The native of Poland most recently competed at WEC 53, the promotions last show before being assimilated into the UFC fold, where he lost a close split-decision to undefeated mixed martial artist, Kamal Shalorus. The wrestling Olympian had his moments on the feet and was able to work Palaszewski to the mat several times which likely played a big part in the tight-nit decision win.

The loss snapped a four fight win streak for Bartimus under the WEC banner, however the loss has not deterred the former IFL star from being one of the few lightweight stars to transition into the UFC.

Fighters such as former WEC lightweight champion and UFC veteran Jamie Varner and Chris Horodecki are just among a few of the most recent stars at 155-pounds to have been cut from their contracts since the weight class has melted into an already stacked division in the UFC. So those who were fighting in their last days with the WEC, the sister promotion of the UFC which both fall under the Zuffa umbrella, were likely fighting for their jobs. Bart didn’t necessarily feel that way.

“I was happy obviously, but I thought that I was going anyway”, said the 27-year-old who spoke with MMAWeekly.com about the move.

“That excitement was already going since we found out about the merger, so I was kind of already excited about it.

“I don’t know if I was worried (about getting cut) I mean I had a game plan set in my mind of what I was going to need to do. At worst I thought they would ask me to get a fight outside the Zuffa organization, and maybe come back, like they had me do after my two losses. I was staying really positive and it worked out well.”

Bart, who is the only man to hold a victory over WEC lightweight champion turned UFC contender Anthony Pettis, is now a UFC fighter.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Anyone surprised that Bart stuck around but others did not? How do you think he will fare in his new home? sound off in the comment section below.

5. Donald Cerrone’s Hunt for the Triangle.

Donald Cerrone has always had an expert ground game, it’s one of the things he’s most well-known for. I along with many others thought that it would only be a matter of time before he locked something in on his WEC 53 opponent, Chris Horodecki. What I didn’t expect was for Horodecki to fight so hard not to get submitted. Cerrone hunted for and ultimately got his submission, a Triangle Choke, but he had to adjust position countless times and stay active off his back in order to finally get Horodecki to tap out. It was a prolonged, hard-fought submission battle that really displayed Horodecki’s heart and Cerrone’s vaunted ground game.

4. Dominick Cruz’s 5^th Round Performance.

Cruz’s entire performance at WEC 53 was memorable, but the fifth round in particular honestly had me thinking “What the hell does it take to get this guy tired?” Cruz set a brisk and frenetic pace, and his opponent Scott Jorgensen met him every step of the way. But while Jorgensen seemed to slow down just a tad (which is still remarkable) in the later rounds, Cruz continued to practically dance around the cage up until the final bell (which is even more remarkable). Dominick Cruz once again proved how well-rounded he is and how ridiculous his cardio is at WEC 53, and his performance in the fifth round was the clearest indication of both.

3. The Fourth Round Submission War Between Anthony Pettis and Ben Henderson.

It’s hard to describe how fast these two moved in the fourth round when they both struggled to get top position and lock in some type of fight-ending submission. To best summarize: it was a long series of “blink and you’ll miss it” moments. First Henderson gets the takedown, then he gets back mount. Then Pettis rolls out, gets into Ben’s guard, and then he has back mount. They stand back up, Henderson shoots for a takedown, Pettis tries a guillotine. Henderson moves to side control, and just when you think Henderson is in the clear, Pettis regains guard and nearly secures the choke. It was one of those moments where you were out of breath just watching it, and it was far and away one of the best moments of the night.

2. The “History of the WEC” Tribute Video.

This was something for WEC fans new and old: a wonderful highlight video that beautifully chronicled the decade-long history of “the little promotion that could”. From humble beginnings all the way up to a shockingly successful Pay-Per-View event, the WEC delighted fans across the country and permanently changed perceptions around the world. The WEC’s influence on modern-day MMA cannot be understated, and this tribute video really showed just how great this promotion was. I hope it appears online, because I’d love to watch it again and again.

But of course, as if there was any doubt, the best moment of WEC 53 was…

1. The Ninja Kick from Hell.

Everyone’s debating what to call this, but I think one word sums it up perfectly: insanity. This move was pure insanity. I practically leaped out of my chair the moment I saw it happen. There’s really no way to accurately describe seeing a grown man wall-walk a cage, kick another man right in his face, and nearly KO a man many thought simply couldn’t be knocked out or even come anywhere close to being knocked out. You simply have to see this move to believe it, and trust me: you won’t regret it for a second. Far and away it’s one of the best strikes that’s ever landed in a professional MMA fight.

So there you go, fans and friends: five big reasons to watch and even re-watch what was a night filled with many memorable moments. And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on the new series or WEC 53 in general?

Next for Kamal Shalorus: Look for Kamal to be given a slow start in the UFC. His WEC 53 fight was by no means his best fight or the clearest indication of his skills. Kamal actually might have to work a preliminary card or two before he gets a shot at the main stage. I think Kamal will be tested out as a gatekeeper in the UFC, but if he shirks off that label quickly, we’ll begin to see him on TV and PPV more and more often.

Next for Donald Cerrone: I think this latest win proved once and for all that Cerrone is ready, willing, and able to fight the best in the UFC. In particular, I’d love to see Cerrone tackle someone like Kenny Florian. Those two just match up so well: Florian has good hands and an under-rated ground game (most of the time), while Cerrone has a good submission game and under-rated stand-up (again, most of the time).

Next for Chris Horodecki: Another slow starter here, but I do think Horodecki will be invited into the UFC. Right now I think a drop down to Featherweight would be the best thing for Chris Horodecki to do. If he insists on fighting at Lightweight, I think he will get one or two good matches with some of the UFC’s best… but only to be served up as cannon fodder. Someone’s got to play the role of “sacrificial lamb”, and Horodecki’s entertaining style suits that role perfectly. Like Shalorus, it’ll be up to him to quickly throw off that shackle, and proving that he can will be one of Horodecki’s earliest and toughest tests in the UFC.

Next for Dominick Cruz: The man wants Urijah Faber. He’s been calling him out all the time, the second he beat Scott Jorgensen he stormed across the cage and tried to get in Faber’s face. I say: give this man the fight he wants. I think Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz is an amazing fight on paper, and would sell a lot of tickets if booked in Faber’s backyard. And it’s not like Faber hasn’t been thrust back into title contention after only one win in the past.

Next for Ben Henderson: I think “Smooth” is ready for the top of the top and the best of the best. I actually think Henderson’s next opponent will be the loser of the upcoming Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard match-up. While ultimately it was “Showtime” that ended WEC 53 by carrying the gold, Ben Henderson once again proved why everyone should be taking him seriously as a top-division Lightweight. I fully believe that last night was just a temporary bump in the road. Ben Henderson is going to do great things in the UFC.

Next for Anthony Pettis: I hate to say this so soon, but I feel so strongly about it that I just have to: I think Anthony Pettis will become the UFC Lightweight Champion. Regardless of if it’s Edgar or Maynard, I think Pettis is going to unify the belts and emerge as the best Lightweight in the world. The man just mixes it all so well, his style is so entertaining and yet he’s also immensely skilled. He sets an incredible pace, has ridiculous cardio, and pulls out amazing moves on a per-fight basis. I’m a firm believer, and I’ve got both feet planted squarely in his bandwagon. Anthony Pettis is going to rule the UFC.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of WEC 53?

Anthony Pettis defeats Ben Henderson via Unanimous Decision to become the new and final WEC Lightweight Champion. Dominick Cruz defeats Scott Jorgensen via Unanimous Decision, retains his WEC Bantamweight Championship, and is crowned the first UFC Bantamweight Champion. Donald Cerrone defeats Chris Horodecki via Submission (Triangle Choke) at 2:43 of Round 2. Kamal Shalorus defeats Bart Palaszewski via Split Decision. Shane Roller defeats Jamie Varner via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:55 of Round 1. Brad Pickett defeats Ivan Menjivar via Unanimous Decision. Eddie Wineland defeats Ken Stone via KO (Slam) at 2:11 of Round 1. Yuri Alcantara defeats Ricardo Lamas via KO (Strikes) at 3:26 of Round 1. Danny Downes defeats Tiequan Zhang via Unanimous Decision. Danny Castillo defeats Will Kerr via KO (Strikes) at 1:25 of Round 1. Renan Barao defeats Chris Cariaso via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:47 of Round 1.

I think this event got off to a bit of a slow start, but my oh my did it all end up paying off in the end. I think a combination of factors led to the opening Palaszewski/Shalorus fight not living up to all of its expectations. For one, I think Kamal’s vicious leg kicks really hampered Bart’s style of starting out slow but getting into a great groove in the later rounds. Secondly, Kamal’s efforts to end the fight in the first ended up gassing him out. And finally, I think the pressure to secure a win in order to secure a position in the UFC also contributed to these two mostly playing it safe. But that’s not to say this was a bad fight. It was certainly underwhelming, but I remained more or less entertained throughout a majority of the fight.

Things quickly picked up when Cerrone and Horodecki had their entertaining and wild two-round scrap. As I predicted, Chris Horodecki is a good fighter, but he’s just not ready for a top-division star like Cerrone. And speaking of top-divisions stars, Dominick Cruz continues to put on amazing performances showcasing his utterly ridiculous cardio. I thought that the fact that he was fighting with a bum hand would’ve played a factor, however small, in this fight, but it appears that I was dead wrong. After this fight, I don’t think I’ll be picking against Dominick Cruz again for quite some time.

And in the main event, I honestly think we as MMA fans were treated to one of the best MMA fights of all time. The first three rounds saw all kinds of excitement, close calls, near misses, and almost-finishes, but the fourth and fifth rounds are practically without compare. Without a shadow of a doubt in my mind, and absolutely without hyperbole, I think the late-round wall-walk kick Anthony Pettis somehow miraculously managed to pull off, a move that seemed to be pulled right out of “The Matrix”, will go down as one of the most amazing strikes ever successfully pulled off in Mixed Martial Arts. I have absolutely, positively no earthly idea how that strike did not KO Ben Henderson. Both men seemed to have steel in their chins and a fire in their hearts that is virtually unequaled.

Is it too soon to call Henderson/Pettis one of the best fights of all time? Maybe. But, hell, right now I don’t care. I’m calling it: Henderson/Pettis is one of the best MMA fights of all time. Note to any and all future promotions: this is how you end a show. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the WEC’s best and brightest, and make no mistake, the WEC name is going to live on for a long, long time.

And that’s my opinion, fans and friends. Now that all is said and done, what did you think about WEC 53?

Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus: As a fan of the short-lived, briefly-televised, and surprisingly-impactful (considering how many of its top stars have gone on to sign with major promotions) International Fight League promotion, I’m a fan of Bart Palaszewski. I think “Bartimus” has finally found some stable ground in the WEC after an up-and-down start, and I look forward to seeing him ratcheting up a fifth straight win. Based on experience and the quality of opponents beaten, I’m predicting Bart Palaszewski wins by TKO in Round 2.

Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki: As harsh as this sounds, I don’t think Chris Horodecki will ever fully emerge out of the shadow of his humiliating TKO loss to Anthony Njokuani. There’s a chance that Horodecki could beat Cerrone, but any fighter has a chance in any bout no matter what anyone says. But I just have to go with the favorite here, Donald Cerrone just got done putting on a brilliant performance and he’s proven in the past that only the best of the best can ever hope to put him away. Donald Cerrone wins by submission in Round 1.

Dominick Cruz vs. Scott Jorgensen: I have a feeling that this is going to be a benchmark-setting brawl. Both men have big punching power and the chins necessary to land shots at will without too much fear of reprisal. I think it’s very, very likely that this fight will go all five rounds. And despite the fact that Cruz swears that it won’t change anything, I think the fact that he’s fighting with a bum hand will end up costing him as the fight drags on. For those unaware, Cruz is out for four to six months after this fight, regardless of whether or not he retains his championship, in order to get surgery for a lingering hand injury. Based on his impressive skills and the fact that his opponent may end up fighting with only one arm before the night is through, I’m predicting that Scott Jorgensen takes a Split Decision.

Ben Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis: Of all the fights of WEC 53, this one is the hardest one to call. Both men are just so versatile, tough, and exciting. No matter who wins, I think this fight will be a surefire entry into the “Fight of the Year” competition. My head favors the champion, but my heart and my gut tells me that “Showtime” will find a way to win. And what fun would it be if I just went with the most logical choice all the time? I’ve got tons of respect for both men, but I’m picking Anthony Pettis to take a Unanimous Decision.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think will win at WEC 53, and why?

The Event: WEC 53: “Henderson vs. Pettis”, scheduled for December 16 at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The main card will be broadcast live in the Versus network starting at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: This is the last chance to get in on the “WEC craze” before all the good fighters wind up in the UFC. I’ve supported the WEC for quite some time, I’ve basically taken up the role of town crier because of their penchant for putting on amazing shows featuring the top lighter-weight fighters in the world. The final WEC show looks to continue the trend with two amazing title fights and an undercard filled with talent.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Constant, blistering action. WEC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s the best Lightweight in the WEC, but challenger Anthony Pettis is a close second. Both men have shown a penchant for setting a ridiculously fast pace and having the cardio to keep it going for a long, long while. Plus, both men are so well-rounded that this fight could conceivably end anywhere at any time. It’s going to be an amazing fight.

What to Look Forward to in the Co- Main Event: Five rounds of two talented men duking it out and trying to crumble each other’s granite chins. Both WEC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz and his opponent Scott Jorgensen are good in all the areas of the game, but far and away they’re known as good strikers with impressive cardio that know how to dominate their opponents. Considering how resilient both men have proven, this one could go all five rounds and nobody would be complaining, because both men would be looking for the KO in every round. If WEC 53 was not the WEC’s last hurrah, this could easily be headlining a show of its own.

Why You Should Watch This Card: Normally I give an entire paragraph as to why fight fans should watch this card, but for “Henderson vs. Pettis”, I only need two sentences. So here they are. One, this is the WEC’s final show. Two, this is one of the best cards the WEC has put together in a year filled with the WEC putting on amazing, fantastic shows. That’s really all you need to know. Tune in or miss out.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: This will happen very rarely in “Crash Course”, but for today’s edition I’m taking the road far less traveled: I’m not going to give any reason to not watch this card. There may be a few reasons, sure, but ultimately I think they pale in comparison to how important this card is and how much it means to all involved. The WEC deserves a fond farewell and one last big ratings bump before all is said and through, and it’s up to us as MMA fans to give it to them. Point blank: watch this card.

Closing Thoughts: I hate to see the WEC go, but I know I’m going to love its final show. I only wish I had become a fan of the WEC sooner. That’s literally my only regret in the many months I’ve spent avidly following and practically preaching about this company. I’ll be watching this one with my eyes glued to the screen, and no matter what your preferences are as an MMA fan, you should be doing the same on December 16.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any final thoughts on the WEC’s final show?

According to Sherdog, the officially confirmed, finalized lineup stands as such: Benson Henderson (C) vs. Anthony Pettis for the WEC Lightweight Championship, Dominick Cruz (C) vs. Scott Jorgensen for the WEC Bantamweight Championship, Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki, Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus, Tie Quan Zhang vs. Daniel Downes, Jamie Varner vs. Shane Roller, Brad Pickett vs. Ivan Menjivar, Eddie Wineland vs. Ken Stone, Danny Castillo vs. Will Kerr, Ricardo Lamas vs. Yuri Alcantara, Renan do Nascimento Mota Pegado vs. Chris Cariaso.

The closer and closer we get to this card, the more and more I find my feelings grow conflicted. Make no mistake, I really want to see this show. I think it’s going to be another amazing event in a long line of great WEC shows. The undercard is stacked, the main card is stacked, both the main event and co-main event have serious “Fight of the Year” potential. On paper, this looks to be a late entry into the “Event of the Year” competition.

But this is the WEC’s final event. It’s one thing to talk about how many of the main WEC stars will benefit from the UFC’s increased exposure, it’s another thing entirely to definitively close the book and lay to rest an awesome promotion that pretty much changed the way I viewed Mixed Martial Arts. I’ve said this before, but it does bear repeating: one of the main reasons I have so much respect for lighter-weight fighters is because I was once one of the uninformed cynics that thought that they were just a bunch of little kids going around pretend-fighting each other. The WEC forced me to permanently get rid of my stereotype that lighter-weight fighters weren’t entertaining, and for that I’m extremely grateful.

So, yeah, I kinda do and kinda don’t want to see the WEC come to a close. I think they’re going to have an awesome final event, and I can’t wait to see my favorite WEC stars steal the show on the main stage. But I’ll miss the WEC itself: the atmosphere, the attitude, everything. It was my “little-promotion-that-could”. It was the promotion that broke ground not by shunning its cynics and catering to a small niche audience by adopting an “us versus them” mentality, but rather by putting on so many great events with great fighters that your perceptions had no choice but to change.

Looking towards the future, I think the memory of the WEC will live on for quite some time. Once the UFC fans get a taste of how entertaining and dominant the former WEC fighters are, no doubt they’ll begin to wonder where they got their start. And of course that’ll lead them right to the WEC, and with a little bit of luck, they’ll become a WEC fan. Because rest assured, I think the WEC fighters will take the UFC by storm. And while I’ll bid a fond farewell to the WEC at WEC 53, I know with certainty that the best is yet to come.

And what about you, fans and friends? As we come closer and closer to that pivotal date, what fights are you looking forward to and how will you be saying goodbye to the promotion?

Courtesy of Sherdog, the official WEC 53 event now stands as such: Benson Henderson (c) vs. Anthony Pettis for the WEC Lightweight Championship. Dominick Cruz (c) vs. Scott Jorgensen for the WEC Bantamweight Championship. Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki. Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus. Tie Quan Zhang vs. Daniel Downes. Jamie Varner vs. Shane Roller. Brad Pickett vs. Ivan Menjivar. Eddie Wineland vs. Ken Stone. Danny Castillo vs. Will Kerr. Ricardo Lamas vs. Yuri Alcantara. Renan do Nascimento Mota Pegado vs. Chris Cariaso.

I’m looking forward to this event for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it follows the great chain of smartly-booked WEC shows that have given fight fans some of the best Mixed Martial Arts entertainment in recent history. All the main card and even a big number of the preliminary card bouts feature name talent against worthy opponents.

The double-championship main and co-main event only sweetens the pot and both bouts are further enhanced by how well the champions match up with their opponents. Benson Henderson is wildly exciting, Anthony Pettis is wildly exciting. Henderson can pull out a win from anywhere, Pettis can pull out a win from anymore. Dominick Cruz punches hard and can take a punch, so can Scott Jorgensen. Cruz has the cardio to brawl for five straight rounds and consistently remain a threat, Jorgensen also has very impressive cardio. This isn’t a pair of symbolic title defenses against opponents that are out of their league and in deep trouble. WEC 53 will feature two awesome champions defending their belts against two of the biggest threats the WEC has to offer them.

The other matches are positively jam-packed with goodness as well. Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki? Fists will be flying in that one, and someone is getting KO’d. I prefer to remember Horodecki from his killer run in the short-lived IFL promotion rather than the man who occupies the biggest piece of Anthony Njokuani’s highlight reel, so I’m very excited for this match. Palaszewski vs. Shalorus also features one of the IFL’s brightest standouts, and “Bartimus” has done pretty well in the WEC, so this is another exciting match-up. You’ve even got Jamie Varner, Eddie Wineland, Brad Pickett, Tie Quan Zhang, and so many others.

It’s tough to say whether or not the WEC’s final event will also be its best event. But it certainly has the potential to come close. And as we creep closer and closer to the day where the WEC is no more, now more and more I’ve come to realize just how much I’ll miss this promotion. Even with fewer events on a yearly basis than the UFC, fewer by far, I honestly felt that the WEC was beginning to catch up to the UFC in terms of quality. There may not have been a lot of WEC shows in 2010, but none of them should have been missed. And I enjoyed each and every single one of them. And nothing’s going to prevent me from tuning in and bidding a fond farewell to my “little promotion that could”.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are you looking forward to when it comes to WEC 53?

Former IFL star turned budding WEC contender Bart Palaszewski will look to enter the UFC on good terms with a potential four-fight win streak in it’s sister promotion with a victory over the tough Olympic wrestler, Kamal Shalorus.

The event, which will take place on December 16th at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona will pit reigning and defending WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson against top contender Anthony Pettis at WEC 53, which also mark’s the promotion’s final show before the bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight class is folded into the larger organization.

Bart has reeled off three straight victories inside the WEC (four straight overall, with one bout taking place outside the organization) which helped snap a two-fight losing streak within the promotion against Ricardo Lamas and Anthony Njokuani, respectively. His most recent bout was a vintage Palaszewski performance, where he was able to demonstrate his punching prowess when the near 50-fight veteran knocked out Zach Micklewright in just 30 seconds in the second round, last August at WEC 50.

Shalorus, though undefeated in his career, is in need of a win here. After opening up his WEC career with back-to-back wins over Will Kerr (TKO victory in the first round) and Dave Jansen (defeating DJ by unanimous decision), Kamal was matched up against his toughest test to date when he faced former champion Jamie Varner in an exciting yet anti-climatic bout. The Iranian showed his granite chin in the bout when he was tagged by several shots from Varner, however weathered the storm and delivered some punishment of his own. Yet, illegal groin strikes delivered by Kamal caused him a point deduction, and in the end the bout was ruled a split-draw when it went to the score cards.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the match up? Bart is an adept submission fighter, but has been stifled in the past by strong wrestlers, which Kamal remains one of the best of in the lightweight division. As both men look forward to transitioning in the UFC, a strong performance will likely keep them around in the worlds largest organization. Sound off in the comment section below.

But, doe’s that mean that Benavidez, a challenger to champion Dominick Cruz’ title, should earn more then the number one guy in his weight class?

MMAJunkie.com has gathered information from Keith Kizer of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, who emailed the preliminary figures to the mma-based media outlet.

According to which, Benavidez stands to earn an event high of $35,000 should he prove successful in his bout to claim the 135-pound title from current champion Cruz. Dominick, meanwhile, stands to earn only $22,000 according to the email, should he retain the title successfully, in his first formal defense.

While Joseph has been a spitfire in the bantamweight division, with wins over Rahni Yahiya and former champion Miguel Torres anchoring his credentials, do his accolades prove more impressive than Cruz’, who earned his bid in becoming a champion when was the first to defeat Brian Bowles.

The figures below we’re formatted by MMAJunkie, through the email given by Keith Kizer of the NSAC.

MAIN CARD

* Champ Dominick Cruz ($11,000/$11,000) vs. Joseph Benavidez ($17,500/$17,500)
* Anthony Pettis ($6,000/$6,000) vs. Shane Roller ($16,000/$16,000)
* Chad Mendes ($5,500/$5,500) vs. Cub Swanson ($11,000/$10,000)
* Scott Jorgensen ($12,500/$12,500) vs. Brad Pickett ($5,000/$5,000)
* Zach Micklewright ($3,000/$3,000) vs. Bart Palaszewski ($8,000/$8,000)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Mackens Semerzier ($4,000/$4,000) vs. Javier Vazquez ($8,000/$8,000)
* Maciej Jewtuszko ($3,000/$3,000) vs. Anthony Njokuani ($7,000/$7,000)
* Dave Jansen ($4,000/$4,000) vs. Ricardo Lamas ($7,000/$7,000)
* Bryan Caraway ($4,000/$4,000) vs. Fredson Paixao ($3,000/$3,000)
* Danny Castillo ($9,500/$9,500) vs. Dustin Poirier ($3,000/$3,000)

So, is anyone surprised by the figures, or is it business as usual?

Benavidez and Cruz have tangles once before, as Dominick was able to earn a decision nod over the scrappy “Team Alpha Male” product, after planting well placed punches and knee-picking take downs, nearly at will.

Joseph will have a chance to avenge his one and only loss come Wednesday.

A bout pitting the tattoo hero, Scott Jorgensen and British slugger Brad “One Punch” Pickett will likely determine the next contender for the 135-pound title.

Shane Roller and Anthony Pettis meanwhile, are in the same boat as Jorgensen and Pickett. The lightweight fighters have both been on impressive streaks as of late, and the bout will likely serve as a number one contender fight, though the promotion is largely hush hush when it comes to contender rankings. It’s a decision that both matchmaker Sean Shelby and General Manager Reed Harris make together, with a lot of careful thought and precision, and that formula hasn’t failed the WEC yet.

The following was formatted by MMAJunkie.com, who was live to attend the weigh-ins.

The full weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD

* Champ Dominick Cruz (134) vs. Joseph Benavidez (134)
* Anthony Pettis (155) vs. Shane Roller (156)
* Chad Mendes (145) vs. Cub Swanson (146)
* Scott Jorgensen (135) vs. Brad Pickett (136)
* Zach Micklewright (156) vs. Bart Palaszewski (156)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Maciej Jewtuszko (155) vs. Anthony Njokuani (154)
* Mackens Semerzier (146) vs. Javier Vazquez (145)
* Dave Jansen (156) vs. Ricardo Lamas (155)
* Bryan Caraway (145) vs. Fredson Paixao (145)
* Danny Castillo (156) vs. Dustin Poirier (156)

The opening round seemed to favor Karalexis as Palaszewski appeared hesitant to engage in the beginning. Both fighters landed a share of powerful low kicks before Karalexis unloaded a flurry of punches. At one point Palaszewski looked to have caught an finger in the eye. Referee Kim Winslow stopped the action momentarily. Upon restarting the battle, Karalexis looked dominant landing another flurry of respectable punches before the end of the first round.

The second round started where the first left off. Karalexis came out swinging strong again but was suddenly caught by a right hand shot from Palaszewski. Visibly stunned, Karalexis got tagged again and fell to the floor. Karalexis survived the assault but was caught again in another strong flurry of punches by Palaszewski. Karalexis dropped to the mat again forcing the referee to step in and stop the bout.

Bart Palaszewski officially won the fight via TKO stoppage at 1:11 of the second round.

Palaszewski’s coach “Big Frog” Jeff Curran (30-10-1) made the announcement Sunday, which was how “Bartimus” found out as well.

Palaszewski most recently fought in June at Adrenaline’s debut event, where he TKO’d Jeffrey Cox (9-6) in the second round.

WEC featherweight Curran also announced he would move down to bantamweight.

After fighting “California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-1) unsuccessfully for his belt in December, he lost a unanimous decision in June to Mike Thomas Brown (17-4).

“I’m going local,” said the former IFL standout.

No opponent has been named.

Palaszewski snapped a three-fight skid with one big thwack last month in Chicago at Adrenaline MMA.

Palaszewski knocked out Jeffrey Cox (9-6) with a right high kick at 3:07 of the second round.

The 9 August event will be the XFO’s 25th.

Sometimes there’s a culture clash, like between brash Long Islander and Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked welterweight “Terror” Matt Serra (9-6) and cocky farm boy seventh-ranked Matt Hughes (42-7).

Sometimes styles make fights.

Adrenaline MMA has lightweight rivalry in the making that covers home turf and pits cultures and styles.

Tatt’ed skater from Chi-town “Bartimus” Bart Palaszewski (29-11) versus clean-cut Illinois country boy Clay French (16-2) is a classic match-up and perfect to determine Adrenaline’s first titlist.

Though Adrenaline MMA’s debut in Hoffman Estates, west of Chicago, was attended by about 2,500, it was a raucous hometown crowd.

Close your eyes and you would’ve thought the Sears Center was sold out, especially when the Jason Guida (17-16) and Michael Russow (10-1) factions battled for sound supremacy.

There’s a Strikeforce-like regional market to be built by Adrenaline MMA with the deep Midwest talent Adrenaline MMA President Monte Cox has ties to.

A lightweight championship between the Illinois rivals can anchor the big match-ups with third-ranked heavyweight “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) and “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5), who’ll be rotating in and out of the Adrenaline lineup.

“I think it would be a great fight,” Palaszewski told Fighters.com.

At Adrenaline’s debut, the exciting former IFL standout electrified the night with roundhouse kick KO of Jeffrey Cox (9-6), but not before struggling with Cox’s strong wrestling.

French’s wrestling is stronger, as he displayed earlier that same night while wearing down BJJ player “Sergeant” Jameel Massouh (16-4) to a rear naked choke submission.

“Clay hung out with the Hughes boys in the wrestling circuit when they were younger and he is fighting out of [Hughes's] H.I.T. Squad camp,” Adrenaline MMA Veep Brian Patton said.  “My hope is to have Clay fight for us as many times as we can.”

Palaszewski fought through a three-fight slump before the breakout kayo, losing his final three IFL fights to Jim Miller (11-1) by UD, Chris Horodecki (12-1) by SD, and Deividas Taurosevicius (9-3) by armbar, but registered a knockout victory of the final IFL Lightweight Champion “Lion” Ryan Schultz (20-9-1) in 2006.

French has split decision victory versus TUF Champ Mac Danzig (18-4-1) in 2007 and last lost in 2006 to Fighters.com’s Lightweight Champion “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (16-2) by flying triangle choke.

Both fighters have serious cred’.

The rivalry embodying such a style and culture clash within the region Adrenaline makes it’s home will put local asses in the seats, and, no it’s not the top of the division, but it’s a damn good fight that will encourage MMA faithful to tune in to HDNet.

Make this fight!

Want to play matchmaker?  Send me your match-ups and 100 words why it’s a good fight to make.  Include your name, city, and country and e-mail chad@fighters.com.  I’ll publish some of them next Monday morning.

After a paced and cautious first round for both fighters, “Bartimus” began working kicks in the second, first a solid body shot, then snapping at Cox’s leg.

During the final flurried exchange, Palaszewski wheeled a wide left hook to Cox’s body, backing Cox into range for the right high kick finisher.

Palaszewski literally lept out of the cage upon the stoppage “W”.

In the main event, Michael Russow (10-1) manhandled late replacement for “Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-8),  Jason Guida (17-16), tapping Clay’s big brother in a standing neck crank against the fence at 2:13 of round one.

“I hope he’s OK,” Russow related after the stoppage.

Hometown hero Rory Markham (14-4) said, “Let’s get serious.  That guy just jumped over me!” after “Silent Assassin” Jay Ellis (5-19) launched a flying knee at the opening bell, indeed, flying right over Markham.  “So, I decided I was going to keep it on the ground.”

Markham pounced on Ellis; but, Ellis swept to Markham’s guard, which Markham climbed into a triangle tapout at 57 seconds of round one.

H.I.T. Squad lightweight Clay French (16-2) pulled rank on “Sergeant” Jameel Massouh in a second round rear naked choke submission at 3:18.

French took Massouh to the mat at will and, when French began posturing out of the rubber guard Massouh originally used to neutralize French’s G’n'P, he bullied Massouh to his stomach and sank the choke.

Middleweight Terry Martin (17-4) took three kicks to the groin before the referee disqualified Daiju Takase (7-12-1).

“The last one hit me right in the cup,” Martin admitted after the fight, “but…damn!”

Takase slammed his mouthpiece to the mat at the second round disqualification.

“Meat Cleaver” Forrest Petz (14-5) survived a first round knockdown by “Mandingo” Brian Gassaway (28-18-2) to win a unanimous decision by 29-28 three times in his first post-UFC fight.

“Mandingo” floored Petz with left in the first, but was unable to finish before the end of the round.

Gassaway was gassed in the second and third rounds and Petz began landing more in the sporadic flurries and dominating the mat with G’n'P.

Team Curran welterweight Mike Stumpf (10-1) TKO’d Dom O’Grady (4-1) at 3:53 of round one.

O’Grady controlled round one with technical kickboxing, keeping Stumpf at distance with a jab and snapping leg kick.

Two minutes into the second round, Stumpf lunged forward in a flurry, dropping O’Grady with a left hook.

O’Grady turtled up beneath Stumpf; but, Stumpf took O’Grady’s back and rolled him over.  O’Grady slickly flipped and twisted into Stumpf’s guard, quickly closing to a leg triangle as O’Grady yanked free.

O’Grady dropped again amidst another flurry from Stumpf.  This time, Stumpf pounced and windmilled punches for the referee stoppage.

Light heavyweight Aaron Rosa (11-2) obliterated “Killing Fields” Ron Fields (24-26-1) with a big right at :34 of round two for a KO victory.

Rosa and Fields had wrestled most of round one; and, but for the cage stopping Fields’s momentum, Fields nearly locked in an armbar on Rosa.

Kentucky boy Joe Jordan (42-12-2) schooled the kid, lightweight Ryan Williams (5-3), for a unanimous decision.

Jordan set-up downstairs with heavy body shots, then climbed to Williams’s head, leaving a welt on the left side of Williams’s face and a cut on the right.

Whether due to the body shots or bright lights, Williams was lethargic and never really got off in the fight.

Featherweight Joe Pearson (26-10-1) dispensed with the stand-up toot sweet after getting tagged with a John Hosman (7-4-1) southpaw overhand right.

Pearson clinched up, tripped Hosman into his guard, and wriggled under Hosman’s G’n'P before catching the less experienced fighter in a leg triangle in the first round.

Light heavyweight Louis Taylor (3-0) was able to bookend a gassed out second round with a first round of counter punching and third round of G’n'P to win a unanimous decision over Adam Maciejewski (6-5) by scores of 29-28 twice and 30-27.

Maciejewski left the first round with cuts under both eyes from Taylor’s quick, if wild, hands.

Taylor wore himself out tagging Maciejewski and took round two off before tripping Maciejewski in round three and piecing together enough looping shots to win the decision.

Fighters.com scored the fight 29-28 for Taylor.

The most damaging strike landed to Hector Urbina(12-4) by David Kleczkowski (5-4) was a first round thumb to the eye.

That just pissed off Urbina, who tagged the herky-jerky Kleczkowski with a jab, left cross, well…you name it.

No one will question Kleczkowski’s granite chin though.

He survived to 1:19 of the second round before the referee ended the beating with Urbina pounding Kleczkowski against the mat.

Heavyweight “Meat Truck” Kerry Schall (21-10) barrelled into center cage to begin his fight with “Herc” Antoine Hayes (7-5), tagging “Herc” with straight rights.

Then, the “Truck” down shifted to Hayes’s pace; and, “Herc” secured a standing North/South, kneeing Schall relentlessly in the second round.

By the third round, Schall was out of gas and Hayes ground’n'pounded to a UD by 29-28 three times.

Welterweight Tom Belt (4-1) mounted and pounded out Marcus Levesseur (5-2) at 4:10 of round one.

Late main event replacement for “Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-8), former middleweight Jason Guida (17-5) weighed-in at 241.5 pounds, and it didn’t look like he found heavyweight girth in the gym (unless “The Gym” is the name of a pizzeria in Little Italy.)

Guida’s opponent, Chicago police officer Michael Russow (9-1) looked svelte at 243.2 pounds.

Middleweights Terry Martin (16-4) and bleached blond Daiju Takase (7-11-1) made their weight class at 185.2 and 185.8 pounds repectively.

IFL veteran Rory Markham‘s (13-4) opponent, Jay Ellis (5-18), will give up nearly twenty pounds to Markham in their 180-pound catch weight match-up.  Markham weighed 180.1 pounds and Ellis weighed 161.6 pounds.

Fighters.com’s third-ranked heavyweight “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) attended with his girlfriend, who didn’t weigh-in but stood about 5’1″ next to 6’7″ Sylvia, and chided “Meat Truck” Kerry Schall (21-9), shouting, “Meat Trick!” as Schall weighed in.

Other weights from Friday:

“Meat Cleaver” Forrest Petz (13-5) 173.4 pounds versus Brian Gassaway (28-17-2) 174.1 pounds.

Tom Belt (3-1) 170.3 pounds versus Marcus Levesser (5-1), who did not weight in.
 
Jeffrey Cox (9-5) 154.4 pounds versus “Bartimus” Bart Palaszewski (28-11) 155.7 pounds.
 
“Sergeant” Jemeel Massouh (16-3) 155.4 pounds versus Clay French (15-2) 155.4 pounds.

“Herc” Antoine Hayes (6-5) 265 pounds vs. “Meat Truck” Kerry Schall (21-9) 258.6 pounds.

Aaron Rosa (10-2) 205.6 pounds versus “Killing Fields” Ron Fields (24-25-1) 204.8 pounds.
 
Hector Urbina (11-4) 185.6 pounds versus David Kleczkowski (5-3) 186.5 pounds.

Dom O’Grady (4-0) 169.8 pounds versus Mike Stumpf (9-1) 173.4 pounds.
 
Joe Jordan (41-12-2) 170.2 pounds versus Ryan Williams (5-2) 170 pounds.
 
Louis Taylor (2-0) 202.2 pounds versus Adam Maciejewski (6-4) 205.6 pounds.
 
Joe Pearson (25-10-1) 134.6 pounds versus John Hosman (7-3-1) 135 pounds.

As reported by Fighters.com, the main event matches grappler “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-7) versus wrestler Michael Russow (9-1) in a mat struggle.

“The Snowman” will fight Russow just two weeks after taking on Fighters.com’s third-ranked heavyweight “Babyface Assasin” Josh Barnett (21-5) at Sengoku II in Tokyo.

UFC fighter turned boxer Terry Martin (16-4) will fight Japanese middleweight Daiju Takase (7-11-1) before his hometown crowd.

Martin comes off UFC losses to “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) and “Beastman” Marvin Eastman (15-7-1), but won his boxing debut 12 April with a knockout of Ricardo Upchurch (0-2 in boxing).

Lightweight jiu-jitsu player Alberto Crane (8-2), who lost both of his UFC fights, will bounce back matched against King of the Cage vet Clay French (15-2).

IFL lightweight standout “Bartimus” Bart Palaszewski (28-11), who’s taken three tough losses consecutively, will rebound in his hometown versus Jeffrey Cox (9-5), who lost his UFC debut to “Pitbull” Manvel Gamburyan (8-2) last month in Denver.

Also on the card to be held at the Sears Centre:

“The Freak” Tony Fryklund (14-9) v Brian Gassaway (28-17-2)
Taiwan Howard (4-1) v Rory Markham (13-3)
James Giboo (11-2) v Mark Miller (8-3)
“Herc” Antoine Hayes (6-5) v “Meat Truck” Kerry Schall (21-9)
Rob Kimmons (20-3) v Hector Urbina (11-4)
Aaron Rosa (10-2) v “Killing Fields” Ron Fields (22-25-1)
Dom O’Grady (4-0) v Mike Stumpf (9-1)
Joe Jordan (39-12-2) v Ryan Williams (5-2)
Christian Reynosa (6-2) v John Hosman (7-3-1)

“The Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3), Wagnney Fabiano (10-1), and Jay Hieron (15-4) all defended their respective titles with knockouts.

Lightweight standout Chris Horodecki (12-1) picked up a unanimous decision, while one-time top 155-pounder “Bartimus” Bart Palaszewski (28-11) continued his slide with a loss by unanimous decision.

Featherweight Fabiano set-up a right slobber-knocker to Shad Lierley (2-2) with just his reputation as a submission specialist.

“People think I’m just a jiu-jitsu fighter,” Fabiano explained after the fight.  “Today I knew he would expect me shooting, so I changed my game plan.”

The KO came after just 37 seconds.

Hieron, an Xtreme Couture 170-pounder, dispatched Mark Miller (8-3) in just 2:10.

“It went quicker than I thought, but man it was not easy,” said Hieron after his right hook set-up a single-leg takedown leading to a G’n'P finish.

“The Janitor” had the toughest time of the IFL’s three defending champions.

Hometown Jamal Patterson (4-2), who’s won exclusively by submission, cranked up striking flurries in the first round causing Matyushenko to duck-and-cover.

But, Matyushenko handed Patterson his ass in the second with a ground’n'pound barrage the required the ref to wave the fight finished at 3:35.

IFL newcomer Jim Miller (11-1) ran “Bartimus” ragged for three rounds, dumping the winless-in-three lightweight at will and filing through submission attempts like he had an extra limb.  Palaszewski fought back valiantly with several crafty escapes, but Miller took all of the cards in his IFL debut.

Horodecki had a handfull named Nate Lamotte (6-3) to contend with in Horodecki’s return from his first loss to “The Lion” Ryan Schultz (19-9-1) in IFL’s Lightweight Grand Prix final.

Lamotte delivered some vicious G’n'P when he was able to catch Horodecki, but the IFL vet kept Lamotte at bay with a snapping jab and pin-pointed punches to take a UD by 29-28 times three.

And the rest of the story saw light heavyweight “Shark” Emyr Bussade (11-5) win his IFL debut with a kneebar of Jesse Lennox (6-1) at 1:25 of round two.

“Bad” Brad Blackburn (12-9-1) TKO’d “Pe de Chumbo” Delson Heleno (13-5) at 1:50 of the third round of a welterweight matchup.

Featherweight LC Davis (10-1) kicked Rafael Dias (10-4-1) in the head for the KO “W” at 3:56 of round three.

Xtreme Couture middleweight Alex Schoenauer (13-9) eeked out a split decision over Brendan Barrett (3-3).

Finally, heavyweight Miletich fighter Mike Ciesnolevicz (13-3) cut Kongo-conqueror “The Fury” Carmelo Marrero (7-2) with an unintentional headbutt in a fight declared a No Contest after 1:37.

The IFL returns 16 May in at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville.