UFC 131 Fight Card: Breaking Down Shane Carwin vs. Junior Dos Santos

After the recent announcement of Brock Lesnar being forced out of his bout at UFC 131, UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin will be Lesnar's replacement, as he will square off against Junior dos Santos.

This will be Carwin's first appearance inside the Octagon since his loss to Lesnar last year at UFC 116, since then Carwin has spent a substantial amount of time recovering from backs surgery. 

Dos Santos has been on an impressive run since his debut in the UFC, recently defeating Roy Nelson at UFC 117.

The Brazilian has made his tenure in the heavyweight division look easy so far, picking up wins over some of the prominent fighters, including Fabricio Werdum, Gabriel Gonzaga and Mirko Cro Cop. 

Both men hold some notable victories over some the division's top stars, and a win for either Carwin or dos Santos will guarantee a title shot against Cain Velasquez later this year. 

Here is a breakdown of Shane Carwin vs. Junior dos Santos

No.1: Striking

Both competitors hold some of the best stand up in the heavyweight division and have the ability to end a fight instantaneously. 

Shane Carwin is one the most powerful athletes in the heavyweight division, holding knockout power in both hands. Holding a professional record of 12-1-0, Carwin is a powerful striker and has earned all of his wins in the UFC by knockout.

There is nothing flashy about the 265-pound Colorado native. His intention while entering a fight is simple—knockout his opponent.

His massive frame takes up a lot of space and helps him close the distance on his opponents very well, forcing them to stand and trade with him.

Not only does he impose his size on his opponents, but Carwin is quite accurate with his striking. According to Fightmetric.com, Carwin has a 57 percent striking accuracy.

Perhaps there is no other fighter who has a made a significant impact on the heavyweight division than Junior dos Santos. The Brazilian prospect has steamrolled through all of his opponents, picking up a KO/TKO along the way.

Under the guidance of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, dos Santos possesses the best striking in the heavyweight division. His striking and combinations are very technical, crisp and powerful, providing a tough task for any opponent to deal with.

When dos Santos throws a combination, he is very fast and light on his feet and uses his hips effectively to utilize enough torque and extension in his striking, that each strike becomes more powerful than the last.

He also has very good understanding of how to establish distance to setup his strikes and find his range; utilizing his jab effectively. 

While this bout will likely be contested on the feet, Carwin might have more power but dos Santos is the more technical striker.

Carwin will not have to maintain as much distance, which will allow him to generate more power in his striking at a shorter range, but dos Santos' combination of power, speed and technique is a lot to consider.

While Carwin relies a lot on his strength and power to knockout an opponent, dos Santos is more versatile than Carwin and has more tools to finish an opponent.

Advantage: Dos Santos

No.2: Grappling / Clinch

While neither man has spent a considerable amount of time grappling, or inside the clinch, Carwin and dos Santos are quite effective when they are put in that position. 

Because Carwin's massive frame helps close the distance, it is much easier for him to get inside the clinch and wear out his opponent.

Not only does he impose his size but Carwin also uses effective striking inside the clinch, where he generates a lot of power from a close distance, landing uppercuts and body shots. 

Not much can be said for his grappling, however. As imposing as he is, Carwin rarely uses his size and strength to utilize his grappling and take the bout to the ground.

It is ironic seeing how he is a NCAA Division II wrestler and he prefers to strike for a majority of the time. 

Dos Santos, like Carwin, is effective inside the clinch but he utilizies more of a Muay Thai base. He also uses effective striking, but he uses his taller, longer frame to apply a Muay Thai plum and land knees to the face and body.

He uses his hips effectively while clinching, preventing his opponent from taking him down, holding a 89 percent take down defense. 

Again, neither Carwin or dos Santos end up utilizing their grappling skills often, but Carwin would be more effective inside close range, considering his power and size.

Should this bout wind up in the clinch, dos Santos needs to be aware of Carwin's power. 

Advantage: Carwin

No.3: Submissions

Much like grappling, neither competitor have utilized much of their submission skills to make a fair assessment. 

Carwin, who is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, does hold five submission victories throughout his career.

However in his bouts against Gonzaga and Lesnar, Carwin was taken down and controlled relatively easy by his opponents, showing his inexperience. 

Dos Santos has claimed in past interviews that his ground game is as good as his striking, but hasn't had the opportunity to utilize it.

Perhaps the only example that is worth noting is in his bout with Gonzaga at UFC Live, Gonzaga took him down but dos Santos used his hips to scramble off his back and instantly retreat to the feet.

Dos Santos is also a brown belt in BJJ and holds three submission victories. 

While neither Carwin or Dos Santos have utilized their BJJ, statistically Carwin is better than Dos Santos as he holds more submission victories on his record, providing he has the knowledge and ability to grapple on the ground.

However dos Santos is one rank higher than Carwin, thus proving he has more knowledge and experience.

Advantage: Draw

No.4: Intangables

Shane Carwin and Junior dos Santos come from two of the most renowned training camps, filled with some of the most talented fighters in MMA. 

Shane Carwin trains out of Jackson's Submission Fighting and Grudge Training Centre, working with such fighters as Georges St-Pierre, Nate Marquardt and Jon Jones.

Head trainer, Greg Jackson is notorious for formulating a gameplan for his fighters and Carwin will surely have something in mind to try and expose a weakness of his opponent. 

Dos Santos also trains with some of the most talented fighters at Team Blackhouse, including Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

The Brazilian camp is as diverse and talented in many different styles that should benefit dos Santos as he prepares for his upcoming bout.

While under the coaching of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, it is easy to see why the 26-year-old Brazilian is developing into one of the top stars in the UFC today. 

While both men are credited for belonging to arguably the two best training camps in MMA, dos Santos has more options to work with in terms of style, technique and skill level.

Advantage: dos Santos

No.5: Conclusion

Shane Carwin will certainly be the toughest test of dos Santos' career, but the Brazilian is an all-around better fighter and has more weapons at his disposal than Carwin. 

Dos Santos will want to keep this fight on the feet for as much as possible, and he won't want to stay inside of his opponents range long enough, so look for dos Santos to establish distance with his jab. 

Establishing a good distance will allow dos Santos to setup and time his strikes properly, in order to catch Carwin.

Dos Santos will likely mix up his striking and add more kicks to further the distance between him and his opponent, but also to keep him guessing as well. 

Dos Santos will need to be quick and accurate with his striking inside the pocket, and look to counter strike rather than be the aggressor.

Maintaining his distance won't allow Carwin to use his power, which will lead to him chasing the Brazilian and lead to one of two things: become fatigued or expose himself.

From there, dos Santos should look for that opening and connect. 

Prediction: dos Santos in second round TKO