Carwin’s Trainers Confident If Lesnar Bout Goes 5 Rounds

While the UFC heavyweight title unification bout between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin is sure to create a pay-per-view bonanza and capture the imagination of the viewing public, it also presents a unique challenge for one of mixed martial arts’ most dynamic cornering duos.

Trevor Wittman is the head trainer of the Grudge Training Center in Denver. Greg Jackson’s famed dojo is located in Albuquerque, N.M. Both will be in Carwin’s corner when he faces off against Lesnar on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“We work so well because we complement each other,” Wittman said. “We don’t put a game plan together without giving each other a call. We talk to each other consistently, for every fight.”

When Jackson isn’t in Denver, he says that he and Wittman are on the phone daily, checking on the progress of various fighters.

“I’ll go to Denver and work with the guys when I’m up there and work with Trevor when I’m up there. There’s a lot of great coaches that are up there, and we all kind of work together. That’s how our team is structured,” Jackson said.

When the two put their heads together, a result like Rashad Evans’ recent victory over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 114 often follows.

Lesnar, the heavyweight champion and one of the most freakishly athletic specimens ever to set foot in the Octagon, is their next obstacle. The South Dakota native is a former national champion wrestler at the University of Minnesota. After a stint in the WWE as one of sports entertainment’s biggest stars, he tried to make the roster of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. When that didn’t work out, he found a home in MMA, earning wins over Heath Herring, Randy Couture and Frank Mir while arguably becoming the sport’s most visible champion.

It’s been nearly a year since Lesnar dismantled Frank Mir at UFC 100 and launched into a saliva-spewing tirade that harkened back to his days as a heel in the sports entertainment industry. Lesnar hasn’t fought since then because of a life threatening bout with an intestinal disorder known as diverticulitis. Wittman says that the layoff caused by the illness could give Carwin an edge.

“His (Carwin’s) biggest advantage in this fight is going to be his consistency of fighting. I feel bad for what Brock went through with the intestines, and I’m happy he’s feeling better and got over that illness, but I think that’s going to be a huge factor in this fight,” Wittman said. “Shane had a long layoff before his last fight with Mir, and I think that was something he needed. He never stayed out of the gym; he stayed in the gym. The thing with this fight with Brock is he’s (Lesnar) been off and he’s been out of the gym.

“If I was on the other side, that’s rough for any fighter to come back to.”

While much is made of Lesnar’s explosive power and speed, Carwin, the interim champion, is no slouch in the making-jaws-drop department either.

The Colorado native was a Division II national champion wrestler at Western State College. He’s shown a penchant for quick finishes, dispatching his first three UFC opponents in a combined 3:24. His fourth fight, a No. 1 contender bout with Mir in March, was a marathon by comparison, lasting a whole 3:48 before Carwin earned a referee stoppage. All told, Carwin has 12 professional fights, each ending before the first round bell could sound.

“There’s nobody else in the UFC that has a record like that -- knocking out everybody in the first round,” Jackson said.

Even though Carwin has yet to hit the four-minute mark in one of his fights, his team is supremely confident that their fighter’s conditioning can last through five championship rounds.

“One thing I see Shane do at the gym, he goes five rounds like it’s nothing,” Wittman said. “I’m always looking towards seeing him go the distance, but every time he knocks someone out, I jump out of my seat. I love that part too.

“The thing is, we’re ready to go five rounds. The way I see him at the gym going five rounds, it’s going to be a complete flop for him not to go five rounds (against Lesnar).”

“Shane Carwin is such an amazing athlete that I really want him to go five rounds,” Jackson said. “In my opinion, the longer the fight goes, the better he’s going to get. I’m really excited if it does go long.”

Although Carwin’s fights have been quick, it doesn’t mean he hasn’t dealt with adversity in the cage. His UFC 96 fight against Gabriel Gonzaga impressed both Jackson and Wittman. After absorbing a punch and a takedown from the Brazilian, Carwin rallied for a TKO victory.

“I was very proud of Shane for that fight because he showed his ability to get back up when he got taken down. We had been working that a lot. That fight showed to me that even if you take Shane Carwin down, he has the ability to get back to his feet,” Jackson said.

That performance brought out something Wittman referred to as Carwin’s “Hulk.”

“He got his nose broken, and he was looking down at the canvas. He was rocked. For him to instantly come back from that … if there ever is a chance that he might get hurt in a fight, it’s only going to make that fight more exciting. I’m telling you, that makes for stars,” Wittman said.

Of anyone Lesnar has faced in his career to date, Carwin most resembles his equal in speed, power and athleticism. If Wittman is correct, seeing Carwin standing across the cage from him should give Lesnar renewed focus after the long layoff:

“I can see in Brock’s eyes he’s more disciplined and more focused for this fight just because he knows Shane’s bringing something to the table. He sees someone that’s a lot like him that’s coming after him.”