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UFC 106, Shane Carwin gets the opportunity of a lifetime, a title shot against quite possibly the biggest star in MMA history: Brock Lesnar. Carwin has degrees in mechanical engineering and environmental technology and he's going to need all those smarts to figure out a way to put Lesnar down for the count. The trash talk has only just begun, and Heavy's Jeremy Botter sat down with Carwin to help him fire his first salvo.
Heavy.com: Shane, you're in the midst of training for the biggest bout of your career when you face Brock Lesnar in November. How is your training camp going so far?
Shane Carwin: The camp is going great. We train pretty hard, and getting beat up every day by some of the elite athletes in the sport doesn't hurt. Well, it hurts, but it’s a good kind of hurt.
I was preparing for a beast in Cain Velasquez when they changed opponents on me. I took a week off and came back even more focused and dedicated.
This is the first time that I am getting ready for a fight with a little hate for my opponent. He continues to fuel the fire with his ignorant comments about my opponents and my record. Next thing you know, he will tell you his high school was bigger then mine and therefore that'll be the deciding factor.
I am ready. I wish I could kick his ass tomorrow.
Heavy.com: Are you doing anything different for this training camp? Putting in longer hours or having a longer overall camp?
Shane Carwin: Not in terms of hours, no. I train more then most of the pro fighters I know, and if anything I tread closer to overtraining. My schedule is pretty intense and I can tell my body doesn't have much extra energy at the end of the day.
Some of my changes have been in how I eat. I have a company called FitFoods4U.com preparing all my lean meals, and Max Muscle Sports Nutrition helps me with the fuel I am missing.
I also changed BJJ schools recently. I had earned my purple belt under Nate. I do not have to list his credentials but he is a great teacher.
That being said, I wanted to learn Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and learn to appreciate the basics. I hooked up with Amal Easton’s head Black Belt, Nick Kline, who is just over 235 pounds and an amazing BJJ instructor. I asked that we start at white belt and take me through the process.
We tossed out my wrestling and put on a gi and went to work. Moves that I would power out of before can't be powered out of with guys like Nick. I am learning how to use techniques with my strength as a secondary support level. I love BJJ and and I'm thankful to have two amazing BJJ instructors in my life.
Aside from that, I have been training hard and working on getting better for ourselves, not for a fight (Coach Whittman's model).
Heavy.com: Have you been able to bring anyone into your camp to try and replicate the size of Brock Lesnar?
Shane Carwin: Yes. We have been doing a "bring your child to the gym" day so we can deal with temper tantrums and irrational thoughts.
We have brought a lot of big guys in to replicate his size. Ron Waterman and I are training together again and he has great wrestling and size, and a few others.
Coach Whittman has the right game plan for me to beat Brock. It's my job to execute it.
Heavy.com: Are you focused on keeping Lesnar on his feet, where you have a significant advantage in striking?
Shane Carwin: I really don't care where the fight goes. He is not going to be able to lay on top of me like he has against the smaller guys he's faced. He won't have a huge advantage anywhere, so I will be ready for whatever happens.
Heavy.com: Brock recently said that you haven't fought any real fighters outside of Gonzaga. He said that to him, you are 1-0 and that some of the guys you have beaten aren't worthy of having on your record. How do you respond to that?
Shane Carwin: I agree that Brock is not good with math. Thankfully, the UFC and WWE have paid him enough money to get a math tutor.
I know I wasn’t walked through the front door of the UFC with people holding the door for me. I wasn’t fed fights that sell pay-per-views. I was matched up by promoters and took whatever they put in front of me.
One of those fights was the former enforcer for the Mongols Motorcycle Club. His previous fight ended when Mongols in the crowd started fighting and stabbing people.
For Brock to say that I have hand-picked my fights is just stupid.
I got my start in the WEC and I have fought everyone the UFC put in front of me. I have fought three times as many people then Brock has. If he wants to disrespect the opponents I have fought, that is his choice. I say any man or woman that enters that cage to face an opponent is worthy of my respect. They have trained hard, and to disrespect MMA fighters is disrespecting the sport of MMA.
What I can tell you is, talent-wise I respect Brock, but he needs a filter put on his words.
Heavy.com: How will you celebrate if you're able to defeat Lesnar and become the UFC heavyweight champion?
Shane Carwin: I'll go back to the gym and get ready for whatever is next. Win or lose, I am not near the top of the division. There are no easy fights out there, so I will celebrate by honoring that belt with a work ethic that will allow me to keep it as long as I can.
Immediately after the fight, though, I have an afterparty planned where there will be plenty of Bud Light on hand.
Heavy.com: And finally, is there anyone that you'd like to plug or thank?
Shane Carwin: I would like to thank Brock for allowing this fight to happen. I know he understands the risk involved in fighting someone like me, so I thank him for the opportunity.
My amazing sponsors Warrior Wear, Max Muscle, fitfoods4u.com, MTX Audio and my management company that helps put it all together.
Last but not least, much respect to my coaches, training partners and those that have supported me over the last few years. You mean the world to me and while I can’t name you all without the Oscar band playing, just know that you are in my heart and will be in my corner come November 21st
Heavy.com: Shane, you're in the midst of training for the biggest bout of your career when you face Brock Lesnar in November. How is your training camp going so far?
Shane Carwin: The camp is going great. We train pretty hard, and getting beat up every day by some of the elite athletes in the sport doesn't hurt. Well, it hurts, but it’s a good kind of hurt.
I was preparing for a beast in Cain Velasquez when they changed opponents on me. I took a week off and came back even more focused and dedicated.
This is the first time that I am getting ready for a fight with a little hate for my opponent. He continues to fuel the fire with his ignorant comments about my opponents and my record. Next thing you know, he will tell you his high school was bigger then mine and therefore that'll be the deciding factor.
I am ready. I wish I could kick his ass tomorrow.
Heavy.com: Are you doing anything different for this training camp? Putting in longer hours or having a longer overall camp?
Shane Carwin: Not in terms of hours, no. I train more then most of the pro fighters I know, and if anything I tread closer to overtraining. My schedule is pretty intense and I can tell my body doesn't have much extra energy at the end of the day.
Some of my changes have been in how I eat. I have a company called FitFoods4U.com preparing all my lean meals, and Max Muscle Sports Nutrition helps me with the fuel I am missing.
I also changed BJJ schools recently. I had earned my purple belt under Nate. I do not have to list his credentials but he is a great teacher.
That being said, I wanted to learn Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and learn to appreciate the basics. I hooked up with Amal Easton’s head Black Belt, Nick Kline, who is just over 235 pounds and an amazing BJJ instructor. I asked that we start at white belt and take me through the process.
We tossed out my wrestling and put on a gi and went to work. Moves that I would power out of before can't be powered out of with guys like Nick. I am learning how to use techniques with my strength as a secondary support level. I love BJJ and and I'm thankful to have two amazing BJJ instructors in my life.
Aside from that, I have been training hard and working on getting better for ourselves, not for a fight (Coach Whittman's model).
Heavy.com: Have you been able to bring anyone into your camp to try and replicate the size of Brock Lesnar?
Shane Carwin: Yes. We have been doing a "bring your child to the gym" day so we can deal with temper tantrums and irrational thoughts.
We have brought a lot of big guys in to replicate his size. Ron Waterman and I are training together again and he has great wrestling and size, and a few others.
Coach Whittman has the right game plan for me to beat Brock. It's my job to execute it.
Heavy.com: Are you focused on keeping Lesnar on his feet, where you have a significant advantage in striking?
Shane Carwin: I really don't care where the fight goes. He is not going to be able to lay on top of me like he has against the smaller guys he's faced. He won't have a huge advantage anywhere, so I will be ready for whatever happens.
Heavy.com: Brock recently said that you haven't fought any real fighters outside of Gonzaga. He said that to him, you are 1-0 and that some of the guys you have beaten aren't worthy of having on your record. How do you respond to that?
Shane Carwin: I agree that Brock is not good with math. Thankfully, the UFC and WWE have paid him enough money to get a math tutor.
I know I wasn’t walked through the front door of the UFC with people holding the door for me. I wasn’t fed fights that sell pay-per-views. I was matched up by promoters and took whatever they put in front of me.
One of those fights was the former enforcer for the Mongols Motorcycle Club. His previous fight ended when Mongols in the crowd started fighting and stabbing people.
For Brock to say that I have hand-picked my fights is just stupid.
I got my start in the WEC and I have fought everyone the UFC put in front of me. I have fought three times as many people then Brock has. If he wants to disrespect the opponents I have fought, that is his choice. I say any man or woman that enters that cage to face an opponent is worthy of my respect. They have trained hard, and to disrespect MMA fighters is disrespecting the sport of MMA.
What I can tell you is, talent-wise I respect Brock, but he needs a filter put on his words.
Heavy.com: How will you celebrate if you're able to defeat Lesnar and become the UFC heavyweight champion?
Shane Carwin: I'll go back to the gym and get ready for whatever is next. Win or lose, I am not near the top of the division. There are no easy fights out there, so I will celebrate by honoring that belt with a work ethic that will allow me to keep it as long as I can.
Immediately after the fight, though, I have an afterparty planned where there will be plenty of Bud Light on hand.
Heavy.com: And finally, is there anyone that you'd like to plug or thank?
Shane Carwin: I would like to thank Brock for allowing this fight to happen. I know he understands the risk involved in fighting someone like me, so I thank him for the opportunity.
My amazing sponsors Warrior Wear, Max Muscle, fitfoods4u.com, MTX Audio and my management company that helps put it all together.
Last but not least, much respect to my coaches, training partners and those that have supported me over the last few years. You mean the world to me and while I can’t name you all without the Oscar band playing, just know that you are in my heart and will be in my corner come November 21st
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