Pros Pick: Lesnar vs. Carwin

Josh Neer: It’ll be trouble. Carwin has more experience and better boxing. I’ll take Carwin by KO, but [Junior] dos Santos will be champ next year.

Tim Kennedy: I’m taking Carwin. He hits harder, hasn’t been sick, still has the hunger and has underrated wrestling to survive.

Brian Warren: Going to be a good one. Can’t pick who’s going to win, so I am going to pick who I want to win. I want Carwin to win this by KO. So let’s just see how this great fight plays out. I know two things are going to happen for sure, though: somebody’s going to lose this one, and somebody’s going to get KO’d.

Pat Miletich: This is what I would have said before Brock got sick: “I think Carwin has better striking on the feet but will ultimately not be able to stop Lesnar’s takedowns.” Now, I have no clue. If Lesnar is back to 100 percent, he should pull out a ground-and-pound victory. If not, I think he’s in trouble. Nothing else to say, except Brock’s health will dictate the outcome

Keith Berry: Wow, I’ve been waiting for this fight. Well, Lesnar is a beast but so is Carwin. I really have no idea who’s going to win. I can see it going both ways depending on their game plans, but I like Carwin; he’s like the dad you never want to [expletive] with, so I say Carwin by KO.

Roy Arriola: Lesnar-Carwin has the potential to be a great fight if it stays on the feet. Brock’s chin has yet to be battle tested. Carwin will test it early and will eventually catch Brock coming in. Brock is not a technical-type fighter; he has proven that he will bull rush in 99 percent of the time and will look to do the same versus Carwin. Carwin by KO in round one, by knee or straight right hand down the pipe.

Marcus Davis: Carwin by KO in one. We will see Brock get hit by a man his size and will go sleepy, sleepy. I hope I don’t see Brock if he reads this.

Shamar Bailey: I really think this fight will be dictated by Lesnar’s ability to take Carwin down and keep him on the ground. Lesnar’s stand-up has improved, but he hasn’t fought anybody who possesses that knockout power he needs to respect. If this fight stays on the ground, I see Lesnar winning. If it stays on the feet, then I see Carwin winning this fight by referee stoppage.

Jeff Joslin: I’m looking forward to seeing Brock Lesnar back in action. After overcoming his health issue, I hope he comes into the fight close to 100 percent, because I think Shane Carwin will be the best he’s ever been come fight time. I see Brock controlling Carwin against the cage, scoring a takedown and unleashing an effective combination of intense ground control pressure and active ground-and-pound. I think this fight will end sometime in the second round with Lesnar being declared the winner.

Bobby Southworth: It’ll be good to see Brock back and see how he performs after his medical issues. This fight is tough to call. Carwin has big KO power, but he’s never been out of the first round, and this is a five-rounder. We know Lesnar can go at least three rounds. If the fight ends quick and with a bang, I’m callin’ Carwin. The longer the fight goes, I’ll take Lesnar. That’s the best I can do.

Michael Guymon: (Laughs) Two Mack trucks are gonna collide and make one big mess, and I think Brock is going to be on the wrong end. I see Carwin getting the KO in the first.

Scott Epstein: If Carwin taps that jaw, it’s good night Brock, but there is always the freight train bum rush take down that Brock has. Once that gorilla pressure is on, I’m not sure Carwin gets away. It’s 50/50. I bet on neither.

Tom Gavrilos: Hard to call because we’ve never really seen anything like this. If Carwin’s heavy, heavy hands connect, it’s going to be lights out. Since neither has been deep [in rounds], I’m interested to see how cardio plays in. I’ll take Carwin via KO.

Stav Economou: Such a tough fight to call. However, I think Brock is going to be the stronger and better wrestler of the two, so I think he is going to take this fight in the second round via TKO from ground-and-pound.

Ray Elbe: Carwin takes the belt from Lesnar faster than a supermodel heads to the bathroom after an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Marlon Sandro: Lesnar is a very explosive guy who will try to finish the fight soon. Nevertheless, I think that Carwin has proven that he has skill and is a guy who seems to be thinking more in the fight, as he did with Frank Mir. I think he will try the same game plan he used against Mir. Both have very strong punches, but I think Carwin will do this. I believe that Carwin wins.

Billy MacDonald: Well, after 20-25 years of wondering, we are going to finally get the answer to the question ‘Where’s the beef?’ July 3 it will be in Las Vegas inside the Octagon. The new question is how is Brock Lesnar’s health? While I have a sneaking suspicion that the money is going to come in on Brock, I am going to go with Shane Carwin via TKO in round two.

Roli Delgado: Regardless of who wins, I think it won’t make it past the second round. These guys are too big and bring way too much power. I think Brock’s explosiveness is going to get him the takedowns early. Look for Shane to fight back to his feet; no way he can fight off his back if Mir couldn’t. If Shane is successful at getting back to his feet, his fist may find Brock’s chin. However, I think Brock will be too much for Shane and will TKO him at the end of the first round.

Pedro Rizzo: Carwin has heavy hands, hits harder and is also good in wrestling. I think he wins.

Mike Ciesnolevicz: Now this is a hard fight to call. I have gone back and forth for the last year with friends, family, teammates and people at the grocery store about this one. I have had the opportunity to roll with Lesnar in the past and also do ground-and-pound drills with him since somebody in Iowa who was a former UFC champ decided to take the week off and shadowbox when he visited two years ago (laughs). Lesnar was a beast then; I can’t imagine how much better he is now. If he executes his game plan, Carwin is in a lot of trouble being stuck underneath. Carwin is not the same level of wrestler Lesnar is, but I think he has enough size and wrestling to be able to keep the fight standing or against the cage long enough to pull off the win. Lesnar is still a bit gunshy on the feet, and I think Carwin obviously is not. I picked Gonzaga and Mir both to derail Carwin, but he proved me wrong. Carwin wins by TKO but then loses to the best heavyweight in the UFC right now -- Cain Velasquez.

Matt Hamilton: I pick Brock. I think his skill set is vastly underrated because his physical attributes are so strong. At heavyweight, everyone has a puncher’s chance, and Carwin has more of one than most. I just don’t think a puncher’s chance makes up for Brock’s advantage in speed, reach, skills and, most likely, strength. Hillary [Williams] is gonna choke me for picking Brock since her and Shane are both MTX fighters, but I gotta go with the Freight Train by TKO in the first or second round.

Cristiano Marcello: I think Carwin is the more complete fighter. Lesnar has evolved a lot but not yet reached the level of Carwin, who hits harder. Carwin wins.

Benji Radach: Carwin is a pretty rugged hombre. I gotta be a little concerned with Lesnar’s athleticism and size. However, I always like to go with the underdog if he has a puncher’s chance. Carwin has had some steep opposition in the past and blasted himself right through it. I think Lesnar could win by controlling the fight with takedowns and smothering Carwin and possibly ground-and-pounding his way to his own TKO or KO, but I think Carwin is more of the brawling type on the feet and enjoys staying in the pocket and letting them fly. I think he may be able to pull off an upset in this one by TKO or KO. Carwin wins via TKO or KO.