Pros Pick: Mir vs. Carwin

Billed as an interim heavyweight title fight, the showdown between Frank Mir and Shane Carwin will serve as the co-main event at UFC 111 “St. Pierre vs. Hardy” on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The winner figures to land a shot at reigning but recovering UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar sometime this summer.

Sherdog.com recently gathered predictions from a number of professional fighters and trainers to gauge how they think the UFC 111 co-headliner will play out.

Elvis Sinosic: Both guys are very dangerous and have the ability to end the fight in the blink of an eye. Carwin has heavy hands; Mir’s submission ability is instantaneous. Mir also has power standing. I think Carwin has more power, though. Saying that, I think Mir has the better technique, as Carwin, though he has a great chin, tends to get tagged early. I think Mir will most likely tag Carwin early and look for a submission. My pick is Mir, though Carwin has the ability to end the fight at any point with a single shot.

Stephane Vigneault: I see Frank Mir finishing the fight with a leg lock in the second round; Mir via submission. The new Frank Mir is bigger, stronger and faster than before. Should be a good fight.

Derrick Noble: This could go similar to when Nick Thompson and I played shuffle board. Mir could come in overconfident and talking trash, only to gas out and end up getting TKO’d, which is what happened to Thompson in our game. But I think Mir is so determined to get a rematch with Lesnar that he won’t make that mistake, and he will get the submission. Mir by submission, round one.

Gabe Ruediger: I’m going with Carwin by better personality.

Ray Elbe: Shane Carwin is 11-0 and has never had a fight go out of the first round. I think in this fight Carwin gets an opportunity to showcase his cardio conditioning. Carwin by an extra tank of oxygen sometime late in the second after giving his best Ian Freeman ground-and-pound impersonation.

Mike Ciesnolevicz: I really think Shane Carwin is a class act. Seems like a great guy, and it’s hard to root against him, but Frank Mir is really turning into a killer with his stand-up, power, motivation and dangerous submissions. I also think the fact that Carwin hasn’t gone over one round could be a factor. I think Carwin is going to be dangerous with his power early, but I see Frank Mir being smart and getting Carwin on the mat, where he hasn’t been tested. Once it’s there, I see Mir getting the submission. Hopefully Carwin taps so he doesn’t get injured.

Robin Black: Frank Mir has become a scary beast physically. And he will do anything to get his third fight with Lesnar. I think Mir’s gonna stop the Carwin train in impressive fashion. Be afraid, Lesnar.

Dean Lister: Mir by submission.

Adam Singer: I have to go with Mir in this one. When the mentally strong Mir shows up, he can beat anyone. Is this one of those times? Mir by second-round submission.

Keith Berry: Both these fighters are powerhouses and love to bring the fight to their opponent. I think Mir’s experience will show. I’m a betting man, so I’m taking Mir. I’ll say TKO in the second.

Marcus Davis: My pick is Mir by submission in two. This pick is not biased in any way due to the coincidence that Mir also trains with Mark DellaGrotte.

Tom Gavrilos: Mir has to really watch out for the heavy hands and get this thing to the ground. I think he will. Mir by submission.

Brian Warren: I have been wrong in my last two out of three picks, but I’ll do my best. These two guys are warriors and both have a great chance of winning this one. I am going to be safe on this fight and say Carwin by KO or Mir by submission. That’s just my gut feeling.

Charlie Brenneman: I’m pretty confident in picking Mir to win this fight. Aside from being on an absolute mission to regain his peace of mind with Lesnar, he’s too well-rounded for Carwin. Not only is Mir efficient in all aspects of striking, but he also has the edge on the ground. Carwin has a puncher’s chance with his awesome punching power, but I think Mir takes this via TKO in the second round.

Jason Lambert: Mir by submission.

Nick Thompson: Derrick Noble and I discussed this in the bath. Derrick thinks Mir. Derrick knows his fighting.

Patrick Cote: I want Carwin to win, but I think, as [much] as I don’t like Mir, he will be too much for Shane. Mir [via] submission in the second round.

Pros who picked Mir: 14
Pros who picked Carwin: 2
Pros who could not decide: 1

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