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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
In addition to Kenny Florian's announcement of his fight with Gray Maynard at UFC 118 during yesterday's MMA Live program on ESPN.com, an expected mega-fight was reported as signed.
Franklin McNeil said during the program that Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin have now signed on for their expected Heavyweight Title unification bout on July 3 at UFC 116.
"It's pretty much done," Franklin said. "The UFC has not confirmed this right now so its not official but several sources have told me that both Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin have signed to complete this fight. Dana White said he wanted this fight to happen in July, it looks like its going to happen."
The bout had been in motion since Lesnar announced his return to the Octagon this January after battling diverticulitis. He awaited a challenger in the form of the winner between Carwin and Frank Mir at UFC 111 last month, and Carwin's first round destruction of Mir made brought this fight together.
Penick's Analysis: This is going to be a massive pay-per-view draw for the UFC, and by far the biggest drawing card since UFC 100 last July. Lesnar's return is going to be a big deal to a lot of fans and the UFC will promote it as such. This fight is infinitely more compelling now than it would have been last November, as Carwin picked up a high profile win on a very successful pay-per-view, and with the victory over Mir he can now be seen as legitimate Title challenger to Lesnar. This is going to be two massive heavyweights battling it out in the cage on July 3.
Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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