Iraq war vet “All American” Brian Stann (6-0) added WEC brass to his Marine Corps Silver Star Wednesday night in Las Vegas, ending “Rhino” Doug Marshall’s (7-3) two-fight campaign atop the light heavyweight division.
On the undercard of 33, lightweight “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0) swung through formerly undefeated “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) in 1:42.
Steve Cantwell (5-1) impressed in a first round rear naked choke deconstruction of 205-pound “Wrecking Machine” Tim McKenzie (11-5).
Top middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) scored a unanimous decision after a three-round workout with late replacement Bryan Baker (6-1).
“Cleat” Rich Crunkilton (16-2) went into the trenches with lightweight Sergio Gomez (7-2) to score a unanimous decision.
Also on the card, Hiromitsu Miura (9-4), Brock Larson (23-2), Alex Serdyukov (7-4), and “The Pink Pounder” Logan Clark (10-1) added wins to their respective records.
Bantamweights Kenji Osawa (13-7-2) and American Top Team’s Chris Manuel (6-0-2) reached a split draw by scores of 29-28 for Osawa, 29-28 for Manuel, and 28-28.
The main event between Stann and Marshall spanned the most action-packed 1:35 of the televised card.
At the bell, Stann marched forward while a more cautious Marshall circled in a hurky-jerky Muay Thai stance.
Stann scored first, a kick to Marshall’s thigh. Marshall countered with the same, but Stann grazed a right hook across the “Rhino’s” horn.
Again, the light heavies traded leg kicks, but Marshall’s counter was checked by a statuesque “All American”, sending the champion off-balance into the cage.
Stann was just too powerful as Marshall wrapped a Thai clinch around the back of his opponent’s neck at the cage, but wasn’t strong enough to control Stann’s head.
Marshall broke the clinch with a right haymaker and Stann countered with a spot-on left hook that dropped Marshall to his ass.
Stann followed Marshall to the mat with a barrage of fists, but referee Herb Dean waved the battle finished as Marshall struggled to avoid the onslaught.
Stann burst into tears upon victory. “This belt represents all my Marines and my friends who couldn’t be here right now, who died in combat with me.”
Stann looked polished in victory after spending time with Team Quest to prepare and will be a tough customer for future challengers.
Another tough customer, lightweight Marcus Hicks, treated formerly undefeated Ed Ratcliff to a man-sized, first-round whoopin’.
After a clumsy standing guillotine against the cage by Hicks, “The Wrecking Ball” broke the clinch with an uppercut, then retreated with looping roundhouse that landed flush on Ratcliff’s chin.
Hicks pressed and dumped shell-shocked “9mm” on the mat in a double-leg takedown. This time Hicks’s guillotine would bite deep and Ratcliff tapped.
The 5′6″, stocky Texan, Hicks, improves his high-pressure strategy with every outing.
After suffering a 41-second TKO premier in the WEC c/o newly-crowned champion, Stann, Steve Cantwell has followed with consecutive first round stoppages.
A Cantwell right high kick partially landed and backed up Tim McKenzie, a light heavyweight with a win over former division champion Doug Marshall.
Cantwell followed with a right piston, left hook combo that dropped McKenzie.
On the mat, Cantwell wrestled into the full mount where still-dazed McKenzie rolled to his stomach under Cantwell’s looping G’n'P.
Cantwell easily dug-in a rear naked choke causing McKenzie to tap once and weakly.
Chael Sonnen appeared ready for WEC Middleweight Champion “Ely” Paulão Filho (16-0); but, late replacement for Filho, Bryan Baker wasn’t prepared for Sonnen.
Sonnen out-positioned and banged Baker in three rounds fought mostly on the mat.
In another three-round decision, Rich Crunkilton won unanimously in a bloody slog with Sergio Gomez also fought mostly on the mat because of Gomez’s inability to clear his feet during Crunkilton’s textbook takedowns.
The blood started flowing in the first frame, obviously from a Crunkilton elbow to the back of Gomez’s head unseen by referee Herb Dean.
Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of the first round.
“The Natural” John Alessio (22-11) was disqualified in 1:50 after kneeing middleweight Larson in the noggin while his knees were down.
Welterweight Serdyukov blemished Ryan Stonitsch’s (8-1) perfect record in the kickboxer’s WEC debut with a triangle choke submission at 1:35 of round one.
“The Pink Pounder” rebounded from a loss to TKO WEC rookie middleweight Scott Harper (8-4) at 4:37 of round one.
Photo by Josh Hedges. Copyright Zuffa, LLC
