Carwin out of 125

[Atlas]

A back injury and expected surgery have forced Shane Carwin (12-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) out of his UFC 125 co-main-event fight with fellow heavyweight Roy Nelson (15-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC).

After dealing with back pain, the former title challenger underwent an MRI on Monday that detected an injury that "may really require surgery," he wrote on his official website, shane-carwin.com.

UFC officials have not announced his withdrawal from the UFC 125 card, which takes place Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Carwin vs. Nelson was slated as the co-headliner behind a lightweight title fight between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard, which airs on pay-per-view.

With ample time available, UFC officials likely will find a replacement for Carwin. Theoretically, UFC 121 fighters Brock Lesnar (who lost his title to Cain Velasquez) and Brendan Schaub (who defeated Gabriel Gonzaga) are options. So, too, is Frank Mir, who's coming off a September win over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

"If the doctors do not have to perform surgery, then I will be out eight to 12 weeks," Carwin wrote. "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."

Carwin stated that he struggled with the decision but ultimately decided he needs to be fully healthy to compete in the UFC.

"This is a hard decision but the right one, and I hope Team Carwin can stand by me through this period of my career," he wrote. "No one wants to get me back to winning more than me. I just need to be healthy to do it."

Carwin hasn't fought since UFC 116, when he suffered a second-round submission loss to then-heavyweight champ Lesnar. Carwin nearly ended the fight in the first round with a vicious barrage of punches, but Lesnar survived and then capitalized on a quickly fading Carwin to secure a fight-ending arm-triangle choke. Prior to the loss, the former interim champ had posted 12 consecutive wins, all of which came via first-round stoppage.

Like Carwin, Nelson also looks to rebound from a recent high-profile loss. The former IFL champion won "The Ultimate Fighter 10," which he entered as a heavy favorite, by knocking out Brendan Schaub in the finale. He then posted a 39-second knockout of Stefan Struve. But in a fight that UFC president Dana White said would earn the winner a title shot, Nelson dropped a decision to fast-rising Junior Dos Santos at UFC 117.

. : : LINK : : .

That really blows and for several reasons. First off, this bout is scheduled to co-headline the card and with no Carwin, Brock, JDS, and Cain, what legit heavyweight is left to fill in and give Big Country solid competition? More importantly, this fight was supposed to be one part of what I suspected to be a hell of a heavyweight trilogy. I'm talking Carwin vs. Nelson taking on the winner of Brock vs. Mir III...for the right to take on the winner of Cain vs. dos Santos. No Carwin/Big Country would most likely signal the winner of the Brock, Mir rubber match is thrust back into a title bout. I can see an argument for Brock getting to avenge his title loss but I see no argument for Mir, who is seemingly in ever other title/interim title fight within the past few years. Lastly, we all love Big Country and had he found a way to beat Carwin at 125, he would of been right back into the mix for the #1 contendership.

Either way, let us not forget about Carwin as he's probably going to be sidelined well into 2011.

 

[Shaka]

That really blows and for several reasons. First off, this bout is scheduled to co-headline the card and with no Carwin, Brock, JDS, and Cain, what legit heavyweight is left to fill in and give Big Country solid competition? More importantly, this fight was supposed to be one part of what I suspected to be a hell of a heavyweight trilogy. I'm talking Carwin vs. Nelson taking on the winner of Brock vs. Mir III...for the right to take on the winner of Cain vs. dos Santos. No Carwin/Big Country would most likely signal the winner of the Brock, Mir rubber match is thrust back into a title bout. I can see an argument for Brock getting to avenge his title loss but I see no argument for Mir, who is seemingly in ever other title/interim title fight within the past few years. Lastly, we all love Big Country and had he found a way to beat Carwin at 125, he would of been right back into the mix for the #1 contendership.

Either way, let us not forget about Carwin as he's probably going to be sidelined well into 2011.

Just when the Heavyweight division was getting back to the glory days and taking over the UFC. This is a tough loss for the sport. Thankfully MMA is a sport that a year in recovery means you miss 2 maybe 3 fights. That's always nice.

With Mir set to fight Lesnar I doubt the UFC would want to lose such a great money maker just to give Country a fighter. I'd hate to think Big Nog will get the nod. Maybe it's time the UFC makes an offer for Fedor and tell him to prove himself? haha

Really don't know who they will put against him.

 

[Pugz]

i would really love to nust see dana suck it up and pay for fedor and his brand. this is huge as atlas stated.

 

[Shaka]

i would really love to nust see dana suck it up and pay for fedor and his brand. this is huge as atlas stated.

Ya. This would be the time to grab Fedor imo.

 

[Pugz]

fedor would climb to the top in the ufc. ive been wanting to see him fight for the 'ship so bad.

 

[snipezo]

I don't think Fedor will ever sign with the ufc. He already stated that he is not a fan of ufc. I mean that all change if the ufc offers him a contract he can't refuse though. Carwin injury is definitely A huge blow for ufc 125. I hope he recovers quickly.

 

[Atlas]

You guys need to come to terms with the fact that Fedor will never fight in the UFC. His demands for co-promotion with M-1 Global isn't something Dana is willing to even think about & Fedor feels like he has nothing to prove by fighting in the UFC. At this point, I think Dana is done pursuing Fedor and being that Fedor lost to Werdum straight up, Dana feels like the question of whether or not Fedor is the unbeatable heavyweight has been answered. Another thing to keep in mind, Fedor's camp has always had a lot influence when it comes to picking who he's fights and when. Every other promotion on the planet allows Fedor's camp to be picky and do what Dana White would never let them do, dictate the division. Fedor won't commit to fighting Overeem right now, hasn't for about a year, and there's a possibility he never will. This fact doesn't bode well for those who have every hoped to see Fedor vs. Brock, vs. Cain, vs. whoever the UFC has to offer.

 

[Atlas]

(Double Post)

 

[Shaka]

You guys need to come to terms with the fact that Fedor will never fight in the UFC. His demands for co-promotion with M-1 Global isn't something Dana is willing to even think about & Fedor feels like he has nothing to prove by fighting in the UFC. At this point, I think Dana is done pursuing Fedor and being that Fedor lost to Werdum straight up, Dana feels like the question of whether or not Fedor is the unbeatable heavyweight has been answered. Another thing to keep in mind, Fedor's camp has always had a lot influence when it comes to picking who he's fights and when. Every other promotion on the planet allows Fedor's camp to be picky and do what Dana White would never let them do, dictate the division. Fedor won't commit to fighting Overeem right now, hasn't for about a year, and there's a possibility he never will. This fact doesn't bode well for those who have every hoped to see Fedor vs. Brock, vs. Cain, vs. whoever the UFC has to offer.

I don't have to come to terms with it lol. I know all about the Fedor situation.

I'm just stating if there ever was a time it would be right now.

 

[Pugz]

I don't have to come to terms with it lol. I know all about the Fedor situation.

I'm just stating if there ever was a time it would be right now.

pretty much. im saying the same.

 

[Atlas]

I don't have to come to terms with it lol. I know all about the Fedor situation.

I'm just stating if there ever was a time it would be right now.

But it's just not going to happen. I've long accepted it and I will admit that I get tired of hearing people talk about it. I loved Fedor's Pride career but I'm over him and I just don't have that desire to see Fedor vs. whoever the UFC's top heavyweight is anymore. In my opinion, Alistair Overeem is the top heavyweight in the World right now. How about trying to lure him into the UFC at some point?

 

[Shaka]

But it's just not going to happen. I've long accepted it and I will admit that I get tired of hearing people talk about it. I loved Fedor's Pride career but I'm over him and I just don't have that desire to see Fedor vs. whoever the UFC's top heavyweight is anymore. In my opinion, Alistair Overeem is the top heavyweight in the World right now. How about trying to lure him into the UFC at some point?

I'm game for luring Overeem as well but you and I both know Fedor is a cash cow. Don't get tired of hearing people talk about it. That's all it is... just talk. There wouldn't be an ESPN if people didn't always ponder to the stars.

Unfortunately I think they will just pull Country off the card.

 

[Atlas]

I'm game for luring Overeem as well but you and I both know Fedor is a cash cow. Don't get tired of hearing people talk about it. That's all it is... just talk. There wouldn't be an ESPN if people didn't always ponder to the stars.

Unfortunately I think they will just pull Country off the card.

Fedor isn't as much of a cash cow in the U.S. as I thought he'd be. Maybe it's just me but I didn't see as many casual fans giving enough of a sh t that he even fought on that Strikeforce card. Those of us who are hardcore fans were glued to the set but unfortunately it's the casual fans who make or break the ratings. I won't take him off my list until it's proven but I seriously doubt Overeem has been clean all this time. Anyone who's ever seen what he used to look like at Middleweight would be able to tell the obvious.

No doubt, Big Country comes off the 125 card. Not a coincidence that Dana said Aldo will defend his new UFC 145-pound crown at 125. There you go, double-main event right there.

 

[Shaka]

Fedor isn't as much of a cash cow in the U.S. as I thought he'd be. Maybe it's just me but I didn't see as many casual fans giving enough of a sh t that he even fought on that Strikeforce card. Those of us who are hardcore fans were glued to the set but unfortunately it's the casual fans who make or break the ratings. I won't take him off my list until it's proven but I seriously doubt Overeem has been clean all this time. Anyone who's ever seen what he used to look like at Middleweight would be able to tell the obvious.

No doubt, Big Country comes off the 125 card. Not a coincidence that Dana said Aldo will defend his new UFC 145-pound crown at 125. There you go, double-main event right there.

Good point. Casual fans are tired of the Russian-like fighters they are forced to ingest in Rocky movies and Olympics lol.

Also.. Touche on bringing up Overeem's steroid use haha. That's another topic all together though. I wonder how much use there is in the sport. I can't imagine as much as many people think due to the limits steroids has on your agility. I know pot is pretty common in the sport though.

Nice to here Aldo get's the nod so early.