The finalists for the 2009 MMA World Awards have been named. Brock is nominated for Fighter Of The Year, Fight Of The Year (Brock vs Mir from UFC 100) & Breakthrough Fighter of the Year. Brock's coach Greg Nelson is also nominated for Coach Of The Year. Head over to WorldMMAAwards.com to vote.
Q: If you beat Rothwell, do you think you're ready for the Carwin-Brock Lesnar winner?
Valesquez: I definitely think so. For the Kongo fight, he was in line for a title shot. I took him out of that. After him, who else is there to fight? I was going to fight Shane, and they moved him up. I think I'm getting right to the end of the guys who are the cream of the crop. I don't know how much higher I need to go to get that shot.
Q: Who did you think will win the Carwin-Lesnar fight?
Valesquez: For me I think it's a tossup on the feet. Both guys have lots of power but I think for sure Lesnar has a bettter chance to take the fight to the ground. If he does, I think it's him. But on their feet, it's a tossup between them.
Q: Being a former D-I wrestler, explain to me why Lesnar (a former D-1 champ) is a better wrestler than Carwin (a former D-II champ).
Valesquez: Just his overall explosiveness I've seen in previous fights. That and the way he controls people on the ground. The amount of power he has on the ground. Just from seeing that, I expect his wrestling to be better.
Q: Which would you rather face, Carwin or Lesnar?
Valesquez: For me, it wouldnn't matter. I consider them the same type of fighter. It wouldn't matter. Whoever is the champ at the time.
Q: Both of those guys are behemoth heavies who you'll give up a lot of weight to. How hard is it going to be fighting them?
Valesquez: It's tough but I'm used to it. With college wrestling the weight limit was 285. I was wrestling guys that big, and I was weighing the same as I am now (around 240). I've experienced it. It's tough but I've got to deal with it because I'm in this weight class.
Inside Fights has confirmed a Wrestling Observer Newsletter report that Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will face the winner of the Nov. 21 Brock Lesnar/Shane Carwin fight.
Nogueira’s spirited victory over Randy Couture placed him near the top of the challenger’s heap in the UFC’s heavyweight division. He recently requested a rematch with Frank Mir, but the UFC has no interest in canceling Mir’s bout with Cheick Kongo, which is scheduled for UFC 107 in December.
Nogueira will instead wait to see who comes out victorious in the UFC 106 championship bout. No timetable has been given for Nogueira’s title shot, but it will likely happen at some point in the first three months of 2010.
Brock spoke to the Alexandria Rotary Club at its September 24, 2009 meeting. He shared his journey from South Dakota boy growing up on a farm to top collegiate athlete, professional wrestler to World Champion with the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization.
To see a photo of Brock from that event click here.