Shane Bannister Carwin (born January 4, 1975) is an American former mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is considered to be one of the hardest hitting athletes to ever fight in the UFC.[4]

Shane Carwin
Carwin in 2010
BornShane Bannister Carwin
(1975-01-04) January 4, 1975 (age 49)
Greeley, Colorado, U.S.
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight254 lb (115 kg; 18 st 2 lb)
DivisionHeavyweight (265 lb)
Reach80 in (203 cm)
StyleWrestling
Fighting out ofDenver, Colorado, U.S.
TeamGrudge Training Center
Jackson's Submission Fighting[1]
TrainerGreg Jackson
Trevor Wittman
Nate Marquardt
RankPurple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
WrestlingNCAA Division II Wrestling
Years active2005–2011 (MMA)
Mixed martial arts record
Total14
Wins12
By knockout8
By submission4
Losses2
By submission1
By decision1
OccupationEngineer[2]
UniversityColorado School of Mines
Western State College of Colorado
Notable school(s)Greeley West High School
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record
Collegiate Wrestling
Representing the Western Colorado Mountaineers
NCAA Division II Championships
Gold medal – first place 1999 Omaha 285 lb
Silver medal – second place 1996 Greeley 275 lb
Silver medal – second place 1997 Fargo 275 lb
Last updated on: March 20, 2011

Background

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Carwin and his two brothers were raised by his mother, who had the goal of getting all her sons college educations. He started wrestling when he was six years old. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines as well as a bachelor's degree in environmental technology from Western State College.[5] Carwin became an engineer out of college and continued to work in that field while pursuing his MMA career.[6]

Carwin wrestled in college, becoming a two-time NCAA Division II Wrestling National Runner-Up as a heavyweight in 1996 and 1997, and the NCAA II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion in 1999. He was also a two-time All-American in football for Western State and was chosen to participate in the Senior Bowl. Carwin is also a volunteer wrestling coach for the University of Northern Colorado.

Mixed martial arts career

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Carwin made his professional debut at WEC 17, weighing 285 lbs, he went on to win his first eight professional fights by first round stoppage, including the Ring of Fire Heavyweight championship during his two fight tenure for the regional promotion, before signing with the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

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Carwin made his UFC debut on the undercard of UFC 84 against Christian Wellisch. He won the match via one punch knockout 44 seconds into the first round, demonstrating his punching power by sending Wellisch's mouthpiece flying across the octagon. Carwin followed up with an appearance in Birmingham, England at UFC 89 against Neil Wain, winning another one sided fight via TKO at 1:31 of the first round. At UFC 96, Carwin took a major step up in competition when he faced former number one contender and renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Gabriel Gonzaga. After being stunned by a flurry of punches, Carwin knocked Gonzaga unconscious with a short right hand at 1:09 of the first round.

Carwin was then set to face fellow undefeated heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez at UFC 104, with the winner getting a title shot against then-champion Brock Lesnar;[7] however, the UFC reconsidered the bout and Carwin was confirmed to fight for the title at UFC 106 on November 21, 2009.[8] The fight was later postponed after Lesnar pulled out due to illness, with UFC 108 a likely date. Lesnar then pulled out of that fight on October 26, and Dana White reported at the UFC 105 post-fight press conference that Lesnar was too ill to compete[9] and was expected to be out for the first half of 2010 while recovering from an intestinal disorder and subsequent surgery.[10][11]

Carwin fought former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship on March 27, 2010, at UFC 111.[12] Carwin stated on his website that, "Mir is a legend of the sport, and I would be honored to fight him."[13] Early in the first round, Carwin dropped Mir with multiple uppercuts from the clinch. Carwin then followed Mir to the ground, took back mount and rained down heavy punches on Mir's head thus winning the fight via knockout to become the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion. The bout also marked the longest fight of Carwin's career at three minutes and 48 seconds; his previous mark was his MMA debut against Carlton Jones, with a time of 2 minutes and 11 seconds.[14] Following UFC 111, Beau Dure of USA Today compared Carwin to Mike Tyson,[15] echoing a similar comparison made prior to the event by Mark Wayne of Fightline.com.[16]

Carwin then went on to face Brock Lesnar for the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 116. He dominated the first round, knocking Lesnar down and unleashing a relentless ground and pound attack to Lesnar. However, Lesnar survived, and having tired from the first round and never being in a fight beyond the first round in his career, Carwin visibly tired. In the second round, Lesnar took an exhausted Carwin down and applied an arm-triangle choke, forcing Carwin to submit.

Carwin was scheduled to face former IFL Heavyweight Champion Roy Nelson on January 1, 2011, at UFC 125;[17][18] however, he later announced on his website that he would pull out of the fight due to back and neck pain, which required surgery that took place on November 2, 2010. Carwin later stated that the neck surgery was a success.[19] On January 3, 2011, Carwin posted a blog entry on his website, stating that he had just begun his first day of training since his neck surgery, hoping to be back in the octagon by May or June 2011.[20]

 
Shane Carwin was defeated by Junior dos Santos via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 131.

Carwin was expected to face promotional newcomer Jon Olav Einemo on June 11, 2011, at UFC 131.[21] However, another bout with diverticulitis sidelined Brock Lesnar, so Carwin agreed to step in to the main event to fight Junior dos Santos.[22] Carwin was defeated by Dos Santos via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, and 30–26). This fight was the first in Carwin's career to ever go to a decision.

On September 9, 2011, Carwin posted a blog entry on his website stating that he was 100% healthy and looking to return to the octagon in late December or early January.[23] However, on October 16, 2011, it was revealed that Carwin would need back surgery. He was expected to be out until mid-2012.[24] However, his recovery took longer than expected, and he was targeting a return to fighting that fall.[25]

On Thursday July 12, 2012, Dana White announced that Carwin and Roy Nelson had been picked as the next coaches for the 16th season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and were expected to face each other on December 15, 2012, at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson Finale.[26] However, on November 14, 2012, Dana White revealed on Twitter that Carwin injured his knee and would not be facing Nelson in the TUF finale.[27]

On May 7, 2013, Carwin announced his retirement from mixed martial arts (MMA) after enduring several injuries since his last fight on June 11, 2011.[28]

MMA return

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On July 26, 2016, Carwin announced his plans to return to MMA, five years since his last competitive bout.[29] On September 7, 2016, Carwin announced that he had worked with his management team at Ingrained Media to secure his release from the UFC and became a free agent.[30] On October 28, 2016, Carwin announced he had signed with Rizin Fighting Federation. He stated that he expected to debut on their December 29, 2016, card, but later withdrew with injury.[31]

In late 2017, Carwin was in negotiations with Bellator MMA but nothing came to fruition, despite having rehabilitated from his injuries.[32]

Boxing career

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On October 15, 2016, Carwin participated in a boxing exhibition match against professional skateboarder Jason Ellis at EllisMania 13. Per the unique rules, Carwin had one of his arms duct-taped to his body to box Ellis. He won the bout via knockout in the second round.[33]

Personal life

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Carwin is divorced and has a son from a previous marriage.[34][35] He has a daughter born in February 2010.[36]

In 2024, Shane Carwin and other men who fought in the UFC launched a lawsuit against the UFC claiming that they had suffered brain damage and other health problems.[37]

Championships and accomplishments

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Mixed martial arts

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Amateur wrestling

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Mixed martial arts record

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Professional record breakdown
14 matches 12 wins 2 losses
By knockout 8 0
By submission 4 1
By decision 0 1
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 12–2 Junior dos Santos Decision (unanimous) UFC 131 June 11, 2011 3 5:00 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada UFC Heavyweight title eliminator.
Loss 12–1 Brock Lesnar Submission (arm-triangle choke) UFC 116 July 3, 2010 2 2:19 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States For the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Win 12–0 Frank Mir KO (punches) UFC 111 March 27, 2010 1 3:48 Newark, New Jersey, United States Won the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. Knockout of the Night.
Win 11–0 Gabriel Gonzaga TKO (punches) UFC 96 March 7, 2009 1 1:09 Columbus, Ohio, United States
Win 10–0 Neil Wain TKO (punches) UFC 89 October 18, 2008 1 1:31 Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
Win 9–0 Christian Wellisch KO (punch) UFC 84 May 24, 2008 1 0:44 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 8–0 Sherman Pendergarst TKO (punches) ROF 31: Undisputed December 1, 2007 1 1:41 Broomfield, Colorado, United States Won the ROF Heavyweight Championship.
Win 7–0 Rex Richards Submission (guillotine choke) Art of War 4 October 27, 2007 1 1:24 Tunica, Mississippi, United States
Win 6–0 Rick Slaton KO (punch) ROF 30: Domination September 15, 2007 1 0:49 Broomfield, Colorado, United States
Win 5–0 Chris Guillen Submission (rear-naked choke) Ultimate Texas Showdown 6 June 24, 2006 1 0:29 Frisco, Texas, United States
Win 4–0 Justice Smith TKO (punches) Extreme Wars 3: Bay Area Brawl June 3, 2006 1 0:31 Oakland, California, United States
Win 3–0 Jay McCown Submission (rear-naked choke) Ultimate Texas Showdown 5 April 29, 2006 1 1:31 Frisco, Texas, United States
Win 2–0 Casey Jackson Submission (guillotine choke) Extreme Wars 2: X-1 March 18, 2006 1 0:22 Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Win 1–0 Carlton Jones TKO (submission to punches) WEC 17 October 14, 2005 1 2:11 Lemoore, California, United States

Pay-per-view Bouts

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No Event PPV buys
1. UFC 116 1,160,000
2. UFC 131 330,000

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Matt Freeman, Shane Carwin: Engineering Greatness Archived November 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Blogs.mirror.co.uk (March 18, 2010). Retrieved on June 13, 2012.
  2. ^ "Shane Carwin: Full-Time Engineer, Undefeated UFC Heavyweight – MMA Fighting". Mma.fanhouse.com. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  3. ^ "Shane Carwin Is Not Impressed With Your Nickname Suggestions". Cagepotato. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  4. ^ "Shane Carwin The Man Who Should've Been Heavyweight Champion". thescrap.co. June 13, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  5. ^ "SHANE CARWIN UFC 96 FIGHT BLOG (PART 1)". MMAWeekly.com. February 9, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  6. ^ – Shane Carwin. Ufc.com. Retrieved on June 13, 2012.
  7. ^ Tim Ngo, Rising Heavyweight Shane Carwin & Cain Velasquez Will Fight. fightline.com (July 1, 2009).
  8. ^ Sherdog.com. "Lesnar-Carwin to Headline UFC 106". Sherdog.com. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  9. ^ "MMA – Major UFC News: Brock Lesnar Having Major Health Issues, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Out Of UFC 108, More". 411mania.com. Archived from the original on November 18, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  10. ^ "Brock Lesnar's MMA Career Could Be Done: UFC Future Decided Next Week". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved January 2, 2009.
  11. ^ "Brock Lesnar Likely Out All of 2010 With "More Problems"". mmafrenzy.com. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  12. ^ "Shane Carwin vs. Frank Mir set for interim title; UFC 111 official for March". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  13. ^ "Shane Carwin would happily fight fellow UFC heavyweight contender Frank Mir". MMAjunkie.com. December 14, 2009. Archived from the original on June 29, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  14. ^ "UFC 111 Results & Live Play-by-Play". SHERDOG.com. March 27, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  15. ^ Dure, Beau (July 1, 2010). "Interim UFC champ Carwin gets his point across through Twitter". USA Today. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
  16. ^ Wayne, Mark (March 14, 2010). "Shane Carwin Says Bout With Frank Mir Will Be 'A Fight To Remember'". Fightline.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
  17. ^ "UFC Eyeing Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson on Jan. 1". mmafighting.com. October 5, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  18. ^ "UFC 125 official for Jan. 1 with Edgar-Maynard, Carwin-Nelson co-headliners". mmajunkie.com. October 14, 2010. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.
  19. ^ "Shane Carwin pulls out of Roy Nelson fight".[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ Shane Carwin, Training Again. shane-carwin.com. January 3, 2011
  21. ^ "Shane Carwin meets newcomer Jon Olav Einemo at UFC 131". mmajunkie.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  22. ^ "Shane Carwin Quickly Accepts Opportunity to Put Himself Back in Title Contention". MMAWeekly.com. May 12, 2011.
  23. ^ Returning to Action Archived from the original Archived March 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on February 10, 2014
  24. ^ Wilcox, Nate. (October 16, 2011) Shane Carwin to Undergo Back Surgery, Out Until Mid-2012. Bloody Elbow. Retrieved on June 13, 2012.
  25. ^ "Shane Carwin Cleared for Contact, Targeting Return Fight in Early Fall". mmafighting.com. May 30, 2012.
  26. ^ "TUF 16 Finale, not UFC on FX 6, slated for Dec. 15 in Las Vegas". mmajunkie.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  27. ^ "Shane Carwin injures knee, forced out of TUF 16 Finale against Roy Nelson". mmajunkie.com. November 14, 2012. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  28. ^ MMAjunkie.com Staff (May 7, 2013). "Former UFC interim champ Shane Carwin announces retirement from MMA". mmajunkie.com.
  29. ^ "Exclusive: Carwin announces his intention to return". July 26, 2016.
  30. ^ "Exclusive: Carwin announces free agency". September 7, 2016.
  31. ^ Doyle, Dave (October 27, 2016). "Shane Carwin signs with RIZIN, ends retirement". MMA Fighting. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  32. ^ "Volunteer list grows: UFC vet Shane Carwin interested in Bellator grand prix". MMA Junkie. November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  33. ^ Newswire, MMA Fighting (October 16, 2016). "VIDEO: Carwin scores brutal KO with only one hand". MMA Fighting. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  34. ^ "The Nicest Monster You'll Ever Meet". Sherdog.com. March 6, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
  35. ^ "UFC Heavyweight Profile: Shane Carwin – PRO MMA exclusive interview (part 2)". Promma.com. January 26, 2009. Archived from the original on April 8, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
  36. ^ "Who Moved The Furniture?". MIXEDMARTIALARTS.com. March 5, 2010. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
  37. ^ "Former Champion Pushes for UFC Lawsuit Settlement, Cites Urgent Need for Financial & Medical Aid". October 8, 2024.
  38. ^ "Shane Carwin inducted into NCAA Div II Wrestling Hall of Fame". February 25, 2011.
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Achievements
Vacant
Title last held by
Frank Mir
4th UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion
March 27, 2010 – July 3, 2010
Lost unification bout against Brock Lesnar
Vacant