MMA Heavyweight Future at Stake
The UFC’s heavyweight division is as hot as it’s ever been, especially with a number of top contenders vying for their shot at the heavyweight champion. Unfortunately, the man atop the heavyweight mountain, reigning champion Brock Lesnar, has been sidelined by a serious case of diverticulitis, a bacterial infection in his intestinal tract.
Lesnar has been out of action since October, when the illness forced him to withdraw from a planned UFC 106 contest with challenger Shane Carwin. The former professional wrestling star’s return remained an uncertainty, until Lesnar announced in January that he expected to be active by the summer.
“We hope to see Lesnar back in the cage,” UFC president Dana White said following UFC 108’s pre-event presser. “He still has a lot to accomplish.”
Lesnar has proven to be one of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view draws and marketable stars. But in his absence, the UFC put together two key matchups to clear up the heavyweight title picture rather quickly.
In order to provide some clarity with Lesnar on the mend, the UFC announced that top contender Shane Carwin will face former champion Frank Mir for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 111 on March 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Meanwhile, a month before that fight, another important heavyweight matchup was staged at UFC 110 when red hot Cain Valasquez challenged the experienced veteran Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on Feb. 20 in Sydney, Australia.
Here is a closer look at these two intriguing match-ups.
Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira
This was as much a matchup of contrasting styles as it was a clash of youth versus experience. Velasquez had been on a tear ever since showing up in the UFC in April 2008. In just his sixth pro fight, Velasquez thoroughly dominated the more experienced Cheick Kongo on his way to a one-sided unanimous decision victory. In his fight at UFC 104, the proud 27-year-old Mexican American defeated another respected veteran when he stopped Ben Rothwell in two rounds.
Nogueira is considered by most as the second greatest heavyweight in the history of MMA. (Fedor Emelianenko is considered the number-one heavyweight.) The Brazilian Jiu-jitsu master is the only man to hold both the Pride FC and UFC heavyweight championship titles. The 38-fight veteran’s list of victims comprises a “who’s who” of heavyweights over the last decade. Aside from his fantastic submission skills, “Minotauro” is also noted for being one of the most durable fighters in the history of the sport, pulling out victory from the jaws of defeat on several occasions. At UFC 102, Nogueira defeated fellow MMA legend Randy Couture in what was one of the best fights of 2009.
This was seen as a huge step up in class for Velasquez. The opposing styles of both these fighters indicated the fight to be an action-filled tactical matchup.
Velasquez’ game plan in past fights had been to take his opponents to the mat with his superior wrestling and overwhelm them with strikes. But Nogueira is extremely dangerous off his back and always looks to catch his opponent with a submission.
Fight analysts pondered if Nogueira’s experience and Jiu-jitsu mastery would prevail or if Velasquez’ unrelenting style would prove too much for the aging veteran?
The winner of this battle emerged as the number-one contender for a shot at the winner of the Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin title fight, or possibly against Lesnar himself.
Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin, UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship
Carwin is a hulking heavyweight with knockout power. The 6’1”, 265lb. Carwin has turned a lot of heads ever since he stepped foot into the octagon in May 2008. A former national wrestling champion with dynamite in his fists, Carwin has made quick work of all three of his opponents in the UFC. Christian Wellisch, Neil Wain, and Gabriel Gonzaga were all first-round KO victims of Carwin’s destructive power.
Mir is a former two-time heavyweight champion. The 30-year-old has won four of his last five fights, and recently put on the necessary muscle and weight to face the biggest challengers in the heavyweight division. Mir is refocused on earning back the world title since losing to Brock Lesnar at UFC 100. 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.
For Mir, Carwin presents a very similar style matchup as did Lesnar and to many, this is a clash pitting Carwin’s brute power against Mir’s superior technique. Mir’s improved striking was on display in his last fight against Kongo, but does he dare trade with the heavy-handed Carwin? Another point of interest is Carwin’s conditioning; the undefeated Colorado native has never been put to the test, as all of his 11 professional fights have ended in the first round. It will be interesting to see if Mir chooses to take the fight to the ground where he can utilize his Jiu-jitsu or decide to make it a stand-up slugfest.
A Contender On The Rise…
Junior Dos Santos must be included in any discussion involving the UFC’s top heavyweights. The 6’3” Brazilian is a fast-rising contender who has made lots of noise as of late. The heavy-handed Dos Santos has knocked out notable heavyweights Fabricio Werdum, Stefan Struve, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović, and in his most recent fight at UFC 109, he scored a first-round KO of former Pride Star Gilbert Yvel. With that impressive win, Dos Santos now moves one step closer to an eventual title shot in the UFC’s heavyweight ranks, but whom that fight would be against is unknown.