In one of the most hyped UFC fights of all time, if not the most, Brock Lesnar defeated Shane Carwin at UFC 116 via arm triangle. It was a spectacular fight in which Shane Carwin dominated Brock Lesnar in the first round. Lesnar did not seem like himself during the first round, being out-punched by Carwin by over 30 shots. The referee could have stopped the fight on more than one occasion, but Brock was able to defend himself. Round two was all Lesnar as Lesnar finished Carwin via submission.
Lesnar claimed at the end of the fight that, "I stand before you a humble champion and I'm still the toughest SOB around." He better remain the toughest SOB because his next opponent is undefeated phenom Cain Velasquez.
Velasquez is 8-0 with wins over the likes of, Cheick Congo, Ben Rothwell, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, with seven wins coming via KO or TKO. Although Velasquez may lack experience in the octagon in comparison to other UFC heavyweight fighters, he makes up for that being a well-rounded fighter. Velasquez is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a two-time All-American Division One NCAA wrestler, and has great punching power, demonstrated via his KO of Nogueira at UFC 110.
Rumors are that the bout will take place at UFC 119 and discussions between both fighters are taking place this week. With Brock announcing that he went back to the gym yesterday, UFC 119 in September would make sense. But don't expect any final announcement for some time. And don't get too excited about seeing this match up in September. Brock's wife is due with their second child in a few months and UFC 119 could coincide with her delivery date. Lesnar vs. Velasquez could also be scheduled for UFC 120.
Whether the fight takes place at UFC 119 or UFC 120, Brock is in store for another tough fight. Although Brock was considered unstoppable by many, UFC 116 proved that there are some holes in his game. Can Velasquez exploit them and walk out of the octagon the new UFC Heavyweight Champion? The answer will be revealed soon enough.
For questions and comments e-mail James or check out Cage and Ring Fan for more MMA articles and interviews.
Comments