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Shane Carwin: Six Possible Fights for His Return

It’s been a year since we’ve seen former UFC interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin in the Octagon, due to a severe back injury. But now he’s announced his long-awaited return, telling UFC matchmaker Joe Silva that he’d like …

It’s been a long road to recovery for a fighter who posted a 12-0 run, which included victories over top heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga and former UFC champion Frank Mir. But back-to-back losses to Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos left him looking for his place in the division.

With his return imminent, Carwin says he spent his time off rounding out his skills and making himself an even better fighter, ready to take on the elite of the division once again. Here’s a look at possible fights for his return.

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Daniel Cormier vs. Shane Carwin? Yeah, I Could Watch That

We know Daniel Cormier, unfortunately, has to stick around the now two-man Strikeforce heavyweight division for at least one more fight. In an ideal world, Cormier would be on his way to the UFC after his re-broken hand heals up.So yeah, it’s unfortuna…

So yeah, it’s unfortunate that we won’t be seeing Cormier make his UFC debut in his next fight. But it’s not the end of the world. There are zero heavyweights left in Strikeforce besides Cormier and Josh Barnett, and we don’t really need to see that fight again. The idea of bringing in an outside name like Tim Sylvia has a little appeal, but only because seeing the out-of-shape Sylvia being battered around the cage by Cormier would be intriguing.

Cormier sticking around Strikeforce for one more fight isn’t all that bad because there are plenty of UFC heavyweights who could move over for one big fight against the grand prix winner. As I’ve said before, I wouldn’t mind seeing him fight someone like Travis Browne, but Cormier has a much better idea, as he told Ariel Helwani on yesterday’s edition of The MMA Hour:

I think if there is a plus one and Zuffa’s going to send someone over it is going to have to be someone that is very good you know? Maybe Shane Carwin, as he’s coming back. He’s a guy with a lot of name value and I don’t necessarily know if that’s a step up (from Josh Barnett) but that is somebody with name value.

Oh my. That’s quite the idea right there. Carwin’s been gone from the cage for nearly a year at this point, and we don’t know exactly what kind of condition he’ll be in when he gets back. But this is an intriguing idea, with the perfect mix of challenge and name value for Cormier’s next opponent.

I like it. No, I love it. Book it, Joe.

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8 Fighters That Father Time Is Gaining On

There is one thing that a fighter has little or no defense against, and that is Father Time.Growth in the sport is increasing the opportunity and likelihood of longevity, but a fighter’s career is like a flash that can last only a few years. That’s why…

There is one thing that a fighter has little or no defense against, and that is Father Time.

Growth in the sport is increasing the opportunity and likelihood of longevity, but a fighter’s career is like a flash that can last only a few years. That’s why we cherish those who have battled and endured for a long time.

Make no mistake, fighters like Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes and Wanderlei Silva are the exception, not the norm and that’s why we appreciate their careers all that much more.

Father Time has caught up to all of those men through injury, eroding skill and cumulative damage. Eventually, all fighters are faced with that unstoppable and dreaded opponent and here are…

8 Fighters That Father Time is Gaining On

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5 Fights the UFC Should Offer to Fedor Emelianenko Immediately

When Fedor Emelianenko’s camp told Sportbox.ru that he was considering signing with the UFC, every MMA fan put on their “Joe Silva Hat” and let the fantasy matchmaking begin. Our creative juices began to flow, and we started to piece things together in…

When Fedor Emelianenko‘s camp told Sportbox.ru that he was considering signing with the UFC, every MMA fan put on their “Joe Silva Hat” and let the fantasy matchmaking begin. Our creative juices began to flow, and we started to piece things together in our minds.

“He can finally fight Overeem!”

“Why did Brock have to retire?”

“Will he finally rematch Werdum?”

Then, reality kicked in.

Dana White claims to have no interest in bringing over the longtime Pride Heavyweight champion, but we all know that isn’t exactly the case. What he means to say is that he has no interest in giving Vladim Finkelstein and the M-1 goons the ridiculous demands that they feel Fedor warrants. Additionally, they have no interest in catering to Fedor as if his trio of embarrassing losses never happened.

If Fedor were to accept his current place in the food chain and agree to a modest offer from Zuffa, Dana would be happy to have him. Why? Because when the day is done and we put all personal animosity aside, we know that Dana White is a brilliant businessman.

Regardless of his three-fight skid in Strikeforce, Emelianenko is a brand all of his own. Fedor lovers would buy his pay-per-views to cheer him, and Fedor detractors would be happy to watch him go down in flames. It would be a win-win for everyone.

So the question lies: If Fedor were to finally come over to the UFC, who would they put him against?

Clearly, Dana has no interest in giving “The Last Emperor” an immediate shot at gold after his string of misfortune against some of the worlds finest. However, this doesn’t change the fact that Fedor could boost PPV numbers in a co-main event against a high-level heavyweight.

This is a list of the five best opponents for Fedor if he signs with the UFC.

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MMA Video/Gif Tribute: The Flying Mouthpiece

Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken a look at several unique knockouts in the world of mixed martial arts, and as Nick Diaz will tell you, now that we’re hooked, there’s no turning back. So today, we pay tribute to yet another aspect of the fight game, specifically, one that only happens on the rarest of occasions, like Halley’s Comet or Bob Sapp showing up to win. We’re talking, of course, about the moment in combat sports when a fighter delivers a shot with such force that it is able to dislodge the airtight mouthpiece from the opponent’s…mouth. It’s embarrassing, often causes a stop in the action, and doesn’t always end in a knockout, but it’s also hilarious, and that’s what we’re all about anyway. So with that in mind, here are some of the finest instances of the flying mouthpiece in MMA.

Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz – UFC 106

Rob McCullough vs. Olaf Alfonso – WEC 19

Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz – UFC 106

Rob McCullough vs. Olaf Alfonso – WEC 19

Ricardo Lamas vs. Bendy Casimir – WEC 47

Scott Jorgensen vs. Brad Pickett – WEC 50

Man On the Lam from Kidnapping and Domestic Abuse Charges in Colarado Was Hiding in New Mexico Training at Jackson’s MMA

Coaches and fighters from Jackson’s MMA say they were stunned last week to find out that an up-and-coming amateur fighter who had been training at the gym in Albuquerque since last summer was a wanted man who was on the run from kidnapping and domestic abuse charges in Colarado.

According to the complaint filed last July, Tyron Wright allegedly kidnapped an ex-girlfriend who he handcuffed and tortured. Besides assaulting her, White is also accused of heating up a knife on his stove and burning the victim with it.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/CLVRTV)

A Ring of Fire vet, Wright trained at Grudge Training Center in Colorado for several years alongside big names like Shane Carwin, Brendan Schaub and Nate Marquardt and was likely put in touch with Jackson’s by Trevor Whitman. It’s interesting that investigators took so long to find him since someone at Grudge likely would have known he was there and probably would have filled the cops in if they had bothered to visit the gym.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/Stocktonheybuddy)

Wright will be extradited back to Colorado to face felony charges of aggravated assault, willful assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping.