The next challenger for UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was determined when Brazilian striker Junior Dos Santos outgunned and overwhelmed American powerhouse Shane Carwin in a true display of precision, patience and power Saturday night at UFC 131.
Dos Santos utilized his potent jab to punish Carwin from the onset and nearly finished him with a vicious onslaught of punches and hammerfists. Carwin, who was visibly battered from the violent first-round barrage, showcased improved conditioning and true heart as he fought on after the assault, ultimately sustaining two more rounds of tactical abuse from Dos Santos. Carwin connected with a solid punch in the second, but it did little to faze the training partner of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Anderson Silva and Demian Maia.
There were several question marks leading into this bout, one of which was Dos Santos' ability to cope with Carwin's wrestling. The former NCAA Division II champion attempted numerous takedowns throughout the contest and he had to pay for each and every attempt. Carwin got him down once, but he couldn't keep him there long. The big story emerging here was that of Dos Santos' exemplary takedown defense and sprawling ability. Dos Santos will always be a striker first and foremost, but he proved that he can hold his own with elite wrestlers, an asset that will aid him immensely in his quest to dethrone Velasquez.
Another X-factor was Carwin's conditioning. After completely running of gas in his title bout with Brock Lesnar before succumbing to a submission in the second round, there was a reason to doubt the freakishly strong heavyweight could last three rounds. At UFC 131, Carwin not only proved he can survive the most violent of beatdowns, he also showed great composure for 15 minutes. With deep gashes all over his face, Carwin had many opportunities to call it a night, but the resilient Grudge Training Center product continued to move forward, never giving up in the process. As such, Carwin's stock, too, should rise after his gutsy performance.
Dos Santos' title fight with Velasquez has all the makings of a heavyweight classic. Dos Santos is one of the best boxers in the division, while Velasquez has proven to be a threat wherever the fight goes. Interestingly, Dos Santos has opened as a slight betting favorite over Velasquez after his stellar performance against Carwin. It may be too premature to pick a winner, but Dos Santos has shown very few flaws in his game and he will undoubtedly present the sternest test thus far in Velasquez's career.
Meanwhile, Carwin will need to regroup before returning to the octagon. To his credit, he accepted the shot against Dos Santos on short notice, which forced him to prepare for a completely different type of opponent. There is no doubting Carwin's power or perseverance, but he will become even more dangerous as he polishes his boxing technique and adds an element of unpredictability to his offense. Carwin will need some time off to nurse some evident injuries, but he should be back by October or November. Potential opponents for Carwin's return include Ben Rothwell, Roy Nelson, Travis Browne and Mike Russow.
Florian makes successful featherweight debut
Junior dos Santos is not the only man to have likely earned a title shot with his victory at UFC 131, as Kenny Florian completed his journey from middleweight to featherweight with a calculated strategy to earn a unanimous decision victory over fast-rising Brazilian prospect Diego Nunes.
Nunes set the tempo early, even dropping Florian with a stiff left hand as the first round ended. But the Nova Uniao product began to tire as the fight dragged on, allowing Florian to capitalize by using his size and strength to outwrestle the dangerous Muay Thai artist. Florian's work with Firas Zahabi in Montreal, training alongside world-class wrestlers on a daily basis, had clearly paid off.
American wrestler Chad Mendes was initially the next opponent expected for UFC featherweight titleholder Jose Aldo, but an injury to Aldo led to Mendes accepting a non-title bout against another Brazilian in Rani Yahya. That fight goes down at UFC 133 this August, so waiting for a winner would likely cause a period of prolonged inactivity for Aldo. Under the circumstances, UFC president Dana White stated that Florian is "more than likely" the next title challenger. In reality, Florian is a far more marketable headlining act than Mendes and his fight with Aldo is a much bigger fight for the UFC.
Aldo is coming off a solid outing against Mark Hominick at UFC 129 this past April, but his gas tank and wrestling were exposed in the fifth round. Under the wing of Zahabi, Florian has the perfect style to frustrate and wear down the Brazilian if he can avoid a dangerous exchange with him early on. Aldo's highlight reel knockouts are proof of his ability to end a fight instantly, but Florian has a solid chin and superb conditioning. If he continues to work on his takedowns and clinch control, Florian could become a UFC champion before the end of 2011.
With just two decision losses in 18 career fights, the 28-year-old Nunes will come back strong as he remains a top-10 contender in the UFC featherweight mix. A training partner of the champion Aldo, Nunes has demonstrated superlative striking and grappling throughout his WEC and UFC tenure. There is no shortage of stylistically intriguing matchups for him in the UFC, including Mark Hominick, Dustin Poirier, George Roop, Josh Grispi, Manny Gamburyan, Chan Sung Jung, Michihiro Omigawa and Cub Swanson.
Munoz edges Maia in closely contested battle
In a pivotal middleweight showdown, world-class wrestling met world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu as "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" Mark Munoz edged BJJ ace Demian Maia after three hard-fought rounds.
Maia had things going his way in the first round as he put his improved striking on display, staggering Munoz with several big punches. He tried pulling guard later in the fight, but Munoz's top control and clinch warfare narrowly sealed the final two rounds as he prevailed by unanimous decision.
The two men engaged in a spirited battle, reverting to their respective styles while showcasing their striking. Neither of them should lose too much momentum after such an evenly matched fight, in which they both proved they belong among the upper echelon of the division.
Munoz picked up the most notable win of his career, though he still showed some weaknesses on his feet, particularly in his defense. The two-time Big 12 champion and NCAA Division I All-American possesses the wrestling skills to bully most middleweights around. If Munoz sharpens his striking game, he will become a viable title contender by the end of 2012. Options for his next opponent include Brian Stann or the winners of Wanderlei Silva-Chris Leben and Vitor Belfort-Yoshihiro Akiyama.
In defeat, Maia actually showed some key improvements in his repertoire. Spectacular submission wins are no longer a sure thing as Maia's level of competition has increased substantially, but he clearly possesses the skills to hang with anyone in the top 10. A bout against Aaron Simpson or Tim Boetsch could get the Brazilian back on track.
