PATCHING: UFC Fan Bar Without the Grill 1/14 - Lesnar vs. JDS on TUF 13, Shane Carwin's return and Phan-Garcia II

By: Marc Patching, MMATorch Contributor

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After a two year hiatus, Patching's UFC Fan Bar without the Grill is once again opened for business. This week, take a seat around the table as I discuss some of the latest news in the UFC. Unlike previous editions, I will not rant about Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, or Matt Hughes. I'll save all that for another time. Instead, this week I'll give my thoughts on Brock Lesnar, Junior Dos Santos, Shane Carwin, and Garcia vs. Phan II.

Let's tuck in.

Soup of the Day - Lesnar and Dos Santos named TUF 13 coaches, will fight in June

"Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in"

Michael Corleone ? Godfather: Part III.

One of the main things that excites me about a UFC event is the marquee match-up. Sure it's good to analyze a card looking at what fight could be the greatest technical showdown ever, but what I find myself getting emotionally invested in is when I see a fight like Brock Lesnar vs. Junior Dos Santos.

This fight has so much going for it, with real implications on not only the heavyweight division but also on the future of Brock Lesnar in general. Let's face it, the literal beatings he received at the hands of Shane Carwin and Cain Velazquez have put his whole MMA career in need of resuscitation.

Another exciting aspect of this battle is if Dos Santos can successfully defend Lesnar's takedowns. This was one of the keys to the Velazquez victory at UFC 121, and is something that others before him failed to do. On the same level, can Lesnar withstand Dos Santos' punches? Lesnar showed against Shane Carwin that he can take a certain barrage of attack. Though some will argue that if it was any other fighter then Lesnar, the fight would have been stopped.

As far as The Ultimate Fighter itself goes, I think it may be an interesting season. Whilst Lesnar may come across as anti-social, I think he may hone-in on his previous experiences in television while with the WWE. We already know that he may not be exactly hands-on coaching wise, with the majority being carried out by other members of DeathClutch. Dos Santos, meanwhile, may possibly call upon the services of Anderson Silva, and the Nogueiras.

Right now I'm going to call a victory for Lesnar. At the same time, the thought of a Heavyweight Title fight between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velazquez in Brazil certainly does whet the appetite.

Steak Fajita Salad - Shane Carwin confirms UFC 131 booking, no opponent set

Keeping on the heavyweight theme, Shane Carwin has confirmed that he is to fight at UFC 131. He mentioned on his official blog site that he was originally offered Roy Nelson as an opponent, but the plans for that changed. I'm thinking that it will be Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, with the winner maybe facing the victor of the Frank Mir vs. Nelson fight for number one contendership to the Heavyweight Title.

I'm a big Carwin fan, and hope that he has learned from his defeat to Lesnar. He is still a major threat in the heavyweight division, and should not be written off in any manner. With exciting match-ups with Dos Santos, Velazquez and an eventual re-match with Lesnar in the future, Carwin has plenty on his plate and he should be an interesting fighter to follow.

A freshly brewed coffee - Garcia vs. Phan II officially announced for UFC Fight Night 24

If ever there was a fight that should have shaken the way fights are judged in the UFC, then the first Garcia vs. Phan fight should have been it. It has to go down as the worst judged fight in UFC history, and really makes you question the integrity of some of the judges.

While watching the fight, I was full of approval in how Joe Rogan dealt with what was going on. Many people seem to think that a bad decision by the judges or a poor referee stoppage is all UFC's fault, but it's not. Admittedly, they could make some changes to how fights are scored, but as they have said countless times ? "don't leave it to the judges." Hopefully the rematch will be just as exciting with a "true" winner having his hand held high in the end.

That is that for this week's delight filled edition of the UFC Fan Bar without the Grill. Next week I'll post my predictions for the main card of UFC: Fight for the Troops 2, which takes place on Saturday, January 22.

Until then,

Marc Patching

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Staff_Editorials_19/article_8163.shtml

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