Carwin vs. Mir - Interim Title UFC 111

[xtremebadass]

Shane Carwin confirms likely UFC 111 title fight, agrees to meet Frank Mir
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Dec 16, 2009 at 1:35 pm ET

Shane Carwin (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) said he's agreed to a reported UFC 111 fight with Frank Mir (13-4 MMA, 11-4 UFC) that's expected to earn the winner an interim heavyweight title.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported early this morning that the two heavyweight contenders had been targeted for the March 27 event, which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Carwin, who was slated to fight champ Brock Lesnar until the title-holder's recent illness, said he today accepted the Mir fight but still hopes to fight Lesnar someday.

"I do hope to someday get the opportunity to punch Brock a few times and hope he has a speedy and full recovery," Carwin wrote on his official Web site, shane-carwin.com.

Carwin said bout agreements haven't been signed but that he expects the Mir fight to be his next bout.

The fight marks the undefeated competitor's first in a year; he hasn't competed since his UFC 96 victory over Gabriel Gonzaga, and scheduled bouts with Velasquez (UFC 104) and Lesnar (UFC 106 and then UFC 108) ultimately failed to materialize.

However, he expects a competitive matchup with Mir, who recently rebounded from a July loss to Lesnar with a quick beatdown of Cheick Kongo this past weekend in the UFC 107 co-main event. The former champ has now won four of his past five fights.

"I will have been out of the octagon for about a year when this fight happens, but I expect to be in the best shape of my life," stated Carwin, who's posted 11 first-round stoppages in his 11 career wins. "I have a ton of respect for my proposed opponent. He has a good stand up game and can be effective on the ground. The only way to become the best fighter is to continually challenge yourself against the best fighters in the world."

I sure hope Carwin puts Mir out for good.

 

[Colin Gimp]

I love Frank Mir. I love everything about him. But I also have a sick love for Brock Lesnar and Jesus christ can he face anyone else other then Mir for a change.

Mir is going to destroy Carwin. Mir is a seasoned intelligent fighter who currently is 20+ pounds bigger, really pissed off and is improving every fight. Carwin's only strength, his brute strength and heavy hands isn't going to matter against the improved boxing and among other things of Frank Mir.

Mir's intelligence decimated Kongo, who took advantage of Kongo's weak ground game and knowledge of wrestling with that head movement with the overhand. Mir made Kongo his bitch before the fight even happened and then look what happened.

When you got Frank Mir raging and embarrassed, you have the best mir we've ever seen, Carwin is just there because the division sucked and Lesnar needed a opponent

 

[xtremebadass]

I agree with you on some things, mostly the fact that Lesnar doesn't face anyone besides Frank Mir. I think that's BS, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles. I miss the days of Lesnar vs. Herring, and Lesnar vs. Couture.

 

[Wordlife]

MIR IS GOING DOWN, NO IF ANDS OR BUTS

Don't get me wrong, Mir is a damn good fighter, but his trashtalk just pisses me off WAY too much. Good fighter, too big of a mouth

He killed Kongo, damn good fight, can he do that to Carwin? Sure? But will he? Doubt it

 

[Wrestling Station]

Even if he wins this bout, he will be fucked like a pussy from Lesnar. Again.

 

[phantomgerald]

I hate MIR, but I sure as hell respect his determination. Look at how much he bulked up over such a short time. It's obvious he's serious about wanting to get a rubber match against Lesnar and I respect him deeply for that.

 

[Weebo]

No where in the interview does it say this fight WILL be for the Interim Title so dont jump to assumptions bro.

 

[monkeystyle]

I know Mir just destroyed Kongo but he just had a title shot and got his face pounded in. If they are going the interim title route it should be Carwin versus the winner of Noguiera and Velasquez.

 

[Quintastic One]

Or to get UFC a champion right now they could just do Mir Vs. Carwin or Nogueira Vs. Velasquez, whichever is coming first becomes the champion since they are all pretty much on the same level. Then the winner of the second fight can be #1 contender, and we can have another title fight lined up rather than having to wait ANOTHER 6+ months just to get a definitive world champion.

Lesnars going to crush anyone who is holding the Interim Title in his return fight anyway so it's not like it matters. But I gotta imagine some UFC fans are getting pissed that the Heavyweight Division hasn't had a title fight for the past 7 shows. If UFC followed their normal scheduling then that woulda equated 7 months without a title fight. And if we have to wait for Carwin Vs. Mir and Velasquez Vs. Nogueria and THEN give the winners proper time to prepare for a title fight, that's going to be another 3-6 months.

This isn't Strikeforce. Our title fights shouldn't be only defended once every year or so. lol.

 

[Wrestling Station]

^ true.

Hopefully Lesnar gets back to what he accomplished and not get a step back due to the lack of training for so long now.

 

[Quintastic One]

Well if Mir gets the title you can be pretty sure Lesnar will have an easy time getting the title back. lol.

Isn't it sad that for your heavyweights, Mir is a cut above the rest yet Lesnar is far superior to him? No wonder UFC was having such a hard time lining up non Mir opponents for Lesnar. lol.

 

[xtremebadass]

No where in the interview does it say this fight WILL be for the Interim Title so dont jump to assumptions bro.

Well that all depends on a couple weeks when Dana releases the status of Lesnar. If Lesnar can't fight this is for the Interim belt.

I think if this happens for the interim belt, that is like screw job 2 to Velasquez. He fights his ass off every 3-4 months only to keep being looked over for the title.