Archive for the ‘World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC)’ Category

WEC 44 weigh in results, information and details from Las Vegas, NV, on Nov. 17

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

The official weigh-in event for WEC 44: “Brown vs. Aldo” is set to take place from “The Pearl” at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009.

The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 4 p.m. PT. Doors to the event will open at 2 p.m. PT for a special autograph session featuring top WEC stars Jamie Varner, Brian Bowles and Ed Ratcliff.

As usual, MMAmania.com will provide the latest coverage of the WEC 44 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude.

WEC 44 will feature a main event featherweight title bout between champion Mike Thomas Brown and perhaps his most difficult challenger to date in feared Brazilian striker, Jose “Junior” Aldo.

Former UFC lightweights Manny “The Pitbull” Gamburyan and Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia are also scheduled to hook ‘em up in a battle of 145-pound contenders in the co-featured fight of the evening.

Check out the complete lineup for WEC 44 below:

Main event:

145 lbs.: WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Thomas Brown (22-4) vs. Jose
“Junior” Aldo (15-1)

Main card (Televised):

145 lbs.: Manny “Pitbull” Gamburyan (9-4) vs. Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia (13-4)
155 lbs.: “Razor” Rob McCullough (17-5) vs. Anthony “Showtime” Pettis (7-0)
155 lbs.: Shane Roller (6-2) vs. Danny Castillo (8-1)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

145 lbs.: L.C. Davis (14-2) vs. Diego “The Gun” Nunes (13-0)
145 lbs.: John Franchi (5-1) vs. Cub Swanson (13-3)
155 lbs.: James Krause (10-1) vs. Ricardo Lamas (6-1)
135 lbs.: Frank Gomez (7-1) vs. Seth Dikun (7-3)
155 lbs.: Alex Karalexis (10-4) vs. Kamal Shalorus (4-0-1)
135 lbs.: Antonio Banuelos (16-5) vs. Kenji Osawa (15-8-2)

For those fortunate enough to be in “Sin City” remember that the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 2 p.m. PT for the general public.

And be sure to stick around immediately following the weigh-ins for a Q&A session with WEC headliners Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson with special guest emcee Frank Mir.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Wednesday, Nov. 18), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on the Versus network from “The Pearl” at the Palms Casino Resort.

The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET.

It’s going to be an awesome night of fights so don’t miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight WEC 44 coverage you can handle.

WEC 44: Mike Brown ready for anything — even the ‘unknown’ against Jose Aldo

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Props: MMA Fanhouse

Quoteworthy:

“He’s very tough, a good striker who’s been going right through people. He’s been knocking people out so quickly that it’s hard to see what his complete game is like, but his striking is good. My advantages over him are strength, punching power and wrestling. On the ground it’s kind of an unknown. I mean, he’s a black belt, but there are very different calibers of black belts. I can’t say that I wouldn’t get caught because great jiu-jitsu guys still get caught in submissions. I mean, Wagnney Fabiano just got caught in a triangle. Who would have thought that? But I can definitely say I’ve improved to the point where now I think submission grappling is my strong suit. I don’t like to make predictions, and I know the possibility of losing is always there. But I’m very confident in my abilities and I think I’m going to go out there and win the fight.”

WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Brown sounds off on his upcoming title defense against the electric Jose Aldo at WEC 44 from “The Pearl” at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 18. It certainly won’t be an easy task because the 15-1 “Junior” has been sensational in his tenure with the WEC, stopping all five of his fights by way of (T)KO. But if anyone can do it it’s Brown — he’s been an absolute juggernaut since usurping the crown from Urijah Faber at WEC 36. Will Aldo be able to keep it upright or will Brown neutralize his stand-up with takedowns and punishing ground and pound? Predictions please, Maniacs.

WEC President Reed Harris creating a stacked PPV ‘You just gotta watch’

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Props: Heavy.com

Quoteworthy:

“When we decided to focus on the lighter weights we knew we had our work cut out for us. But if you look at boxing for example, it took many yeas, but now the lightweight guys are the guys everybody is interested in. If you look at the time frame, I only started really focusing on the light weights about eight months ago. Now look where we are at. Everyone in the MMA industry says the best lightweights in the world fight for WEC. I get calls from across the world, from Japan, from Korea, from Brazil, with coaches saying ‘I’ve got lightweight fighters we want to bring into the WEC, because these guys want to fight the best.’ It used to be the other way around. We used to have to chase after them. Obviously we’ve got guys like Miguel (Torres), Brian Bowles, Urijah Faber, Mike Brown, and Jose Aldo. We’re starting to build this huge list of guys that people are interested in. I know if we do a pay-per-view I am going to have to have a completely stacked card. Deeper than anything I’ve ever done. And it’s going to have to be fights people want. I watched the Countdown show the other day. Once the fans understand the fighters and what the fight is about, then you just gotta watch.”

WEC President Reed Harris promises to deliver a stacked card when the UFC sister promotion eventually enters the world of pay-per-views in 2010. The WEC has long been (and will continue to be) on the Versus network but Harris is confident that he has not only the business model, but also the talent pool in which to successfully create a future for the WEC in the world of pay-per-view. Any Maniacs out there willing to part with a few extra bucks to catch their favorite WEC stars mix it up inside the cage? Or is this strictly a “free — or not for me” type of promotion? Thoughts?

Hand injury forces Alex Karalexis from WEC 44 event

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

A broken hand has forced former Ultimate Fighter Alex Karalexis (10-4) to withdraw from his bout against Kamal Shalorus at WEC 44 in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 18.

Fighters.com reported the injury Thursday morning and Karalexis was quoted as saying “ I just broke my hand, so I’m out for a bit.”

“T-Rex” ended his two fight losing streak with a victory over Greg McIntyre at WEC 39. He has had six total fights in the WEC (4-2) after a disappointing career in the UFC (1-2).

Shalorus (4-0-1) began his professional career in 2008 with a debut victory over Jeff Davis at King of Kombat 3. He has three victories in 2009 with his most recent victory coming over Justin Miller at Supreme Warrior Championship 7: “Discountenance”.

There has been no word yet on a replacement for the undefeated lightweight.

WEC 44 is set for the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 18. The card is headlined with a featherweight championship bout between Mike Thomas Brown and top contender Jose Aldo.

For the current WEC 44 fight card click here.

WEC 46 tickets at Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA, for ‘Varner vs Henderson’ on Jan. 10 for sale soon

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

WEC 46

Tickets for WEC 46: “Varner vs. Henderson,” which is slated for Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2010, will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. PT.

WEC Newsletter subscribers, naturally, will be able to scoop up tickets prior to them being available for public consumption two days earlier on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. PT.

WEC 46 will feature the return of Jamie “C-4″ Varner, defending his lightweight belt against 155-pound interim champion Benson “Smooth” Henderson in the main event of the evening.

The Arco Arena is a venue with which the promotion is extremely familiar with thanks in larger part to former featherweight champion and local fan favorite, Urijah Faber. “The California Kid,” who is also coming back from a hand injury like Varner, will collide with top-ranked contender Raphael Assuncao in the co-featured fight of the night.

WEC 46 tickets can be purchased through StubHub.com (Note: StubHub often has seats available even if the event is “sold out”). It will also be available to watch on Versus at 9 p.m. ET on fight night.

For more on WEC 46 stay dialed in to MMAmania.com and remember to check out the latest WEC news and rumors right here.

WEC 46: ‘Varner vs Henderson’ announced for Arco Arena on Jan. 10

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

wec46poster

World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) today announced its first show of the New Year, which will feature the return of Jamie Varner, defending his lightweight belt against 155-pound interim champion, Benson “Smooth” Henderson, in the main event of the evening.

WEC 46: “Varner vs. Henderson” is scheduled for the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2010.

It’s a venue with which the promotion is extremely familiar thanks in larger part to former featherweight champion and local fan favorite, Urijah Faber. “The California Kid,” who is also coming back from a hand injury like Varner, will collide with top-ranked contender, Raphael Assuncao, in the co-featured fight of the night.

The line up thus far is one that WEC General Manager, Reed Harris, is thrilled to promote.

Here’s a snip:

“ARCO Arena is one of our favorite venues to bring fights, the fans in Sacramento are some of the best. The world title bout between Varner and Henderson is a perfect way to start off the New Year. The title fight, plus the return of Urijah, makes this an instant winter classic.”

Henderson (10-1) defeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at WEC 43 via razor-thin unanimous decision to successfully capture the interim gold. “Smooth” avoided countless submission attempts from Cerrone, while inflicting good damage in the early rounds. The victory was a large upset, introducing the relatively unknown Henderson to the fans of the sport.

A product of Arizona’s MMA Lab, Henderson has managed to string together nine straight victories since his only loss, which was to Chad Klingensmith at Ring of Fire 27: “Collision Course” in Dec. 2006. He is perfect (3-0) in the WEC with victories over Shane Roller, Anthony Njokuani and Cerrone.

Varner (16-2) gained the lightweight belt back in 2006 when he defeated “Razor” Rob McCullough via technical knockout. “C-4” has gone on to defend his belt twice with victories over Marcus Hicks and Donald Cerrone.

Varner has been sidelined for some time now because of injuries he sustained during the battle at WEC 38 in earlier this year January against Cerrone. One year later, Varner will finally be able to put his belt on the line again, hoping to defend it for a third time.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for breaking news and updates on WEC 46.

WEC 46: ‘Varner vs Henderson’ announced for Arco Arena on Jan. 10

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) today announced its first show of the New Year, which will feature the return of Jamie Varner, defending his lightweight belt against 155-pound interim champion, Benson “Smooth” Henderson, in the main event of the evening.

WEC 46: “Varner vs. Henderson” is scheduled for the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2010.

It’s a venue with which the promotion is extremely familiar thanks in larger part to former featherweight champion and local fan favorite, Urijah Faber. “The California Kid,” who is also coming back from a hand injury like Varner, will collide with top-ranked contender, Raphael Assuncao, in the co-featured fight of the night.

The line up thus far is one that WEC General Manager, Reed Harris, is thrilled to promote.

Here’s a snip:

“ARCO Arena is one of our favorite venues to bring fights, the fans in Sacramento are some of the best. The world title bout between Varner and Henderson is a perfect way to start off the New Year. The title fight, plus the return of Urijah, makes this an instant winter classic.”

Henderson (10-1) defeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at WEC 43 via razor-thin unanimous decision to successfully capture the interim gold. “Smooth” avoided countless submission attempts from Cerrone, while inflicting good damage in the early rounds. The victory was a large upset, introducing the relatively unknown Henderson to the fans of the sport.

A product of Arizona’s MMA Lab, Henderson has managed to string together nine straight victories since his only loss, which was to Chad Klingensmith at Ring of Fire 27: “Collision Course” in Dec. 2006. He is perfect (3-0) in the WEC with victories over Shane Roller, Anthony Njokuani and Cerrone.

Varner (16-2) gained the lightweight belt back in 2006 when he defeated “Razor” Rob McCullough via technical knockout. “C-4” has gone on to defend his belt twice with victories over Marcus Hicks and Donald Cerrone.

Varner has been sidelined for some time now because of injuries he sustained during the battle at WEC 38 in earlier this year January against Cerrone. One year later, Varner will finally be able to put his belt on the line again, hoping to defend it for a third time.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for breaking news and updates on WEC 46.

Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett joins WEC bantamweight roster

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

brad_pickett

World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) has delved back into the fighter catalog with yet another signing to bolster its already extremely competitive bantamweight division.

The WEC and British 135-pounder Brad Pickett have come to terms on a multi-fight deal, according to Fighters Only magazine.

Pickett (17-4) enters the WEC on a seven-fight win streak, having not lost since June of 2007. He has spent the majority of his career at the 145-pound featherweight limit with much success, including being the featherweight champion when he fought in Cage Rage.

Nicknamed “One Punch,” Pickett has made a career out of finishing fights. He has gone to a decision only four times out of his 21 total professional fights. Eight of his victories have come via submission, while six have been earned via knockout.

The WEC bantamweight division is currently ruled by the young champion Brian Bowles (8-0). Pickett enters a division that is more competitive than it has been in a long time, as the WEC continues to bolster its fighter roster as of late.

Pickett is expected to debut in early 2010. The fighter who will stand opposite “One Punch” next year has yet to be named.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for breaking news and updates from the WEC.

Report: Chad Mendes signs six-fight deal with WEC

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

chad_mendes

The WEC featherweight division will soon welcome yet another promising 145-pounder as Chad Mendes has come to terms with the promotion on a six-fight deal, according to Sherdog.com.

Mendes (5-0) has garnered a perfect record over his young professional career, which began in Sept. 2008 with a debut victory over Giovanni Encarnacion via submission at Palace Fighting Championship: “Explosive.”

Mendes has since gone on to win each of his four fights in 2009, rounding out his perfect record with two knockouts and two decisions.

At the age of 24, Mendes has spent his short professional career training with Urijah Faber and Team Alpha Male. He has a solid wrestling background as a two-time All-American California Polytechnic State University and the NCAA Division I runner-up in the 141-pound division in 2008.

Mendes is expected to debut in World Extreme Cagefighting in the first quarter of 2010. An opponent has yet to be named.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for updates and breaking news from the WEC.

Report: Chad Mendes signs six-fight deal with WEC

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

chad_mendes

The WEC featherweight division will soon welcome yet another promising 145-pounder as Chad Mendes has come to terms with the promotion on a six-fight deal, according to Sherdog.com.

Mendes (5-0) has garnered a perfect record over his young professional career, which began in Sept. 2008 with a debut victory over Giovanni Encarnacion via submission at Palace Fighting Championship: “Explosive.”

Mendes has since gone on to win each of his four fights in 2009, rounding out his perfect record with two knockouts and two decisions.

At the age of 24, Mendes has spent his short professional career training with Urijah Faber and Team Alpha Male. He has a solid wrestling background as a two-time All-American California Polytechnic State University and the NCAA Division I runner-up in the 141-pound division in 2008.

Mendes is expected to debut in World Extreme Cagefighting in the first quarter of 2010. An opponent has yet to be named.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for updates and breaking news from the WEC.