Shane Carwin got what he wanted, which was the opportunity to compete in MMA again – outside of the UFC.
Officially no longer with the @UFC. Thanks @IngrainedMedia for your tireless work. https://t.co/dQLbAceMoY
— Shane Carwin (@ShaneCarwin) September 8, 2016
The 41-year-old announced his retirement from the sport following a 2011 decision loss to Junior dos Santos. Carwin (12-2) became the interim UFC heavyweight champion when he knocked out Frank Mir in 2010. He would go on to lose his belt in a memorable unification match with Brock Lesnar a few months later.
He signed with the UFC in 2008 and promptly scored three straight first round finishes over Christian Wellisch, Neil Wain and Gabriel Gonzaga to earn his bout with Mir.
Prior to his MMA career, Carwin was a standout NCAA Division II wrestler, winning a national title and earning three All-American honors. He suffered through back surgery and a knee injury that caused him to miss time inside the cage.
