Shane Carwin would happily fight fellow UFC heavyweight contender Frank Mir

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With the Ultimate Fighting Championship's heavyweight division in a bit of disarray due to a rash of fighter injuries and champion Brock Lesnar's mysterious but obviously serious illness, one fighter is openly contemplating options for future fights.

Shane Carwin, who was next in line for a title shot until Lesnar was sidelined with injuries, initially opted to fight through his own ailment but has since decided to take time off to rehabilitate and to prepare for the birth of a child.

When he returns, though, he's open to a fight with fellow contender Frank Mir.

Mir, a former champion, convincingly defeated Cheick Kongo this past weekend at UFC 107 and rejoins the thick of the title picture with Cain Velasquez and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who meet in February at UFC 110.

If Lesnar remains sidelined for an extended period of time, would Carwin be open to a bout with Mir?

"The answer is easy: yes," Carwin wrote on his official Web site, shane-carwin.com. "I am not a fighter who decides who he fights. I fight who I am told to fight. I like it that way. I am not trying to build a legacy; I am trying to fight the best fighters in the World and determine where I fit in.

"Mir is a multiple-time champion who has been counted out more [than] Mike Tyson to only find himself right back at the top. He is a legend of the sport, and I would be honored to fight him."

Such a matchup, of course, depends on Lesnar. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported over the weekend, UFC president Dana White said he will know in about four to six weeks whether the champ will be forced to undergo a "major surgery." If so, the UFC title picture will move on without him, and an interim title will be implemented, White said.

Nogueira vs. Velasquez has already been booked as a non-title affair. A possible Carwin vs. Mir matchup is certainly worthy of an interim belt, as would a bout pitting the Nogueira vs. Velasquez winner against the Carwin vs. Mir winner.

As for Carwin, he's simply in wait-and-see mode.

"I am waiting to see what they have planned for the division and where I fit into the overall plans," he stated. "I am getting better everyday, training hard, and I know my time will come."