• UFC 111

UFC interim heavyweight belt means nothing to Carwin

ESPN staff
March 18, 2010
Shane Carwin knocked out Gabriel Gonzaga in his last fight © UFC
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Undefeated knockout artist Shane Carwin has revealed he puts absolutely no importance on the significance of the UFC interim heavyweight belt.

Carwin fights Frank Mir at UFC 111, in a hugely anticipated heavyweight battle that will determine the No. 1 contender to Brock Lesnar's title. The UFC scheduled the March 27 bout after Lesnar had to withdraw from his original bout with Carwin, which had initially been slated for UFC 106.

As a result, the undefeated 11-0 Carwin has been lined up against the last man to face Lesnar - Frank Mir, in a contest that sees Mir's world class ground game and improved boxing match up against the powerful wrestling and stand-up of undefeated Jackson's Submissions man Carwin.

The winner will be crowned interim champion, a title attached to the bout back when the UFC were unsure whether Lesnar would return from a serious intestinal disorder, but Carwin insists the belt will mean little to him in New Jersey.

"To me the interim belt is just the semi-finals of getting to that championship," said Carwin, who still maintains his day job as an engineer.

"You know, this belt obviously isn't for the championship and the one against Brock is. So you know you just have to go in there and fight this fight with your heart and then move on to the next round."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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