After learning of Brock Lesnar‘s illness, UFC heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez has decided to switch strategies, in case he is to meet the former heavyweight champion’s replacement, Shane Carwin.
Shane Carwin will be featured in the main event against Junior Dos Santos at UFC 131, after being notified from UFC president Dana White earlier this week via text message.
It is also confirmed that the winner between Carwin and Dos Santos will meet Velasquez later this year for the UFC heavyweight title.
Velasquez, who has been out of action since his title bout with Lesnar at UFC 122, acknowledged Lesnar’s absence but he said Carwin was a suitable replacement.
“I think (they made the right call), yeah,” Velasquez told MMAFighting.com.
“He was next in line, for sure. He’s a tough guy. I think it was a good call.”
Velasquez, who is 9-0-0, will be paying close attention to this bout, as both Dos Santos and Carwin are two of the best strikers in the heavyweight division.
Carwin accepted the fight on a thirty-day notice, as he has been out of action since last year after undergoing neck surgery.
Meanwhile, Dos Santos has been nothing short of dominant, remaining undefeated during his tenure in the UFC. His most recent win was over Roy Nelson at UFC 117.
Both Carwin and Dos Santos share a total of seven knockout wins combined, which gives reason to believe why Velasquez sees the bout being contested on the feet.
“Before (with Lesnar-dos Santos), it was wrestler vs. striker,” he said. “Now it’s striker vs. striker—but they’re different. I think dos Santos is more technical and hits hard, but Carwin is a really hard puncher. You can’t pound him out. So it’s two hard hitters.”
And although he won’t have the opportunity to compete against Lesnar in a rematch anytime soon, Velasquez is optimistic of the former champion’s future in the UFC and expects him to return a better fighter.
“People get hurt all the time and pull out of fights. But he’ll come back, and he’ll come back stronger,” he said.
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