Posted by Shane Carwin on June 21, 2010 at 8:41am

A lot of people are still questioning my reasoning behind limiting my media access. If you read this article it would sound as if I am somehow failing at my duties as a fighter. Or according to the Zuffa "Talking Heads" I am not doing my part to sell this fight.

Lets talk about me selling this fight. I earned this fight. I was "given' my previous opportunity against Brock but this one I earned. I was asked to train for Cain and I began my camp. I was then told Cain is not the opponent I am being bumped up to Lesnar. Then I begin training for Lesnar to only have him pull out of the fight TWICE. His "miracle recovery" underway I was told I am going to have to face Frank Mir to earn the opportunity to face Brock (something I had already been given and taken away now twice). So for those of you confused by the fact that I somehow am fighting Brock because I talked crap or played some hype man you are wrong. I earned this fight and this opportunity. I have never turned down a fight, I have never told Zuffa no, I have and always do a good job and for them. Those that know me know that is who and what I am all about.

Those in the Media that want to chastise me have not even attempted to reach out through proper channels to get an interview. I never said I wasn't doing interviews or eliminating media. I said I was not taking any direct media request. I just do not have the time to spend "just 15 minutes" on the phone answering the same questions over and over. The time adds up and that time has to come from my other job, family or training. None of which are worth sacrificing more than the need to promote a fight. I have however accepted 100% of the interview request that Zuffa has presented me. I have taken my own initiative and went out for the entire month of May meeting fans traveling the US. My team has got me on the Jason Ellis Show (@ellismate) in which I did about a ten minute interview (on my own) to help promote the fight.

For those of you that make this possible (the fans) I have dedicated myself to be more connected with you than ever before. We have this site and other Social Communities that you know you can reach me and you will get a response. I really only care about you the fans. I am not trying to become Dan's best friend or some company guy that says bullsh%t to sell tickets and then says post fight "I was just kidding he is a warrior". I find the smack talk silly kids games. You fans are the backbone of the sport and I do not need some third party outlet reaching you when we can do this directly.

As for July 3rd, I am going to let my fist do the talking. I know #TeamCarwin will tune in to support me or be there at the MGM Grand. Everyday when the training has me near death, the two hour drive to and from the gyn seems endless or coming home to find my family in bed already, I tell myself that I owe my fans and supporters to push on through. That is what this is all about anyway. I don't care if MMA websites like me I just care that you the fan can connect with me.

As for the money side of things. I wont lie and say I wish I was getting a piece of this PPV. Of course I want that, so does every other fighter on the card that is not. I love to fight but I would love to fight for millions of dollars. Who wouldn't want to be paid millions of dollars for doing what they love (aside from that girl in Twilight)? But, I am not fighting for the money. If I was I would have checked out of this sport LONG ago. This is not the NFL and there is no league minimums. You eat what you kill and that is all. I have a great team making sure that I have plenty of game to hunt. I am not dependent upon fighting Brock to cash out. I am making more off of being a fighter than I could ever have imagined. I regularly make calls to my manager thanking him for "changing my families life". I have been blessed by MMA, most of the MMA media, the fans, and even the haters and for that I am forever grateful. For those of you reporting I am only making $50,000 for this fight and that is the reason behind my limiting media, please get your facts right it is $80,000 ($40 to show and $40 to win) plus you have to factor in my generous sponsors (THANKS) and the KO and FOTN bonus that will be awarded to me on July 3rd. I would have done it for less, I love competing and testing myself.

I do not know if I have enough time in the sport to ever be the next "Brock". This is something I am okay with. I just want to be the very best ME I can be. I want to make sure you can reach me and we enjoy this journey together. I am not a superstar just a guy chasing his dream. I am happy with that because I know many that are not in the chase anymore. They speak of their dreams in the past tense, for me I am seeing a future filled with the best fans and fellow athletes anyone could ever hope for.

I am grateful to even be here. I have worked hard my entire life and I do not know any other way. There are no short cuts, I can't throw hundreds of thousands of dollars at trainers and training partners and expect to win. Winning for me is a lifetime of work. I was taught at a very young age that you have to work for whatever you want in life. I am doing that, I have put in the time and I deserve to be fighting for this belt. I know the more I put into it, the harder I work I more chance I have of having my hand raised at the end of the fight.

I hope Brock is ready for a war. I have prepared myself for the very best Brock Lesnar and I hope that is who shows up.