• UFC 141

Carwin sidelined until deep into 2012

ESPN staff
October 16, 2011
Shane Carwin's last outing saw him beaten by Junior Dos Santos © Getty Images
Enlarge

Shane Carwin has been ruled out until mid-2012 after being told he needs surgery to extend his career.

Carwin has had a tough couple of years with injury, suffering a serious neck problem after he lost his UFC heavyweight title collision with Brock Lesnar in 2010.

Having lost his next outing against Junior Dos Santos, Carwin had been scheduled for a return at UFC 141, headlined by Lesnar's clash with Alistair Overeem, with an opponent yet to be named.

That comeback will now be put on hold as Carwin attempts to recover from a fresh back problem, which bears little connection to his previous absence. Carwin insists an operation is the most likely outcome.

"I have spent my entire fighting career dealing with injuries from my football career," the heavyweight told his personal website. "I have done my best to get through my training and I have been blessed to get through my fights with relatively little to no damage.

"As I ramped up my training for UFC 141 my body locked up during training. It wasn't like the Lesnar fight but my back just tightened up and I froze.

"I scheduled an MRI and the results showed that my disc in my lower back is into the nerves. My doctor gave me two options; retire and I could probably go on for a few years without surgery or I could undergo surgery and continue my career."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices