Shane Carwin For An Interim Title Belt?
UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar’s return to the octagon remains uncertain, but in the meantime, an interim heavyweight title is being created. According to a report on MMAJunkie.com, Shane Carwin will face Frank Mir for the interim title at UFC 111 on March 27, 2010.
Both men have expressed interest in fighting each other, with Carwin recently writing on his personal website that Mir is “a legend of the sport and I would be honored to fight him.”
Mir is also enthusiastic to fight the Colorado native, stating that the bout between the two would be a “phenomenal matchup.”
Shane Carwin Interview
Shane Carwin was recently interviewed by bleacherreport.com, here are the highlights:
On Defending Brock Lesnar: I certainly think Brock gives the fans plenty to pick at when he is healthy and able to defend himself. Here is a guy who not only is so sick he can’t fight, but he may never fight again. He has spent a lot of his life being a professional athlete, and then all of a sudden he is at risk of losing his ability to compete. I felt compelled to make sure that people knew I didn’t feel that Brock was “ducking me” or any of the other crazy things that were being said. Brock is a warrior, and I do not see him ducking anyone.
On Fighting For An Interim Title: Titles are not important to me. The interim title is second place with a medal. I am already in that spot (the No. 1 contender spot), and I do not mind fighting to protect that spot, but I do not need a glorified trophy to do it. The champion is Brock, and he has the only belt that should matter to any fighter in the heavyweight division. I do not want to be the glorified contender, I want to be the guy that went in and fought the best guy in our division for the most prestigious prize in our sport. Until then, I am just another UFC heavyweight at the top of the division waiting for a fight.
On Being Disappointed In Fedor Signing With Strikeforce: Only because I would like to fight the guy. He is one of the best P4P in the world and as a heavyweight, he is the standard. If you are a true competitor you would want to face Fedor and test yourself against one of the greatest fighters of all time. Fedor could technically be considered undefeated: He has 30 fights and will go down as one of the legends of our sport. Strikeforce has a huge viewing audience, and they are willing to co-promote with M1. I suspect CBS will realize what they have in Fedor and will increase their marketing of him and Strikeforce.
On Not Fighting in Nine Months: Not really; we train hard at Grudge Training Center, and it’s not like I am taking time off. The other way to see it is I have had to get ready for two different fighters over three training camps and how much that has improved my game?
On The Heavyweights From This year’s Ultimate Fighter: They need to get that cardio up for sure. Guys like Cain Velasquez have unlimited gas tanks, and you do not want to gas against the UFC’s elite heavyweights. I think some of those guys are going to be a force in the division, and I look forward to seeing them rise to the top.
Shane Carwin’s UFC Future
Shane Carwin issued the following statement:
"My next fight is up in the air a little bit right now. I could probably come back in February but my little girl is going to be born in February and I don’t want to miss that. It’s been an extremely long camp. I started in July to fight Cain (Velasquez) and then I got the call to fight Brock (Lesnar). I get prepared for UFC 106 then that’s off. Then UFC 108 came and then it was off a week or two later. It’s been up and down. All we can hope is Brock can get better. He’s definitely in our prayers. I would assume another fight will come first. I don’t know what’s out there just yet but I assume [a Velasquez fight] will happen if Brock can’t compete. I want to fight the best and challenge myself. Right now Brock holds the title. To be the champ, you gotta beat the champ. It’s a fight I’m still excited for but at the same time there’s a lot of heavyweights that are just as tough and on the same level. It’s an exciting division. Whoever you get in the UFC is a tough fight and that’s what I expect going forward, just a hard fought battle every time out."
UFC Putting Together Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez Interim Title Fight
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times today, Dana White said that the company is working on having an interim championship match while Brock Lesnar recovers from surgery.
While Lesnar's future in fighting still remains uncertain, people within his camp feel that things are already looking better for him than they were just a few days ago.
The word going around is that UFC is attempting to put together a Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez fight in February for the interim title. The big issue is whether or not Carwin's severe knee sprain heals in time so he can train for the fight.
Shane Carwin Says That Brock Lesnar Should Not Be Stripped Of The UFC Title
In what appears to be ongoing controversy surrounding the current Brock Lesnar/UFC Championship situation, The Heyman Hustle has posted up an article containing a blog from Shane Carwin, the opponent Lesnar was supposed to face this month, in which Carwin says that UFC should NOT strip Lesnar of the Heavyweight Title. Carwin's official blog on the situation was originally posted on an MMA newsboard, and the following is an excerpt:
"You do not have to support Brock and his antics but you should have respect for the human side of what is happening here. Talk of stripping a man of his title due to illness will set this sport back farther then anything Brock has ever said. We need our Champions healthy and defending. I know the show will go on but to be a Champion you must beat a Champion."
Big Fight Replacing Lesnar vs. Shawn Carwin At UFC 108
Tatame.com is reporting that, according to Sensei Sportv’s blog, Nogueira’s manager confirmed that the Brazilian, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) set for UFC 108 will face the undefeated heavyweight Cain Velasquez (7-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) at UFC 108, which takes place on January 2nd.
According to F4WOnline.com, the Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin fight has all but officially been canceled due to Lesnar's health.
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