However, while away from competition,Carwin isn’t ignoring what is happening in MMA. Recently, Carwin went online to show his level of respect for recently beaten former champion Cain Velasquez. Velasquez dropped the UFC heavyweight title to Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC on FOX: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos this past weekend.

“I know we are about to call the Cain hype train derailed. I want to remind you guys how young and talented he is,” Carwin wrote on The Underground. “Junior hits hard and is accurate. This should not be a surprise to any of you. Cain is a young talented fighter and if you want to see the qualities of a UFC Champion you have to look no farther than Cain. Everyone loses it is what they do with that loss that deflates them. I am certain that Cain will be a champion again.”

Carwin lost to dos Santos earlier this year in a #1 contender bout after replacing Brock Lesnar in the fight. He also lost to Lesnar in his fight prior to meeting dos Santos. The 12-2 Carwin has finished all dozen of the opponents he’s beaten including seven TKOs and five submissions. He holds notable past wins over Gabriel Gonzaga and Frank Mir.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Carwin recently revealed through his blog he will be undergoing back surgery and hopes to return to the UFC in 2012.

“As I ramped up my training for UFC 141, my body locked up during training. It wasn’t like the Brock Lesnar fight, but my back just tightened up and I froze,” Carwin wrote. “I scheduled a MRI and the results showed that my disc in my lower back is into the nerves. My doctor gave me two options; retire, and I could probably go on for a few years without surgery, or I could undergo surgery and continue my career.”

Carwin’s statement about preparing for a December 30 fight acknowledges the UFC was talking with him about a potential bout even though nothing has been mentioned from the organization. The December card features a contendership determining bout between Lesnar and former Strikeforce heavyweight title-holder Alistair Overeem.

For Carwin, the option of surgery, “was easy.”

“I have unfinished business,” Carwin concluded. “The UFC had me lined up to face one of the best in the world and I am confident I have everything I need to be a champion. I am scheduling surgery and I hope to return to the Octagon by spring or summer 2012.”

Carwin has not competed since June where he fell via Unanimous Decision to Junior dos Santos after absorbing a ton of damage throughout the bout.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Lesnar stated his options at this point are to either get surgery to correct the issue or live with the affliction for the rest of his life. However, he did make it clear he was not retiring.

“This is not the end of my fight career,” Lesnar explained. “I’ve just got to find the rest solution to fix this problem. I love this sport. I love what I do. This isn’t the end of Brock Lesnar. This is just a speedbump in the road.”

Rather than cancelling Lesnar’s headlining bout with Dos Santos on June 11 the UFC has replaced the decorated amateur wrestler with Shane Carwin who had been in the process of training for a fight at the event against newcomer Jon Olav Einemo. The 12-1 Carwin was last seen in action this past July against Lesnar in a title-fight at UFC 116 and had finished all twelve of his previous opponents prior to the second round submission loss.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Dana White made the announcement during a live chat with The Seattle Times.

Carwin had been steamrolling everyone in his way leading up to his UFC 116 bout with then UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. After a dominating first round that saw Carwin rock and nearly finish Lesnar, Carwin drastically slowed down in the second round and was eventually taken down and tapped out by Lesnar. Carwin was originally scheduled to return to action at UFC 125 against Roy Nelson but neck surgery forced him off the card. After successful surgery, Carwin returned to training on January 4.

Einemo hasn’t been seen in MMA since November 2006, where he submitted James Thompson. His most notable MMA fight was a PRIDE 31 bout against Fabricio Werdum, where he lost by unanimous decision. Einemo won the 2003 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, submitting Alexandre Ferreira in the 88-98 kg weight class finals. Einemo trains with Team Golden Glory and is the only man to defeat Roger Gracie in ADCC competition He was signed by UFC on March 7.

UFC 131 is scheduled for June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Center in Vancouver, Canada. The event will be headlined by a heavyweight showdown between Ultimate Fighter 13 coaches Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos.

“King Mo” Lawal Ready to Talk Trash Again (MMAFighting.com)

Jason Miller Thinks Nick Diaz is a “Bitch” (CagePotato.com)

Kenny Florian Throws Down with Dave Camarillo…in Street Fighter II (MiddleEasy.com)

Cain Velasquez Hits the Talk-Show Circuit (WatchKalibRun.com)

Want a Chance to Win Some Gear from JACO? (FIGHT! Magazine)

Get to Know Rising Prospect Charles Oliveira (MMAScraps.com)

Winner of Yushin Okami vs. Nate Marquardt Guaranteed a Title Shot (Heavy.com)

An Update on the Shane Carwin Injury-Situation (MMAConvert.com)

Five Lessons Learned from UFC 121 (Versus.com)

News of the decision came via Carwin’s website where he elaborated on the situation, as well as why he felt it was in his best interest to get healthy before re-entering the ring.

“As many of you know I have been having some back pain. I had an MRI yesterday and I have some damage that may really require surgery. If the doctors do not have to perform surgery then I will be out 8-12 weeks. If they do have to perform surgery I do not know how long I will be out of action.

I was really looking forward to fighting again and obviously this is a very disappointing turn of events. My manager said “You can’t fight the best fighters in the world with just heart, it is time to stop limping to the top of the mountain and get healthy so you can climb it on your terms.” I have been up all night thinking about this decision and what I may be missing by making it.

In the end my family and manager are right. I owe myself, I owe my fans the best show I can give them. I need to get healthy. I am going to be speaking with the surgeon this week about the surgery. My thoughts are if the surgery fixes it why add 8-12 weeks of physical therapy, epidurals and traction if surgery may still be needed.

The good news is the doctors said I can work on my cardio (they must have seen my last fight lol) with this injury.”

Carwin started off his career with twelve straight first-round finishes and nearly defeated then-UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar at UFC 116 last July before falling victim to exhaustion and a subsequent second-round submission.

As stated earlier, the opening created by Carwin’s departure from the January 1st, 2011 event leaves Nelson without a foe to face at UFC 125 though it seems likely a replacement will be named in the coming weeks. “Big Country” is coming off a decision-loss to top heavyweight contender Junior dos Santos in August at UFC 117 after putting together back-to-back TKO wins over Brendan Schaub and Stefan Struve.

Lightweight champ Frank Edgar will defend his strap against the only individual to beat him, Gray Maynard, in the evening’s main event. Edgar lost a unanimous decision to Maynard in April 2008 before going on to win six straight bouts including two consecutive wins over former title-holder BJ Penn. Comparably, Maynard has won five fights in a row over a list of opponents featuring Nate Diaz, Roger Huerta, and most recently Ken Florian.

Also scheduled to see action on January 1st, 2011 in Las Vegas, Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson will settle their personal differences in the cage and help sort out the heavyweight contendership picture in the process. “Big Country” recently poked fun at Carwin’s alleged involvement in a steroid distribution ring with Carwin responding by taking verbal jabs at Nelson’s physique.

In addition to Edgar vs. Maynard II and Nelson vs. Carwin, the other “UFC 125 – Resolution” match-ups confirmed by the company are as follows:

Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi
Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera
Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann

Tim Kennedy Talks About Life as a Former Green Beret (MMAFighting.com)

UFC Lightweight Champ Frank Edgar Opens Up About his UFC 118 Rematch Against BJ PEnn (FIGHT! Magazine)

Ricardo Almeida Participates in Autism Benefit (MiddleEasy.com)

Mac Danzig Out of Fight Night 22 with Injury (CagePotato.com)

Bibiano Fernandes Still Waiting for DREAM Paycheck (MMAConvert.com)

Ten Jaw-Dropping Taekwondo Knockouts (MMAScraps.com)

“King Mo” Lawal Speaks About his Start in MMA (Heavy.com)

An In-Depth Look at the Shane Carwin Steroids Scandal (WatchKalibRun.com)

Mike Brown Back in Action at WEC 51 (Versus.com)

Carwin’s association with the operation was reported by a local Alabama online news outlet. The 12-1 Mixed Martial Artist was named in court documents as having received steroids at some point between April 2004 and August 2006 according to order-forms initialed by one of the recently-sentenced doctors linked to APS.

The 6’4″ power-packing knockout-specialist made his professional MMA debut in October 2005 and participated in a total of five fights during the span in question. No official comment has been released from Carwin’s camp in regards to his alleged involvement in the case.

“I wanted to tell you that I am now sponsored by the Night Time Nyquill. The interview during the TUF Finale was our attempt at gorilla marketing. If you were sleepy or felt “bored” by my interview then we hit our mark. Imagine what the actual product will do for you if I was able to put you to sleep with my words. Nyquill it helps you sleep like my right hand. Available at fine Pharmacies everywhere.

Man what a boring interview. They should have played the part where Goldberg was talking about going hunting with Brock.

No excuse but it was a lazy day and I had just been in a epic water balloon fight with my son and I was trying to keep a straight face. I will do better if they ever have me back.”

Carwin, who holds the UFC’s interim heavyweight title, will clash with Lesnar on July 3rd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. His knockout of former champ Frank Mir at UFC 111 this past March moved his record to 12-0 with the entire dozen coming by way of first-round finish.

Carwin, stuck in limbo while waiting to fight Lesnar, has not stepped into the Octagon since scoring a TKO win over Gabriel Gonzaga this past March at UFC 96. The 11-0 powerhouse who has yet to see the second-round in his career recently blogged his thoughts on Mir’s victory at UFC 107, the upcoming bout between highly ranked heavyweights Cain Velasquez and ”Minotauro” Nogueira, and what his plans are for the immediate future…

On Mir vs. Kongo: First of all I thought Frank had the MMA advantage in this fight. Kongo is a great fighter but Frank has been in the biggest fights of the UFC’s history and a three round co-main event is just another day in the office for Frank. I was surprised that he used his striking to set up his submission but I was not surprised he submitted Kongo. It is very hard to judge much of anything when a fighter wins so dominantly.

Much respect to Frank Mir who displayed why he is one of the best heavyweights ever.

On Velasquez vs. Nogueira: “My initial thoughts were how would Cain vs. Mir look? Cain had trouble with Kongo and he is supposed to be one of the elite contenders. Will Nogueira’s experience be too much for Cain?

A win like Frank had last night surely propels him to share the top of the division with Nog, Cain and myself. If beating Kongo was enough to propel (Velasquez) to number two contender status, destroying Kongo might edge Cain out. What is more compelling is that Mir made it out of that fight injury free so not only is he at the top of the division he is likely ready to fight sooner than later.”

On fighting Mir: “The main question I am getting is would I fight Frank? The answer is easy – YES. I am not a fighter who decides who he fights. I fight who I am told to fight. I like it that way. I am not trying to build a legacy I am trying to fight the best fighters in the world and determine where I fit in. Mir is a multiple-time Champion who has been counted out more than Mike Tyson to only find himself right back at the top. He is a LEGEND of the sport and I would be honored to fight him.”

On his current status: “My situation is this. When Brock was finally down and out with his illness, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva said to rehab my injuries and get better. I am doing just that (no surgery was required) and feel as if I am getting better. I am sparring and grappling again which are the big steps in getting in fight shape for any of the top heavyweights they put in front of me.

On February 11th my wife Lani is expecting our first child together, (I have a son we take care of) a girl named Lexi. This has been a tough pregnancy that has kept us on edge throughout the term. This is why I was unable to attend the fight with Cain in Australia that was offered.

In essence I have to fit into the UFC’s plans. I am waiting to see what they have planned for the division and where I fit into the overall plans. I am getting better every day, training hard and I know my time will come.”

Carwin further elaborated on the situation Tuesday in a series of posts on The Underground. When asked if he had heard from the UFC in regards to creating an interim heavyweight title and competing against Velasquez for it, Carwin responded, “We are in talks.”

He continued, “I have a knee I am rehabbing and a baby due on the eleventh of February. I am down to do whatever is best for the division. Not sure how important the belt is in that scenario. (There are) lots of great fighters at the top and lots of talented young guns on the way up right now.”

The undefeated knockout specialist hailing from Colorado also addressed his feelings on Lesnar’s health issues in great detail, expressing genuine concern for the champ’s well-being and wishing him a speedy recovery.

“I am sure most of you know I am not the leader of the Lesnar Fan Club. That being said, antics or not, he is OUR UFC HWT Champion. He beat a future Hall of Famer to keep that belt and he NEEDS our prayers and good thoughts right now.

At the end of the day I can take off my UFC shirt and say here is a man, a Champion that has been brought down by an illness not another man. It is very humbling if you think about it.

Brock has a wife, kid, and friends that depend on him to make their lives better. You do not have to support Brock and his antics but you should have respect for the human side of what is happening here.

This is not a ploy to sell more tickets. He is the biggest draw this sport has ever had. This is not him ducking me or any other fighter. This is about a man who is fighting an illness for his career, family and friends.

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.

My family and I send our thoughts and well wishes to Brock’s family, friends and training partners. We are indeed keeping you in our thoughts.

If you sit around bashing Brock or making fun of this because of his antics you might be the very same thing you despise. As an MMA fan, as a human be concerned that one of OUR OWN has fallen and needs our support.

Get well soon UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar.”

The reason according to Carwin on his official website: Mono, and supposedly Brock has a bad case of it.

Guys my manager Jason Genet just told me that UFC 108 is not happening. Brock has Mono and what the UFC has told me is that I have earned the title shoot but I have to wait for the title holder.

According to Google Health:

Mononucleosis, or mono, is often spread by saliva and close contact. It is known as “the kissing disease,” and occurs most often in those age 15 to 17. However, the infection may develop at any age.

The fever usually drops in 10 days, and swollen lymph glands and spleen heal in 4 weeks. Fatigue usually goes away within a few weeks, but may linger for 2 to 3 months.

No official word is currently available as to the status of the UFC’s heavyweight championship or Lesnar’s current condition.

Stay tuned to 5 Oz. as we continue to keep you up to date on this anticipated heavyweight showdown.

In the posting he goes on to talk about the effects of swine flu, which he himself actually suffered a recent bout of, as well as offered his take on how he was informed of Lesnar’s decision, an extremely poignant moment he experienced with a young fan in Los Angeles, and what exactly fighting the UFC title means to him…

On Being Sick: “Last week was the first week that I actually started feeling better from a strain of the swine flu. I had lost almost 23 pounds (something I could not afford to lose) and had just pulled some muscles in my leg during training. As UFC 104 approached my manager said, ‘We should be thankful we are not fighting from your re-broken nose to the leg this wasn’t our time’. As I prepared to go to UFC I began to realize what I had ahead of me and I began to panic a bit. I was due to be fighting for the UFC Heavyweight title. I called Jason back and said you are right, but I can’t go to Los Angeles I need to train. I was reminded about my commitments to the fans at Kmart and the Q&A, and I knew I had to go.”

On the Importance of Fans: In L.A. I was reminded exactly why we do this sport. Fans were all over the place and every interaction was a positive one. While at Kmart I meet a young man who competes in the Special Olympics and he said he looked up to us fighters. I was so taken back by the fact that he put us fighters on a pedestal. Here was this young man who defied incredible odds in life to reach the Olympics and he pushes himself every day to do things you and I take for granted. I was bitching about a flu, my leg (that would heal), and taking time away from training and this young man looks up to me? He gave me his Octagon necklace and I do not think he realized what an impact he made on me.

I knew right then that I was going to suck it up and drive on. Edward and the rest of Team Carwin would be the fuel to carry me through the rough times and make sure that come fight night I will be the champion. Edward’s life has been nothing but full of twist and turns of which he has very little choice on what happened to him, his choice is to not let his twist or turns take him off the his path in life.”

On the Lesnar News: “…when my phone rang and it was Kevin Iole from Yahoo sports asking for my comment on Brock pulling out of the fight I was disappointed and in shock. I had just convinced myself to walk through hell to fight this guy and a respected member of the media was asking for a comment. I immediately called my manager who informed me that it was news to him as well but for me to stay calm, don’t talk to anyone and wait for his call. My wife and I were in shock, it was like the opposite of when we got the news that we were fighting for the title. I wanted nothing more then for Kevin to be wrong.

Thirty minutes go by and (my manager) calls me back to say he was able to reach the UFC matchmaker and the fight was not happening and that Brock had been ill for “six weeks”. He informed me that all the UFC executives were in the TUF tryouts and we really needed to sit tight until we could hear from them what the next steps were.”

On the Delayed Title Bout: “Fighting for the UFC belt is my path and honestly Brock coming down with his illness only gives me more time to be in that much better shape. It is a blessing if you want to know the truth. I would have never pulled out of the fight. I would wheel myself to the cage if it was my choice. I know this is my destiny and I don’t need everything to be perfect. I just need my opportunity to show the world what I can do and who I am.

As I write this I still do not know what is in store for me in the near future. I have my own training wounds that need to heal, I have teammates preparing for fights and they need my help, and I want to be ready for whatever the UFC brings my way. I am not the star of the show. I really do not have any say in the matter. My job is to be ready when they need me, I will be. I pray that Brock gets better soon and that he and I can put this fight together. The fans want this fight and so do I. So we will just have to wait and see what the UFC has in mind for Team Carwin.

As I said I feel blessed to have the extra time to rehab my injuries and recover from the flu. I think that I am blessed to have an amazing team of people helping me and supporting me that it really doesn’t matter about the twist and turns of life because I know I am on the right path. If Edward can so can I. Who can really complain about your dreams being delayed a bit? I am lucky to be fighting for the best fans in the World, I am lucky to have an amazing family and the best coaches and team mates in the game.”

For the entire entry and others please visit his website.

As we speak, Octagon construction technicians are likely working at a feverish pace constructing the reinforced cage that will be required to withstand the impact when close to 550 pounds of stupid freakish strength locks horns on November 21 in Sin City.

Not known for biting his tongue when it comes to his……..  discontent with Lesnar, FiveOuncesofPain.com recently had the chance to catch up with Mr. Carwin to gather his thoughts on recent remarks made by the current UFC heavyweight champion to The Las Vegas Sun where the larger than life title holder had this to say:

He’s a tough guy. He’s undefeated, but some of the guys he’s beaten aren’t worthy of having on your record. He hasn’t fought anybody. He’s fought Gonzaga, so I really think he’s 1-0.

While Carwin will be the first to agree that “Napao” was one legit heavyweight he’s faced, he’d be lying if he said that Brock’s recent remarks haven’t further fueled the fire that has long been burning to put a beatdown on the outspoken money machine.

“I totally agree that Gonzaga was one tough fighter,” said Carwin. “Anyone in the cage is a tough guy and deserves respect. This is one of the reasons I am looking forward to this fight.”

Stepping the mudslinging up a notch, Carwin made it a point to remind Lesnar that unlike many of his bouts in the former WWE superstar’s previous career, the winner in this one will be far from predetermined, stating, “Brock forgets there were no scripts issued with the bout agreements. He better be training for a war because I will be.”

Although similar in stature, Shane would go on to explain that the pair couldn’t be any more opposite in his opinion.

“I feel like I have paid my dues and so have a lot of fighters waiting for their shot,” said the undefeated knockout artist. “Brock is what they call a “Draw”, he sells tickets, I am what they call a “Fighter”, I fight who I am told to fight the way my coaches train me too. We are different people and we treat people different. To me this sport is as much about respect and honor as it is paychecks sound bites.”

In the recent conversation with The Las Vegas Sun, Lesnar further went on to drag Carwin’s wrestling credentials into question, stating:

He’s a tough guy and a wrestler. But he’s a Division II national champion — enough said.

When it comes down to it, Carwin would like to point out that at the core, Lesnar has no idea who he is or where he came from, and he’d be wise not to make any ASSumptions in regards to the fellow goliath’s ability to hold his own on the canvas.

“I choose to go to a School that would allow me to play both sports and pursue my academic goals,” explained the former NCAA Division II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion. “I wasn’t raised to go to this program or that. I was raised in a house where sports came after the education and doing two sports meant even more work for me. I could have likely played football at any D1 college and likely would have been an All American but they would not let a full ride Football player wrestle. Just the same, I could have likely wrestled and been an All American at the D1 level but there were even fewer wrestling scholarships available and the Coaches were not interested in having big slow football players taking spots of dedicated wrestlers. Division II College really gave me the opportunity to both sports (that I loved) and embraced my academic pursuits.

“During my last year of football I totally focused on nothing but football and made it to the Sr. Bowl from a Div II College. Then after time away from the wrestling room I was able to return to wrestling shape and win a Div II National College Title.”

What it really comes down to is that it’s going to be a fight, not a wrestling match. We can go back and forth about wrestling credentials and mat superiority all day, but all that truly matters is that one man will remain conscious and the other will not when the dust settles in the Las Vegas desert in November.

Carwin was first to voice his opinion of the Heavyweight champion, giving Lesnar a ton of criticism after his successful title defense against Frank Mir, back at UFC 100.

Shortly after Lesnar avenged his only defeat as a professional against Mir, Lesnar looked like he was back in the WWE with his post fight antics. Carwin, when asked his opinion on the matter, was quoted as saying, “I hate that he disrespected the greatest sporting fans in the world and I can’t wait to fight him. Really it comes down to respect and I do not think that he respects the sport or the fans of this sport. He may be well known, but fame does not equal respect.”

Initially staying quiet, Lesnar has finally put in his opinion on the upcoming challenger in a recent interview with the Las Vegas Sun, explaining, “He’s a tough guy. He’s undefeated, but some of the guys he’s beaten aren’t worthy of having on your record. He hasn’t fought anybody. He’s fought Gonzaga, so I really think he’s 1-0.”

Lesnar, a Division I champion at the University of Minnesota back in 2000, continued, “He’s a tough guy and a wrestler. But he’s a Division II national champion — enough said. I don’t know what he is, 11-0, 10-0, but he’ll have a loss against Brock Lesnar.”

It appears as though Brock Lesnar may be making his first official heavyweight title defense against Shane Carwin at UFC 106.

The event is scheduled for November 21 from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and will also showcase a light-heavyweight bout between Tito Ortiz and Mark Coleman.

A recent report on MMAMadness.com citing sources close to the fight claimed the bout was set; however, when FiveOuncesOfPain.com was able to contact sources close to the promotion, they were unable confirm or deny the report.

5 Oz’s has since been able to confirm that negotiations for the bout are currently under way, but nothing is finalized at this time.

Carwin had previously been slated to meet Cain Velasquez at UFC 104.

Carwin will be making his return off of the most impressive performance in his career when he pulled himself from the canvas to knock Gabriel Gonzaga senseless in electrifying fashion. Undefeated in eleven professional bouts, Carwin has not been extended past the first round a single time in his beatdown littered career.

Lesnar will be defending his title he recently unified by obliterating Frank Mir with brutal ground and pound in the second round of their UFC 100 bout. He has taken the world of MMA by storm, winning the UFC heavyweight strap in a record amount of time, and compiling a record of 4-1 while avenging his sole defeat to the previously mentioned Mir.

The Octagon will likely need to be specially reinforced for the bout as both men should weigh in right around the 265 pound mark. Both guys are known for their dynamic wrestling ability, strength and dominance in the Octagon.

There were mixed emotions among the mixed martial arts community when 5 Oz. recently revealed that fellow undefeated heavyweight prospects Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez would be butting heads at UFC 104.

Many fans, myself included, were thrilled at the announcement. The two fastest rising prospects in the UFC’s big man division trying to beat one another into an unconscious stupor; What’s not to love.

Well there are quite a few out there that will tell you what’s not to love, and that’s the fact that one of these two unblemished titans will leave the arena that night….. well, blemished.

I say let the chips fall where they may. What better way to get to the bottom of exactly who the definitive contender to Brock Lesnar’s crown is than to have Shane and Cain figure it out the old fashioned way?

Apparently UFC matchmaker Joe Silva was thinking the same thing as it has been reported that the winner of this heavyweight slugfest in October is guaranteed a shot at Lesnar’s championship strap.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com recently had the opportunity to catch up with the educated smashing machine that goes by the name of Shane Carwin to get his quick thoughts on what is sure to be the most bout of his life up until this point in his career.

Cory Brady for FiveOuncesOfPain.com: So it’s going to be you and Cain in Los Angeles, I know there are a whole lot of fans already extremely excited about this upcoming fight and it’s still a few months away. What are your thoughts on Velasquez as an opponent and what he brings to the table?

Shane Carwin: The scouting report on Cain is that he is well rounded and has an unlimited gas tank. He is an aggressive fighter who posses a ton of skill. He trains with one of the elite camps in the world so I really expect him to be in top shape and ready to go.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: What were you able to take away from Cain’s last performance against Cheick Kongo? Were you impressed or would you say that you saw a few holes in his game that you feel like you’re going to be able to ultimately capitalize on?

Shane Carwin: I saw that Cain is ready to bang it out with the top of the division. When preparing for a fight my team and I really just build our game plan. You can’t ever control what your opponent is going to do so we focus on imposing our will. Cain is a legitimate contender and I hope that winner gets a shot.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: What are some of the major advantages you feel like you are going to possess over Velasquez going into this match-up?

Shane Carwin: It’s hard to say. I think my striking is an advantage but honestly you never know until you are in the cage. A good example was when Gabe took me down, we had drilled that situation so many times that it was like second nature getting back to my feet. You kind of go on auto pilot when the cage door closes. That is why a lot of guys say pre-fight “I am going to stand and bang” and they’re shot as soon as a single leg happens. You’re not thinking about your interviews or promises made to your fans. Your going over your game plan and looking for those situations your coaches told you would be there. My trainers Trevor and Christian don’t get the credit they deserve a lot of times.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: I know you’ve had to take some time off to recover from the nose surgery, how far out do you imagine you will start your training camp for this fight, and where do you plan on doing the bulk of your training?

Shane Carwin: I am always training. I have been back in the gym since the doctor cleared me. As soon as my team is back from The Ultimate Fighter we will crank up the training camp. Until then, I am working my fundamentals and strength and conditioning.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: How did you hook up with Renzo Gracie black belt Amal Easton, and what was the motivation behind your desire to obtain your black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Shane Carwin: I was introduced through Eliot Marshall. I really enjoyed Amal’s attitude and approach to training and it will be a good fit. My head trainer Trevor really encourages us to work with other people. Lately I have been training at the Olympic Training Center along with my other regular spots. I think BJJ is a critical component to becoming a great MMA fighter. As a wrestler it is important for me to increase my exposure to all of the various aspects of the sport. Christian Allen will always be one of my top coaches as well, he has been with me from the beginning and is amazing in all aspects of the game. I earned a Purple Belt under Nate Marquardt, whom is a fabulous instructor. I made the choice to start over as a White Belt and it was out of respect to Amal and his approach to training.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Honestly, how excited are you that you are finally just one fight away from your dream, a shot at the UFC heavyweight championship?

Shane Carwin: I think the UFC has shown time and time again that they give those shots to the guys that are the most exciting. You have Randy and Nogueira fighting, and then you have great guys like Junior Dos Santos. I am in awe of the fighters in the UFC Heavyweight Division, they have really built up the talent pool.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Thanks for taking this time with me Shane, is there anyone you would like to thank?

Shane Carwin: I would like to thank the fans of the sport without you guys none of this would be possible, so thank you. I want to thank my amazing team and coaches, my management company. Last but not least my sponsors Warrior Wear, MMAadnet, Max Muscle, Xyience, CarnalDammage, and www.shane-carwin.com.

There are one of two people that will be facing UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar in his next outing.

Heavyweight wrecking machines Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez have a date with destiny on October 24 at UFC 104 as the two undefeated goliaths will face off with one another to determine which is the decisive threat to Lesnar’s crown. The winner has been promised a title shot.

According to a recent blog posting on shane-carwin.com, the powerhouse from Colorado was far from impressed with Lesnar’s antics following his UFC 100 destruction of Frank Mir.

“I cannot say I was surprised by anything that night other then Brock’s reaction to beating a very tough Frank Mir,” Carwin was quoted as saying in the blog. “Frank is a legend and a great guy who got out powered not out classed. The sponsor issue, you need to talk to your manager, not the fans or Dana.

“The flipping off of the fans that just lined your pocket with millions of dollars is just LAME. He may be a Champion but he has a long ways to go before he earns the respect of a Champion. The fans are why we do this Brock, this sport is not about fat paychecks and drama, it is about hard work and sacrifice for a shot to do what you did last night. It doesn’t matter how much money you make if you can’t earn your peers respect and the respect and love of the greatest sporting fans in the world. We have no scripts in this sport, no pre-determined earning amount and no pre-determined outcomes. It doesn’t matter if you win or loose it matters how you win or loose.

“Every autograph I give, every hand I shake I am thankful that you give me the opportunity to be a part of your world. This is the greatest sport int he world and most of the athletes in it deserve the love and respect they get and some just don’t get it.”

There will be few men watching the heavyweight championship bout between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir at UFC 100 tomorrow evening as the undefeated smashing machine that goes by the name of Shane Carwin.

When it was recently announced that Carwin would be facing off with fellow undefeated heavyweight Cain Velasquez at UFC 104 it left little doubt; the winner of this fight will be getting the next crack at the the UFC heavyweight title.

With that in mind, FiveOuncesOfPain.com was able to catch up with Carwin just prior to UFC 100 to capture his thoughts on the most important fight of his life, that he’s not actually fighting in.

“Brock has the power and size advantage and Frank will be a dangerous threat on the ground,” explained the knockout artist from Colorado.

While Mir put on one of the most impressive performances of his career against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92, Carwin feels as if Big Nog was making his job easy for him to some extent.

“Frank’s boxing was impressive against Nogueira, but Nogueira was not adjusting his movements to avoid those strikes,” explained Carwin.

However, Shane just doesn’t envision Lesnar making those same mistakes.

“I think Brock will make the adjustments, and if he does, he should come out on top,” said Carwin.

So it’s official, Carwin’s got Lesnar going into UFC 100, but he’ll be the first to tell you not to count Mir out.

“Mir is an amazing fighter so anything can happen,” concluded Shane.