Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: How will Junior Dos Santos' fight with Shane Carwin at UFC 131 be different than the original matchup with Brock Lesnar? MMATorch staff and contributors comment
May 21, 2011 - 9:30:08 PM ROUNDTABLE: How will Junior Dos Santos' fight with Shane Carwin at UFC 131 be different than the original matchup with Brock Lesnar? MMATorch staff and contributors comment

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How do you think Junior Dos Santos' fight with Shane Carwin at UFC 131 will be different than JDS' original fight with Brock Lesnar?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Shane Carwin is a completely different matchup than Brock Lesnar, and Junior dos Santos will have to change everything he's been game-planning.  Sure, Carwin can wrestle, but nothing like Lesnar can.  And sure Lesnar can punch hard (just ask Heath Herring's eye), but nothing like Carwin can.  

Carwin has the ability to take JDS down, but it's not what he's looking to do with JDS.  Obviously Carwin's goal is a first round KO.  And while all fighters would love to end every fight with a first round KO, only a handful of fighters aim for that as a primary goal.

Lesnar, of course, would have been looking to set the pace and plant dos Santos on his hind quarters as fast as possible, knowing that JDS has one punch KO power.  Lesnar has shown more than once that he can keep just about anyone down long enough to win rounds with one good takedown.

JDS is going to have to focus more on head and foot movement, counter punching when Carwin gets highly aggressive, and staying off the cage.

ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

In this new fight for Junior Dos Santos, I actually see him having an easier time with Carwin than with Lesnar.  Carwin is a top flight athlete and can no doubt be a champion, but, the problem is that he hasn't shown the level of improvement that Lesnar shows when he comes into the cage.  While Carwin may have the punching power, JDS has the ground game to counter the wrestling that Carwin possesses, not to mention the striking skills.  

ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

The JDS fight with Shane Carwin will be shorter than if he had faced Brock Lesnar.  Shane Carwin hasn't given anyone much faith with his cardio, so this will likely be a one round fight. I believe the outcome will be the same whether it was Lesnar or Carwin, and JDS will win with a knockout.  The only question is what round, and a fight with Lesnar would have likely lasted a bit longer.

FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Well, I expect this fight to be over pretty quickly. I thought there was a good chance that Brock would try to take Junior down, but I don't think that's something Dos Santos will have to worry about now. I think Carwin and Dos Santos are going to stand and trade, though Dos Santos could easily try to win the fight on the ground. I'll be surprised if the fight lasts more than three minutes, to be honest.

JASON AMADI, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Shane Carwin has proven one punch knockout power, and isn't going to be forced into the fetal position as easily as Brock Lesnar. Other than that, it's essentially the same fight. If Carwin doesn't force the issue with takedowns or get him up against the fence early, he'll probably get dummied up by Dos Santos the same way Brock Lesnar would have. Shane Carwin has crushing power, but Junior Dos Santos has power, faster hands, better footwork, and just an overall superior boxing game.
 
Also, it should be pointed out that if the fight hits the mat, Junior Dos Santos could have the advantage. Shane Carwin has slimmed down quite a bit since we last saw him, and his top game is as big of a question mark as Dos Santos' guard. This fight is probably going to be of a higher quality than a Lesnar-Dos Santos matchup would have been, but Junior Dos Santos should probably be a pretty big favorite over Shane Carwin.

ALEX WILLIAMS, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think Shane Carwin may be more of a threat to Junior Dos Santos.  I still like Dos Santos to win, but Carwin has undoubtedly attempted to correct for his cardio problems in the Lesnar fight (they were not because of a poor work ethic; Carwin's gym workouts are intense).  he has the wrestling ability to potentially ground Dos Santos and the power in his punches standing to threaten any heavyweight.

CHRIS PARK, MMATORCH UK SPECIALIST

Well the main difference will be that in this new main event, both men will be happy to strike.

Lesnar would always have been looking to take down Junior Dos Santos, while Dos Santos would have been looking to keep the fight standing and score the knockout.

I see Dos Santos now taking a much more technical stance as far as his striking is concerned. While he now won't be facing a man desperate to take him down, he will be fighting the one man in the division that hits harder than he does in Shane Carwin.

I see Dos Santos taking this one, using his movement and technique to stop Carwin pinning him against the cage, while picking him off over the three rounds.

JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The major difference is Carwin will be much more comfortable standing with Dos Santos than would have Lesnar. And despite his wrestling background, taking Dos Santos to the ground will not be at the forefront of his gameplan. That means a very different fight for Dos Santos to plan for, as he'll be looking at a more clear striking matchup instead of needing to prepare for the ground game. I think it will make for a much quicker fight than we would have seen in Lesnar-JDS, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's an easier fight for Dos Santos.