Back at UFC 81 when Mir first faced current heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar the 6'3 Mir weighed-in
Back at UFC 81, when Mir first faced current heavyweight champ, Brock Lesnar, the 6'3" Mir weighed-in at a rather flabby 255. By UFC 107, a muscular and ripped Mir had to cut weight down to 264.5 lbs at the weigh-in before his first-round demolition of a much smaller Cheick Kongo. Mir is arguably bigger now than Carwin, a transformation that many would have doubted was possible a year ago. All of this begs the question: how much will Mir's increased strength and size help him against Carwin, who, until recently, was regarded as second only to Lesnar in size among UFC heavyweights? Carwin expressed some doubts as to how effective Mir's added bulk would be. "Let's see how he carries it for 25 minutes," Carwin told MMABay. "Brock and I have been big since college. This is not an experience it is genetics and I know I can go 25 minutes full speed without fatigue from the extra weight. Also guys like Brock and I have been using our weight as a weapon and it takes a few years to master using your weight correctly." Despite the fact that Carwin questions how much Mir's new-found size will help him in the short-term, he feels that his rival's decision to bulk up is generally a good idea. The UFC's heavyweight division is more competitive than ever, and every edge a fighter gets can help.
"I think Frank is making a good decision by putting on the weight, as I see the division getting bigger not smaller," Carwin stated. "I just don't see it as being the great equalizer that he does. If I was paying several hundred dollars a month to be my size I'd probably have to convince myself it is worth it. Only way we will know is when we meet up and see who is pushing who." This article is also featured on UFC MMA. HAMBURG, April 30 (Reuters) - Hydro Aluminium, the Germanunit of Norwegian group Norsk Hydro (NHY.OL), may stopproduction at its loss-making aluminium plant at Neuss inGermany in June if talks to cut its power supply costs areunsuccessful, the company said on Thursday. Hydro Aluminium had said in January it might close Neuss,one of west Europe's largest primary aluminium plants, thissummer because of high German power costs. [ID:nLR601521] It also announced output cuts as the plant was losing around300,000 euros a day. [ID:nL5105600] Consideration had been given to stopping output at Neuss asearly as May but it was now possible the plant could close atthe end of June to give more time for talks with its Germanelectricity supplier RWE (RWEG.DE), said Hydro Aluminiumspokesman Michael Peter Steffen. Hydro was also in discussion with the German federalgovernment about assistance in keeping the plant open, he saidbut would not give details.
"The supervisory board has decided to give more time to thepolitical efforts to achieve a future and better commercialperspective for the plant," he said. "We have not given up hope entirely but if the talks do notproduce a fundamental improvement then we could be put in theposition in which the long-term or permanent closure of primaryproduction will have to be considered or implemented." Hydro says German electricity costs are up to 50 percenthigher than in other west European countries. The Neuss plant has capacity to produce 230,000 tonnes ofprimary aluminium annually but was currently producing onlyabout 4,000 tonnes a month, he said. Only 102 of the plant's 474production furnaces were now working.
More than 500 jobs could be threatened by closure of primaryaluminium output at Neuss, he said. But the Neuss aluminiumcasting plant with over 300,000 tonnes annual capacity wouldcontinue operations. But the casting plant used about 200,000 tonnes of liquidmetal from the primary plant and would face changes. "We must examine whether we could process more solid metalat the casting plant or whether we will need to adjust itscapacity, this is still unclear." he said. On Wednesday, the company's parent Norsk Hydro announcedlosses and said it could not see a short or medium term upturnin aluminum markets. [ID:nOSN002129] (Reporting by Michael Hogan; editing by James Jukwey). Coming down the stretch, it?s becoming more apparent which games are going to matter most with respect to top line national seeding.We?ve already discussed Kentucky and Kansas being virtual locks to get one seeds here , so I?m interested in knowing which games are going to determine the next six seeding lines for our ones and twos.With that thought in mind, here are six huge games that matter most. 1.Syracuse vs Villanova,Feb.