The UFC’s heavyweight division has been home to monstrous punchers with a new powerful force making his name on this day in 2008.
UFC 84 on May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena was packed with impressive knockout wins.
Long before Wanderlei Silva stopped Keith Jardine in the opening minute, the night was kicked off by a debuting fighter who would go on to become an interim champion.
Shane Carwin achieved a lot of success during his short career where he was one of the most feared punchers in the sport.
Before he would climb to the top of the division, where he put Brock Lesnar through hell at UFC 116, the one-punch knockout artist had to announce himself to the fans.
Shane Carwin sent Christian Wellisch’s mouthpiece flying with a one-shot knockout at UFC 84
By the time that a 34-year-old Shane Carwin arrived in the UFC, he had already earned a reputation as a dangerous fight finisher.
With a record of 8-0, each of his wins had come in the very first round, a streak that he would go on to maintain right up to his first loss where he was submitted by Brock Lesnar at UFC 116 in 2010.
Carwin’s Octagon debut saw him take on the Hungarian-born Christian Wellisch, who had three UFC fights under his belt.
Having been stopped by Cheick Kongo on his debut, Wellisch had bounced back with wins over Anthony Perosh and Scott Junk before he looked to make it three-in-a-row at UFC 84.
Unfortunately, he was tasked with welcoming one of the hardest hitters in UFC history, and though both men had some success early on, all it took was one clean shot from Carwin to close the show.
A freight train-like right hand sent Wellisch’s mouthpiece flying with the fight being waved off in just 44 seconds.
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Shane Carwin’s career was totally derailed by injuries
After suffering his first loss at UFC 116, Shane Carwin’s next outing would see him go to the scorecards for the first time in a defeat to Junior dos Santos.
The former interim heavyweight champion then faced several injuries that would keep delaying his return to the Octagon.
Eventually, this led to Carwin retiring in 2013, just under two years on from his final UFC fight with ‘JDS’.
He would be linked with several comebacks with the likes of RIZIN and Bellator, but nothing ever materialized for the devastating striker.