Rocky Mountain Thunder

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Known as a foraminotomy, the procedure was designed to relieve pressure on nerves in the spinal column and allow for easier movement. A bundle of nerves leaves the spinal cord through an opening -- the neural foramen -- in the spinal column. When the opening narrows, it can put pressure on the nerves and result in a condition known as foraminal spinal stenosis, which afflicted Carwin. It causes pain that radiates down through the limbs, along with numbness, tingling and muscle weakness. The surgery was performed by Dr. Chad Prusmack, a board-certified neurosurgeon at the Rocky Mountain Spine Clinic in Lone Tree, Colo.

Carwin, who underwent an unrelated procedure on his lower back in 2000, emerged a new man.

“It’s night and day,” he says.

Admittedly, there were fears associated with the surgery and how it could impact an athlete on the backside of his 30s.

“That’s something that crossed everybody’s mind,” Wittman concedes, “but I always look at the positive. He’s had a full recovery. He looks great. His neck had always been bothering him. Getting it fixed was a good decision.”

After months of rehabilitation, Carwin was in position to compete again. The UFC matched him with Norwegian grappling ace Jon Olav Einemo for his return match. Fate had other plans.

A Coach’s Hunch

A second bout with diverticulitis shelved Lesnar, who was originally booked to face Dos Santos at UFC 131. The two had coached opposite one another on Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show. With Carwin already on the card, the UFC had a built-in replacement, and Wittman had prepared for just such a scenario. The first clue was Einemo.

“This guy had never fought in the UFC; he hasn’t fought in five years,” Wittman says. “I thought, ‘What in the world are [UFC President] Dana [White] and [matchmaker] Joe [Silva] doing putting us in this fight [with Einemo]. I told one of my coaches, ‘We need a backup game plan. We need to be ready for Lesnar or Dos Santos.’ I figured with them being on the show, one of them could have an injury [and no one would know]. I always had that thought in the back of my head, so we prepared for all three guys.”

Once Lesnar withdrew, the UFC called on Carwin to toe the line against Dos Santos. The choice was his. There was no hesitation, despite the considerable risks, as Carwin and his camp knew a victory over Dos Santos would leave him as the top contender for current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez’s throne.

“We want to fight the best fighters in the world,” Wittman says. “To have a fight with Dos Santos pop up was like a Christmas gift for all of us. We believe he’s the best heavyweight out there, even though Cain holds the belt.”

Unbeaten in six dominant Octagon appearances, Dos Santos has finished five UFC opponents with strikes, including the world-ranked Fabricio Werdum and 2006 Pride Fighting Championships open weight grand prix winner Mirko Filipovic, whom he struck into submission in 2009. His boxing skills and impeccable technique have wowed crowds, trainers and fellow fighters. Carwin understands the dangers involved.

“This is an exciting opportunity for me,” he says. “Junior’s one of the top guys in the world. I have a ton of respect for him, but at the same time, the focus is on me and me becoming a better fighter. That’s what we try to do throughout the whole year. You get very few opportunities like this in life. I get to go in there and make the most of it and do something that I love to do.

“When I got that call,” Carwin adds, “it was an absolute yes. Not only do I get to fight one of the best guys in the world, but [I get to do it] with a title shot on the line.”