<!-- h2>News Item</h2 --> by Dann Stupp on Oct 26, 2010 at 10:30 am ET 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.
They could throw in Schaub I guess...but I think the fight would end the same way Mir sounds better but they are more likely saving him for Lesnar Is Big Nog injured? If not that would be the best replacement I think...
yeah that's what i figured too. But maybe they could still put the two together and have the winner fight Brock? It depends how big this fight UFC want this to be....they could bring in another co-main event and have Nelson face off with a solid, if not that good, opponent. Kongo and Browne are just coming off that draw.
With the can't-miss borefest of Edgar-Maynard as the main event, the co main event on this card needs to be solid. Nelson-Carwin was a good matchup. How about if Dana getting Couture to step in for Carwin? Everyone loves Randy. He hasn't fought since the easy win over Toney. And Nelson-Couture could be fun. Something tells me, whether it's against Nelson or someone else, that Couture gets tapped to fight in the co main event of this card. The UFC needs some help selling this one now, and Couture is a good draw.
good shout. I think Couture sees himself as a 205er, but he's probably realistic enough to know that he is a long way off from getting a title shot there. He may as well take the fights as they come to him.
I don't think Dana would throw him in with Nelson. I think Dana is planning to feed Randy a couple of more cans and then give him a shot at the 205 title.
i was contemplating on going to this fight. guida vs. gomi still intrigues me as does kim vs. diaz, but the main event still sucks ass. definitely not worth going since the real main event isnt happening.
To me, this might be the best fight on the card. I hope it gets bumped up to the main card. It is worthy.
yea, i think kim's underrated. too bad he's always getting sidelined w/ injuries. diaz should try to keep it standing as long as he can.
Randy announced a few weeks ago that he is focusing his energy on acting because, at his age (47), he needs to remain economically viable. He is taking a hiatus from fighting although he did not say he was retiring. His last movie went #1 at the box office and he's looking to cash in.
You can hardly call The Expendables Couture's movie. It was no more his movie than it was Steve Austins. The reason it went number one was because of Stallone/Schwarzenegger/Willis/Jet Li/Rourke. I don't see how him simply appearing in it will raise his stock in Hollywood too much.
Well, it looks like I have my answer. It appears Aldo has been added to UFC 125. The first UFC 145 pound title fight would make a great co main event. If it could be against Florian this suddenly becomes one of the more interesting UFC cards.
Agreed. Thats what makes me shake my head. Oblviously he will be typecast in minimal "tough-guy" roles as support for bigger name actors. Its a cool opportunity for sure but he wont be walking red carpets for the next 20 years.........
