Lesnar's win opens up a whole new heavyweight debate

Some have called it the best performance of Brock Lesnar's career and that he's undoubtedly the No. 1 heavyweight in the world after his victory over Shane Carwin at UFC 116. For others, it only adds fuel to the fire about who's truly MMA's No. 1 big man. Just after the fight, fellow fighter Josh Thomson started a thread on Facebook.Thomson responded to some of the criticism while looking ahead to Lesnar versus Cain Velasquez. Thomson trains at the same gym in San Jose, American Kickboxing Academy.  Bloody Elbow took things to the next level saying it wasn't impressed with either Lesnar or Carwin. I saw something different. I saw a wildly entertaining fight between two guys who are still nowhere near finished products in the cage. To channel Georges St. Pierre for a moment, while I was entertained, I was "not impressed with their performance."We learned a few things about Brock Lesnar tonight. We confirmed what many suspected: Brock Lesnar doesn't like to get hit. As soon as Carwin touched him, Lesnar did more than cover up. He flat cowered against the cage. He wasn't hurt as much as terrified. The author Jonathan Snowden alleges that Lesnar was allowed to fight on, in spite of getting pounded on the ground in the opening round, because he's one of the UFC's cash cows. Make no mistake-Carwin had that fight won. Against anyone who isn't the promotion's heavyweight champion, that fight gets stopped due to some brutal ground and pound.He took Carwin to task as well. When the fight went to the second round, Carwin was no longer participating. He looked like he was approaching a heart attack and was like a spectator at his own execution. Lesnar took him to the mat with a sloppy tackle and shortly thereafter finished him with an arm triangle. It was hardly a display of technical prowess. Carwin had either checked out mentally or simply couldn't summon the energy to defend himself.The jury is still out on Lesnar. But this fight still leaves tons of lingering questions about what kind of fighter Lesnar will become. He looked helpless against Carwin, scared and desperate. His standup game is still rudimentary. He got tagged with everything and landed almost nothing. If he gets hit by Cain Velasquez, one thing is for certain. We know Cain won't falter, will never quit that prematurely. This Aussie writer took the opposite approach saying Lesnar is for certain the baddest big man on the planet.  I tend to side more with Snowden. Lesnar's stand-up game, especially defensively, needs a lot of work. Even Lesnar recognizes that. A smart gameplan, combined with top-notch athleticism is what it'll take to take the champ down. We have to see a Carwin-Lesnar rematch down the road. Carwin would be wise to come in a little leaner and also stay trimmer between fights. If he employs a more patient gameplan, he certainly has the goods to beat Lesnar. So do Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. Any of the elite heavyweights who land a big punch on Lesnar with four-ounce gloves can hurt him. The key is outboxing the big guy and staying on the move. Easier said than done, just ask Randy Couture and Frank Mir. Lesnar showed great heart but his down moments in the fight also give more than a few guys hope that they can solve the champ's riddle.  mma fight mma training anderson silva chuck liddell