Carwin and his two brothers were raised by his mother, who had the goal of getting all her sons college educations. He started wrestling when he was six years old. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines as well as a bachelor's degree in environmental technology from Western State College.[4] Carwin became an engineer out of college and continued to work in that field while pursuing his MMA career.[5]
Carwin wrestled in college, becoming a two-time NCAA Division II Wrestling National Runner-Up as a heavyweight in 1996 and 1997, and the NCAA II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion in 1999. He was also a two-time All-American in football for Western State and was chosen to participate in the Senior Bowl. Carwin is also a volunteer wrestling coach for the University of Northern Colorado.
Mixed martial arts career
Carwin made his professional debut at WEC 17, weighing 285 lbs, he went on to win his first eight professional fights by first round stoppage, including the Ring of Fire Heavyweight championship during his two fight tenure for the regional promotion, before signing with the UFC.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Carwin made his UFC debut on the undercard of UFC 84 against Christian Wellisch. He won the match via one punch knockout 44 seconds into the first round, demonstrating his punching power by sending Wellisch's mouthpiece flying across the octagon. Carwin followed up with an appearance in Birmingham, England at UFC 89 against Neil Wain, winning another one sided fight via TKO at 1:31 of the first round. At UFC 96, Carwin took a major step up in competition when he faced former number one contender and renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsublack beltGabriel Gonzaga. After being stunned by a flurry of punches, Carwin knocked Gonzaga unconscious with a short right hand at 1:09 of the first round.
Carwin was then set to face fellow undefeated heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez at UFC 104, with the winner getting a title shot against then-champion Brock Lesnar;[6] however, the UFC reconsidered the bout and Carwin was confirmed to fight for the title at UFC 106 on November 21, 2009.[7] The fight was later postponed after Lesnar pulled out due to illness, with UFC 108 a likely date. Lesnar then pulled out of that fight on October 26, and Dana White reported at the UFC 105 post-fight press conference that Lesnar was too ill to compete[8] and was expected to be out for the first half of 2010 while recovering from an intestinal disorder and subsequent surgery.[9][10]
Carwin fought former UFC Heavyweight ChampionFrank Mir for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship on March 27, 2010, at UFC 111.[11] Carwin stated on his website that, "Mir is a legend of the sport, and I would be honored to fight him."[12] Early in the first round, Carwin dropped Mir with multiple uppercuts from the clinch. Carwin then followed Mir to the ground, took back mount and rained down heavy punches on Mir's head thus winning the fight via knockout to become the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion. The bout also marked the longest fight of Carwin's career at three minutes and 48 seconds; his previous mark was his MMA debut against Carlton Jones, with a time of 2 minutes and 11 seconds.[13] Following UFC 111, Beau Dure of USA Today compared Carwin to Mike Tyson,[14] echoing a similar comparison made prior to the event by Mark Wayne of Fightline.com.[15]
Carwin then went on to face Brock Lesnar for the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 116. He dominated the first round, knocking Lesnar down and unleashing a relentless ground and pound attack to Lesnar. However, Lesnar survived, and having tired from the first round and never being in a fight beyond the first round in his career, Carwin visibly tired. In the second round, Lesnar took an exhausted Carwin down and applied an arm-triangle choke, forcing Carwin to submit.
Carwin was scheduled to face former IFL Heavyweight ChampionRoy Nelson on January 1, 2011, at UFC 125;[16][17] however, he later announced on his website that he would pull out of the fight due to back and neck pain, which required surgery that took place on November 2, 2010. Carwin later stated that the neck surgery was a success.[18] On January 3, 2011, Carwin posted a blog entry on his website, stating that he had just begun his first day of training since his neck surgery, hoping to be back in the octagon by May or June 2011.[19]
Shane Carwin was defeated by Junior dos Santos via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 131.
Carwin was expected to face promotional newcomer Jon Olav Einemo on June 11, 2011, at UFC 131.[20] However, another bout with diverticulitis sidelined Brock Lesnar, so Carwin agreed to step in to the main event to fight Junior dos Santos.[21] Carwin was defeated by Dos Santos via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, and 30–26). This fight was the first in Carwin's career to ever go to a decision.
On September 9, 2011, Carwin posted a blog entry on his website stating that he was 100% healthy and looking to return to the octagon in late December or early January.[22] However, on October 16, 2011, it was revealed that Carwin would need back surgery. He was expected to be out until mid-2012.[23] However, his recovery took longer than expected, and he was targeting a return to fighting that fall.[24]
On May 7, 2013, Carwin announced his retirement from mixed martial arts (MMA) after enduring several injuries since his last fight on June 11, 2011.[27]
MMA return
On July 26, 2016, Carwin announced his plans to return to MMA, five years since his last competitive bout.[28] On September 7, 2016, Carwin announced that he had worked with his management team at Ingrained Media to secure his release from the UFC and became a free agent.[29] On October 28, 2016, Carwin announced he had signed with Rizin Fighting Federation. He stated that he expected to debut on their December 29, 2016, card, but later withdrew with injury.[30]
In late 2017, Carwin was in negotiations with Bellator MMA but nothing came to fruition, despite having rehabilitated from his injuries.[31]
Boxing career
On October 15, 2016, Carwin participated in a boxing exhibition match against professional skateboarder Jason Ellis at EllisMania 13. Per the unique rules, Carwin had one of his arms duct-taped to his body to box Ellis. He won the bout via knockout in the second round.[32]
Personal life
Carwin is divorced and has a son from a previous marriage.[33][34] He has a daughter born in February 2010.[35]
In 2024, Shane Carwin and other men who fought in the UFC launched a lawsuit against the UFC claiming that they had suffered brain damage and other health problems.[36]
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, better known as Minotauro or Big Nog, is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist. He competed in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is the twin brother of UFC fighter Antônio Rogério Nogueira. Nogueira rose to prominence in Japanese promotions Fighting Network RINGS where he won the 2000 RINGS King of Kings tournament, and later with Pride Fighting Championships, where he was the first Pride Heavyweight Champion from November 2001 to March 2003, as well as a 2004 PRIDE FC Heavyweight Grand Prix Finalist. He is one of only three men to have held championship titles in both Pride Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, amateur wrestler, and professional American football player. As a professional wrestler, he is best known for his tenure in WWE. Often regarded as one of the most prolific combat sport athletes in the world, Lesnar is the only person to have won the primary heavyweight championships of WWE, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF), and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pilgrim Media Group currently airing on ESPN+. It previously aired for fourteen seasons on Spike TV. The show features professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized six-figure contract with the UFC. The series debuted on January 17, 2005, with its first episode, "The Quest Begins". To date, there have been thirty one seasons of the show, two per calendar year, some years having only one season. Each season features either one or two weight classes in the tournament.
Francisco Santos Mir III, is an American retired mixed martial artist who last competed in the Heavyweight division. He formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for sixteen years, and Bellator MMA. A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, he holds the record for the most finishes and the most submission victories in UFC Heavyweight history. Mir possessed the longest uninterrupted tenure of any fighter in UFC history, competing for the company from 2001 to 2016. He was the first man to knock out and the first to submit Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Alistair Cees Overeem is a Dutch former professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is a former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Heavyweight Champion, K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, and was the first fighter to hold world titles in MMA and K-1 kickboxing at the same time. Overeem is also a one-time challenger for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Gabriel Gonzaga Santos Nogueira is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, submission grappler and 5th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt.
UFC 81: Breaking Point was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held on February 2, 2008, by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip.
Chris Tuchscherer is a retired American mixed martial artist who last competed as a Heavyweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Daniel Ryan Cormier is an American former professional mixed martial artist, freestyle wrestler, and current commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As a former UFC Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion, Cormier is the second fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously and is the first fighter to have title defenses in two divisions. He is regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of his generation.
Cain Ramírez Velásquez is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist, currently appearing for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA). He is widely known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he competed in the heavyweight division and became a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion.
UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Roy Nelson is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division. As a professional, he has competed for the UFC, EliteXC, the IFL, BodogFIGHT, and most recently for Bellator MMA. In the UFC, Nelson was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights and achieved success as a top 10 UFC Heavyweight. Nelson is also the former IFL Heavyweight Champion, competing under Ken Shamrock and the Lion's Den. He holds notable victories over Mirko Cro Cop, Cheick Kongo, and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Junior dos Santos is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler who competes in the Heavyweight division. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Heavyweight Champion. As a professional wrestler, dos Santos made appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a member of the American Top Team stable.
UFC 100 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on July 11, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on November 21, 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
UFC 108: Evans vs. Silva was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 2, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Shane Kalani del Rosario was an American professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Heavyweight division, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, ShoXC, and King of the Cage. He held the distinction of being the first American to become the WBC Muay Thai World Heavyweight Champion.
UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 3, 2010, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show was voted as the Best Major Show in the 2010 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards, the first time a UFC show won the award.
UFC 146: dos Santos vs. Mir was a mixed martial arts (MMA) pay-per-view event (PPV) promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on May 26, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card featured five MMA bouts which were shown on PPV, as well as seven preliminary bouts which were shown on FX, and Facebook. This was the first time in UFC history that the main card featured all heavyweight bouts. It was the twelfth UFC event of 2012.
Mike Ricci is a Canadian former mixed martial artist who competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and has also fought in Bellator MMA.
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