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Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

Lesnar out of UFC 106: Who will fight Carwin?

By Steve Cofield

UFC 106 is officially cursed. Already dealing with slow ticket sales, the Nov. 21 event in Las Vegas has lost it's biggest drawing card Brock Lesnar. According to Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, Lesnar is suffering from a bout with the flu and had to pull out. Earlier this month, Mark Coleman had to bail from the card and his fight against Tito Ortiz. UFC hit a home run tabbing Forrest Griffin to face Ortiz. Can they do it again? 

UFC has to make every effort to keep Carwin on the card. He's gained some great traction on the web via Twitter and videos. Who are the top options to fill in?

1. Cain Velasquez - The UFC can ask, but it's pretty crazy for Velasquez to turn around in less than three weeks, potentially blowing his title shot by losing to Carwin.

2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - Big Nog wants a shot at the title, make him go through Carwin. The same goes for Carwin. This would be a tremendous stylistic matchup. 

3. Junior Dos Santos - It's short notice but the young Brazilian should jump at it. A win would get him right in there with Lesnar. He's scheduled to fight in January against Gabriel Gonzaga.

4. Frank Mir - Mir just left Ken Hahn and Striking Unlimited. One would assume he's actively training as we speak. But does he want to matchup against another huge wrestler?

5. Andrei Arlovski - This seems crazy but Arlovski is still a fan favorite and a guy capable of beating top heavyweights. He's training in stints with Greg Jackson and tabled the boxing nonsense. Why not?  

UPDATE: Carwin tweeted at 4:50 p.m. ET that fight is rescheduled for Jan. 2. If that's true it leaves a huge hole on this card. The UFC needs to stack this card without Lesnar and Carwin on it. 

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161 Comments

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  1. B M
    1. Posted by B M Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    either Nog or nobody. Assess how long Brock will be out. If he can fight at UFC 109-110, then sit Carwin out until then. If it's later than that, give him Nog and see what happens.
  2. The One and Only Aaron
    2. Posted by The One and Only Aaron Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    I think the UFC has to push the fight back. I think a Lesnar vs. Carwin fight is big enough to wait on.
  3. Doc Martin
    3. Posted by Doc Martin Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    I think Nog would be the logical first choice, Carwin was getting a shot, Nog picked it up in his last fight and is in consideration as well. If Cain could get cleared, that would be awesome as well. Dos Santos hasn't been main card hyped enough to make him a viable choice. Frank Mir would be bad, because if Mir wins, is anybody going to want to see Mir vs. Lesnar again? Maybe Mir vs Nog again, but not Lesnar. Arlovski would be a horrible choice, I think he's poisoned fruit. If Arlovski wins he would taint the whole UFC HW division. It would take the luster of UFC's HW division that is just now gaining traction. Arlovski is just dangerous enough to catch Carwin, and that would make Nov 7 Strikeforce fight looked upon in a whole different light.
  4. R P
    4. Posted by R P Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:34 pm EDT

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    Sick with the flu for 3 weeks? Bull.
  5. g e
    5. Posted by g e Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

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    There's this thing called swine flu going around that's worse than ordinary flu RP. Maybe you're the last person on the planet who hasn't heard about it.
  6. scottdhansen
    6. Posted by scottdhansen Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    If he has been sick for a week or so Lesnar's entire training regiment is shot. He will need the time to recovery and resume a solid training regiment.
  7. J magic
    7. Posted by J magic Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    I want to see Cain Velasquez take the fight. He been on a role and thats what I want to see.
  8. Black Steve-O
    8. Posted by Black Steve-O Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    It happens. Something that hangs on for weeks usually starts out flu and then progresses to pneumonia though.
  9. Smokin Joe Fraze
    9. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    They will likely move Tito vs Forrest to the main event. This is going to be an awful card. Things are going from bad to worse for the UFC right now. Dana must be livid.
    Cofield, truthfully none of them should jump at it. 3 weeks to train isn't going to cut it. Not all fighters stay in "fight shape" 24/7. Rampage has been known to balloon up to 250lbs when he's not scheduled for a fight, Anthony Johnson ballooned up to 220lbs. Making weight won't be the issue since it's at HW but Nog fought Couture at 232 lbs which is his normal fight weight but he came into the fight with Herring at 244lbs and the fight with Mir at 247 lbs. I doubt he's in fight shape right now, he needs a full training camp. Maybe Dos Santos could step up but realistically if anyone accepts the fight with Carwin, other than Cain, that particular fighter will be a huge underdog for not having anywhere near a full training camp. I think the UFC will end up having to drop Carwin from the card. IMO anyone accepting the fight on 3 weeks notice would be foolish.
  10. Smokin Joe Fraze
    10. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    g e, Lesnar says it's not H1N1.
  11. Scott A
    11. Posted by Scott A Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

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    I dont buy the flu bull. Something else is going on. Unable to train 3 weeks my ass. If this is true Lesnar is a bigger [profane] than I imagined. Suck it up and drive on. Its not like you broke a bone or tore a ligament Jerf Off
  12. AndreH
    12. Posted by AndreH Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

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    Agree with R P, whatever it is *cough*roids*cough* it's not the flu
    That said I think Big Nog would be best, and then maybe JDS , but Velasquez wouldn't risk blowing his streak, Mir wouldn't risk another loss and Andrei has been embarassingly KO'd too much lately to risk such a heavy hitter. (Also would White want to risk his heaviest-hitting HW not being able to finish Arlovski the way Rogers did? Might look bad for the UFC)
  13. dean
    13. Posted by dean Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:48 pm EDT

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    carwin vs velasques GREAT FIGHT
  14. CHRIS M
    14. Posted by CHRIS M Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    4. Posted by R P
    Sick with the flu for 3 weeks? Bull.
    My girl has been sick with the flu for just about 3 weeks, with the last week being a lot better. but it still has been 3 weeks. no way in hell he could have been training.
  15. Michael H
    15. Posted by Michael H Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    Are you kidding me! Fighters - Fight - It's not like thier starting from scratch - at this point as pro's they just need to learn thier opponent adjust some things and come up with a plan - He is Scarred and he's not the only one that knows it - and you know what he should be!
  16. mrbk
    16. Posted by mrbk Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:50 pm EDT

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    wtf!!!!!!!!???????? i was waiting to see this fight dammit!!!!!!!! carwin was the only guy i could see beating brock...well besides cain velasquez......put cain in there...4get nog and the rest..they cant beat brock!!!!!
  17. jayyolf1
    17. Posted by jayyolf1 Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:51 pm EDT

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    #2 Big Nog would be awesome, but so would #4 Frank Mir.......either one of those would make me happy and want to watch the fight.
    "Already dealing with slow ticket sales, the Nov. 21 event in Las Vegas............" HAHAHAHAHAHA LMAO!!!!! That is what you get for charging fkkkking out of control ticket prices!!!
    Maybe now you guys will learn..........though I doubt it
    I would have been so pissed if I paid for a ticket to the Machida v. Shogun fight.........I'm glad I talked myself out of paying those rediculous prices!!!!! So in a way thanks ufc! LOL!!!
  18. jayyolf1
    18. Posted by jayyolf1 Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    Hey what about TODD DUFFEE???? That would be a cool fight!!!!
  19. Samson
    19. Posted by Samson Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    Nog-Carwin....should be interim title fight...winner gets Lesner....
  20. George
    20. Posted by George Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    Carwin has little to gain by risking his title shot. If anything, they should try and pluck 2 of those guys off the list to make a fight under the Ortiz-Griffin fight. Have Dos Santos and Nogueira fight with the winner getting the next title shot after Carwin.
    By the way, I love the internet tough guys that are telling Lesnar to "suck it up". Yea, i'm sure it's a great idea to risk your belt when you're not 100%, ask Nogueira how that turned out for him.
  21. the1upper08
    21. Posted by the1upper08 Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    we were discussing this over at armchairfighters.com & the consensus is for Junior Dos Santos to step up.
    JDS/Carwin....and the winner to face a healthy Lesnar down the line
  22. jayyolf1
    22. Posted by jayyolf1 Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:55 pm EDT

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    Actually you should just POSTPONE this fight..........'cause a replacement will just not do!!!!!
  23. jayyolf1
    23. Posted by jayyolf1 Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    POSTPONE IT!!!! nuff said!
  24. R P
    24. Posted by R P Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    The flu doesn't last 3 weeks. Not even swine flu. 3 weeks it is something else... maybe something that looks like the flu but certainly not influenza. Maybe it's an undiagnosed allergies... maybe it's AIDS... maybe the whole thing is made up in some contract dispute... who knows?
  25. KJ-MMA Armchair
    25. Posted by KJ-MMA Armchair Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:57 pm EDT

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    It's been postponed to boost the end of year show. Just like Mir was 'injured' for 98 and coincidentally boosted UFC 100.

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