Carwin (top) file photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Posted on 07/03/2010 1:46:03 PM PDT by downwdims
Carwin (top) file photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
With just one tap by Fedor Emelianenko, UFC 116 “Lesnar vs. Carwin” went from being headlined by a heavyweight title unifier to a battle for status as the world’s premier heavyweight.
Airing live on pay-per-view from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the cost of admission is worth it just for the chance to watch Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin decide who is the heavyweight alpha male of the moment.
For a proper breakdown of this massively important fight as well as the rest of the main card proceedings, read on and get your knowledge right.
Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin
A few days ago the title unification bout between Lesnar and Carwin was the biggest heavyweight fight on the UFC docket. Then Fedor Emelianenko lost, the Internet blew up and the No. 1 spot in the division is now all but reserved for the winner of this fight.
Who exactly holds the edge in the race for heavyweight supremacy is anyone’s guess. Lesnar has been on the shelf for a year thanks to a life-threatening case of diverticulitis, and Carwin still has yet to fight past the first round. For all the questions on the table, however, both fighters are still unbelievably talented prototypes for the next generation of physically dominant heavyweights. With that much freakish DNA in the cage, strategy is going to be what separates these two.
Known for being a pure power puncher and little else, Carwin actually showed surprising fight IQ in his fight with Frank Mir by pressing him against the cage and clubbing the former UFC heavyweight champion in close quarters. Just a little bit of strategy makes Carwin’s sense-shattering punches that much more dangerous, and it’s hard to imagine Lesnar going blow for blow with his ginormous counterpart. That’s not to say Lesnar can’t crack; rather, he hasn’t shown Carwin’s willingness to brawl nor his ongoing improvements as a boxer.
What Lesnar does have on Carwin is wrestling. The hulking South Dakotan has a preposterously fast shot and real wrestling skills to back it up. Just from a technical perspective, Carwin relies heavily on his strength to get takedowns, which won’t work against a wrestler of Lesnar’s caliber. Getting stuck underneath Lesnar is a scenario he has to avoid at all costs considering the smothering top control and rapid-fire ground striking synonymous with the reformed pro wrestler.
Those are all skills Lesnar has refined in a shockingly short amount of time while Carwin’s game hasn’t changed much since bursting onto the scene. While Lesnar’s recent dance with death has many wondering what sort of shape his body is in, he hasn’t fought in nearly a year, which is plenty of time to regain his form. All that time sitting on the sidelines also gave Lesnar the chance to continue making quantum leaps in his game.
Assuming full health and massive improvement from a guy who had a hole in his guts not too long ago may seem like a leap of faith, but Lesnar has proven many times over that he simply defies human physiology. As long as his strategy doesn’t defy logic, he has the edge on Carwin, who needs to be upright to win this fight. Every second this fight is on the feet will be a nail-biter, but Lesnar will keep them to a minimum by ground-and-pounding Carwin for the win.
Just because you have an opinion, it doesn’t mean that you need to express it. You are appearing to be petty, childish, and mean spirited (more boorish than the fighters you despise). Take a deep breath and reflect on the image of yourself that you are portraying.
People that enter this thread are fight fans. If you want to pee in someone’s Cheerios you really ought to do it elsewhere or start a vanity thread of your own, “I hate UFC fighters?”
After watching Fedor lose, I think anything can happen.
Terry
Surprisingly many of the MMA fighters come out of college wrestling.
One of the top fighters is a math teacher.
Another is running for State legislature in Oregon.(as a repub)
Don’t sell them short.
Unfortunately Chael had to pull out of his race
I'm taking it you don't want on the MMA ping list from your opinion/oppinion.
What?? why?
He’s one of my favorites, very articulate and gracious.
Google around, I can’t remember the specifics.
He’s still on to fight A.Silva though
Figured I bring “Dead Guy Ale” to the fight party. I hope everyone has wonderful fight night. May all the fights end in standing “O’s” as we jump up and down screaming at the screen.
Have fun! Report back in when you get home!
I think this should be a good fight. I wish I was watching it.
I won’t pay to see it, though, not at the price that these crooks are charging. I usually just wake up early the next morning and check out one of the bootlegs on youtube before they’ve had the chance to remove them.
I feel dirty, but I get to see the fight as if it were fresh.
Watching sports that aren’t live totally kills it for me.
Consider the link I posted to Ms Legs earlier in the thread and see if there is a local establishment that is showing it. Several of them Close to me don’t even have cover charges. I don’t do that anymore because I like to have some fine tasty beverages and I don’t drink and drive AT ALL anymore (I have grown wiser)
I will be shelling out the cash.
The PPV’s are expensive, especially to us old timers who remember UFC PPV’s at half the price.
Ahh the 29.99 days...
Sometimes I miss them, but there is so much Great MMA nowadays on cable, Premium Cable, and even CBS. To think about going back to two or three UFC cards a year and banned on cable? /shudder
Prelims live on SpikeTV Now. Main Card is an hour a way!
Make sure and Check. This is the first PPV they are offering in my area (Twin Cities) in HD.
Bonus- It’s the same price as the normal one $44.95 (Woot!)
Ouch, that poor gas induced armlock looked rather painful.
I was cringing, no lie
That was pretty nasty!
That’s good for you. The HD version is always $10 more.
I know!
How about that Slam KO! Amazing to see the restraint as well to not lay on the extra punishment after seeing his opponent was out cold
Slam KO’s make me nervous for the fighters.
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