UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin

July 3rd is going to be a big day. Two big guys swinging their big fists to knock each other out to get that big heavyweight title belt. Oh, yeah. That big.

Brock Lesnar is coming out of a intestinal illness that kept him from going up against Carwin at UFC 108, but the day of reckoning is near. This Saturday, arguably, the two best heavyweights in the world are meeting in the octagon for an all out war to establish who the true heavyweight champion will be.

Carwin is coming off a knockout victory over Frank Mir that made the interim heavyweight champion. He's undefeated in his 12 fights and has knocked out his opponents in his last 5 fights. He is also the closest thing we got to a superhero. He's an engineer during the day and fights at night. He's like Batman without the inner angst. Carwin's got mainstream appeal, especially to the working middle class man. As you will see in tonight's episode of Countdown to UFC 116, Carwin is most likely going to be portrayed as the "good guy." Lesnar won't. For good reasons.

Lesnar, before he got sick, was also coming off a knockout win over Frank Mir (sorry, Frank) and he taunted Mir while he was down, flicked off the fans, insulted the sponsor (Bud Light), and said he was going to celebrate by climbing on "top of his wife." Charming guy? No. Dangerous? Very much so. And he is very much the villain in this tale of the take.

In his short MMA career, Lesnar has established himself as the man to beat and it's not just because of his big mouth, cockiness, and overall unsportsmanlike conduct. It's because Brock, if you like it or not, is a vicious fighter. What he lacks in experience (4-1) he makes up for in brute strength and the fear that he provokes in people. Brock is also a NCAA Division I champion while Carwin is the NCAA Division II title holder. Brock's got quick feet and heavy hands, while Carwin's got a pair of knockout mitts for hands. Carwin does have more experience on the ground as he's submitted 5 of his opponents, although one of them was by punches. Brock's submitted one of his opponents by strikes as well, but was tapped out by Mir via knee bar. The difference in this fight may come to the ground. I hope it doesn't because everyone, including me, wants to see a knockout especially after that hyped up Rampage/Rashad fight didn't.

It's going to be a classic fight with good vs. bad. Good, engineering Carwin against evil, giant Brock Lesnar. The only difference in this fight of epic proportions is that we can't say for sure that good will win. The odds are even in this one. And I can't wait. Check local listings for UFC 116, only on Pay Per View. 10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT.