Roy Nelson: Shane Carwin Became an Afterthought As Soon As He Pulled Out of Their Fight
While the 16th season of The Ultimate Fighter is still airing on FX with coaches Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin, their fight has already been changed due to an injury.
Shane Carwin was forced out of his bout against Nelson due to a knee injury, and while it isn't the first time an Ultimate Fighter coaches fight didn't end up taking place, it's always disappointing on some level after months of build up, the reality show airing, and then the fight never happens.
Carwin first injured his knee earlier in the training camp getting ready for Nelson, but pushed through and continued to prepare for their Dec. 15 showdown. Eventually, however, the knee completely gave out and Carwin was forced to withdraw.
“I was thinking, again? This is the second time, not the first time; it's the second time,” Nelson said about Carwin's exit from the fight when speaking to MMAWeekly Radio.
The two coaches have gone back and forth on the reality show and on Twitter in the past, which fueled their grudge match headed for the Ultimate Fighter finale, but now it won't happen in December and there's no lock it will ever happen in the future either.
“The only time anybody ever talked about Shane was ‘Shane wanted to beat me up so bad.' Apparently not bad enough,” said Nelson.
As far as revisiting the rivalry at a later point, Nelson will leave that up to the UFC. If they choose to put the two fighters back together in a bout, he'll worry about Shane Carwin, but for now he's moved on to his new opponent Matt Mitrione.
Nelson isn't disappointed he doesn't get to settle things with Carwin because as soon as he heard the fight changed, his fellow Ultimate Fighter coach was the furthest thing from his mind.
“When someone brought it up, this isn't the first time it's like after I'm done fighting Shane, it's the last time I'll think of Shane. So I don't really think of Shane now; the only time is when people bring it up,” said Nelson.
“I moved on to Matt Mitrione.”
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