Before he steps in to the octagon, there’s the small matter of his coaching role on “The Ultimate Fighter 16.” He and Nelson have already begun to verbally spar on Twitter, and their face-to-face exchanges on the show promise to be memorable. The bout will certainly serve as a grudge match for the two men, and Carwin has vowed to take his frustrations out on Nelson.

Of course, “Big Country” has always displayed a granite chin, and if cardio does prove to be Carwin’s Achilles heel, he could be in trouble in later rounds of the fight.

Carwin insists that while his cardio has been unfairly evaluated, he’s unquestionably ready for the challenge.

“I feel like I can compete with any of these guys (in the heavyweight division),” Carwin said. “I might not technically be the best, but I guarantee you I have more heart and determination than a lot of those guys. And I can take a beating. I swear my head is a little thicker than most people’s.

“It’s hard to knock me out, and I know that gets frustrating for other people when they hit you with your best shot and nothing happens. They know I have the ability to knock them out in once shot. I feel like I can knock anybody out in one shot. I think that’s where my excitement comes.”

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