How Brock Lesnar Would Fare Against His Top Three Contenders

Brock Lesnar is the behemoth at the top of the heavyweight mountain, and there are multiple challengers who want to take him out.

The top three men who want to claim his mountain are jiu-jitsu ace Frank Mir, powerful striker Shane Carwin, and the dominant wrestler Cain Velasquez.

All three top current contenders bring unique talents to the table and have very few weaknesses. Lesnar will likely have a tough time fighting any of them. They are very hungry for the belt, and one of his contenders even wants murder.

I am going to examine all three matches and how I think they would play out.

Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin

Both Lesnar and Carwin are good wrestlers, with Lesnar holding a slight advantage. They both match up well in terms of size. Both are 6'3'' and have to cut significant weight to make the 265 lbs. weight limit.

In terms of stand-up striking, Carwin runs away with a huge advantage. He may have the most powerful punch in MMA right now.

If he is to win this fight, Carwin will have to keep it standing, where he obviously holds the advantage. However, that is easier said than done against a wrestler of Lesnar's caliber. Remember, he was the champion of his weight class all four years in college at Minnesota.

Now, this is how I think the fight would break down.

Round One: Lesnar

Round Two: Lesnar

Round Three: KO, Shane Carwin

I think after Carwin gets grounded and pounded by Lesnar for two rounds he will finally find his comfort zone, keeping Lesnar at bay with quick jabs and then throwing power punches if Lesnar gets close.

In my breakdown, Lesnar gets a little too close, and Carwin catches him with a straight right and drops him.

Result: Shane Carwin via KO, Round Three

Next, we are going to assume that Frank Mir won the interim belt, and he is facing Brock Lesnar.

Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar

Since we have already gone over what Lesnar brings to the table, let's focus on Frank Mir.

Mir is one of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in the division.

His submissions are good, and his striking has taken a turn for the better since he gained 20 pounds of muscle.

However, in the past, Mir has shown a weakness against good wrestlers like Lesnar. We'll see if he has improved.

Here is how I think the fight plays out.

Round One: Mir

Round Two: Lesnar

Rounds Three, Four, and Five: Lesnar

I think when this fight takes place, Lesnar will look back on his UFC 100 fight with Mir and exploit those same weaknesses. Although Mir added strength, Lesnar will be too much for him to handle.

Result: Brock Lesnar via majority decision

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

And last we have Cain Velasquez, who, after his performance against Big Nog, has been dubbed by a few as the future of the heavyweight division. Although he is smaller than Lesnar (6'2'', 240 lbs.), he matches up with Lesnar really well in all other aspects of the game.

Velasquez was a four-year Division I All-American at Arizona State University, and his wrestling ability has only gotten better since then.

Lesnar has a small advantage in this department due to his size, but even that may be a wash due to Velasquez's speed and ability to stuff takedowns.

Velasquez's speed and athleticism will make him a nightmare for anyone in the division (it already has), and it will continue to do so for years to come. In terms of cardio and endurance, let's just say Velasquez will always be ready for five rounds.

Here is how I think the fight will play out.

Round One: Lesnar

Round Two: Velasquez

Round Three: Lesnar

Rounds Four and Five: Velasquez

When this fight happens, you can bet Lesnar and Velasquez will be ready, but being the lighter guy here will be to Velasquez's benefit. He will take the fifth round after tying the fight.

Velasquez will control Lesnar in the fifth round due to Lesnar being tired, and Velasquez will walk out with a hard fought win and the heavyweight belt.

Result: Cain Velasquez via majority decision

If you are still here, thank you for reading my article. I know there will be some dispute, so feel free to leave a comment and get the debate started.