Shane Carwin training for Gabriel Gonzaga UFC 96 fight (Pics)

by MMAmania.com on Mar 3, 2009 8:58 AM EST

Props: Sherdog.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery)

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I cant see Carwin winning. He’s just too scrawny.

by BritishBulldog on Mar 3, 2009 9:01 AM EST reply actions

I have NO freaking idea how this fight will unfold. Both fighters can win standing or on the ground. Gonzaga is a beast, and I still odnt think we have seen Gonzaga fight to his potential, and thats scary!

Carwin has been steamrolling cans. He is destroying dudes in under a minute. NO one really knows just what Carwin is capable of, and what level he can compete at! That is what is so intruiging about this match up. NOt onlywill we get to see 2highly skilled hW MOnsters go at it, but we will finally get to find out exactly how good carwin is.

Anyone who tries to predict this fight is just fooling themselves. YOu are better off flipping a coin. Its unpredictable! No one has seen enough of Carwin to be able to produce a well informed prediction. All his fights end quickly. No one has seen his cardio. No one has seen him fight other top fighters. Not trying to knock Carwin because he is new to the sport, but those are the facts. its not an insult, its just the natural progression of a fighters Career.

Either way, we will be treated to a great fight on Saturday, but best of all it would help answer some of the many questions surrounding Carwins capabilities as a fighter.

Carwin: future Contender or Just Hype? We will find out on Saturday!

by john on Mar 3, 2009 9:19 AM EST up reply actions

Speaking of Heavyweight MOnsters….by now everyone should know, that Sergei Kharitonov is going to fight that TBA guy att he next DREAM event! What I did not know, is that Sergie has really bulked up and will be weighing in at about 265 lbs for his next fight, which is much heavier than he has ever weighed. I hear that he put on muscle, not Fat like Werdum did against Dos. I look forward to seeing how a beefed up Sergei performs. with a win or 2, its said that Sergei could Face Fedor next NYE in Japan, in a fight that Sergei desperately wants.

by john on Mar 3, 2009 9:29 AM EST up reply actions

thats awesome news! one of my favorite fighters!

by brendan on Mar 3, 2009 11:47 AM EST up reply actions

amazing news, cant wait to see the new sergei

but i think carwin is going to win

by Jared on Mar 3, 2009 5:55 PM EST up reply actions

i am a bigtime Sergie fan. It will be interesting to see him with his new weight. I am actually hoping that they match Sergei up against a K-1 guy at DREAM. I love watching Sergei box! I will never forget when he KO’ed a Fat Ninja at the 2004 HW Grand Prix…He melted NInja against the ropes!

I hope Sergei can move aropund with his new muscles!

what did he used to weight? about 235 lbs?

by john on Mar 3, 2009 6:02 PM EST up reply actions

I am staying away from this fight when it comes to betting. GG usually makes people look absolutely horrible if they’re not on his level. But he also folds when they are. Carwin is completely untested and i didn’t like the way he took Wain down as soon as he got tagged. Possible chin issue or at least fear of getting tagged in a non gym setting that is.

by NameNotRequired on Mar 3, 2009 7:43 PM EST up reply actions

I just don’t think Carwin has faced strong enough opposition to prepare him for someone like Gonzaga. Nobody has put him in any sort of danger in a fight or in bad positions. Gonzaga undoubtedly will, and Carwin doesn’t have the experience to stay calm and handle bad situations. I think Gonzaga puts Carwin down inthe second round, works some GnP and wins with a kimura from the top.

by PW on Mar 3, 2009 9:31 AM EST up reply actions

Lets put aside the highlight reel decapitation of Cro Cop…who exactly has Napao beaten? He’s folded against top competition like Couture and Werdum. I know he’s got some great ground skills and his stand up isn’t anything to scoff at but he hasn’t put it all together yet and really made his mark in the division. This is going to be a coming out party for one of these 2 fighters unless we get a lame decision…but both of these fighters have the opportunity to make a statement to the upper echelon of the division and I think they both realize this. I agree that predicting a winner is a pretty tough task since we really don’t have a lot of relevant past experience to base anything on. I personally think that Carwin is going to have the hand speed to confuse Napao and I think that Carwin scores takedowns but lets Napao back up before he can secure anything.

by Buster Bluth on Mar 3, 2009 9:58 AM EST up reply actions

Gonzaga’s only losses are to Couture and Werdum. Carwin’s best win was over New American Gladiator Justice. BFD.

by PW on Mar 3, 2009 11:08 AM EST up reply actions

IMO… he should be getting the help of Werdum and company.. he should be preping for Napao’s world class ground attack.

Either his training partner in the pic hurt his hand.. or Shane hurt him.

by PhilQNY on Mar 3, 2009 9:07 AM EST reply actions

Never say never. This guy is somebody to keep a eye on.

Max

by Max on Mar 3, 2009 9:27 AM EST reply actions

if you remember carwin was rocked in the fight with neil wain thats why he took the fight to the floor.gonzaga has awesome power in both hands and both feet.but if shane survives the first roud we are likely to see gg implode mentally again so im going for carwin second round tko.but when have i ever been right lol

by SCOTT on Mar 3, 2009 10:07 AM EST reply actions

Carwin better cardio
Carwin better stand up
Carwin better wrestler
GG better BJJ

Carwin first 2nd round fight TKO Carwin

by palerider on Mar 3, 2009 10:30 AM EST reply actions

and you know that Carwin has better Cardio….how exactly?His fights have lasted a total of like 3 minutes! R u kidding me?

by john on Mar 3, 2009 10:51 AM EST up reply actions

It’s really easy, the guy trains like a mad man. I’m sure he brought his training methods over from this resume>>>

He wrestled in college, becoming a two-time NCAA Division II Wrestling National Runner-Up Heavyweight in 1996-7, and the NCAA II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion in 1999. He was also a two-time All-American in football.

Plus look at the pictures the guy is ripped at 260ish. Now you tell me if you think he has better Cardio then GG?

by palerider on Mar 3, 2009 11:34 AM EST up reply actions

The more ripped you are the less cardio you will have. FACT. More muscles need more oxygen.

by Insain on Mar 3, 2009 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah but Carwin hasn’t fought collegiate wrestling in quite a few years. He’s 34 years of age. We will see how the fight goes. But I think Gonzaga will win.