The event takes place on June 11 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Cananda. The main-event of the evening will pit former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar against top contender Junior dos Santos, which will likely generate huge numbers for the pay-per-view event, which spells good things for Cerrone, who is still being introduced to the main stream mixed martial arts fans.

His opponent is none other than “The Ultimate Fighter” season six winner in Mac Danzig, who has had some choice words in the past for Cerrone and will now be able to release some of those frustrations come this June.

Cerrone, a three-time title challenger in the WEC, successfully made his UFC debut in February at “UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort” where he submitted UFC vet Paul Kelly with a second-round rear-naked choke. The win nabbed Donald the evenings “Fight of the Night” award and put all of the other lightweights on notice. Especially one Mr. Danzig, but that came well before Donald made his way to the UFC.

“So all you have to do to secure a fight you haven’t earned is wear a silly hat, call yourself “cowboy” and talk trash? Seems strange”, tweeted Danzig in January once Cerrone accepted his bout with Kelly on short notice, after Canadian Sam Stout had pulled out due to injury.

Mac was last seen in action when he was pitted against former title challenger and top ranked fighter Joe Stevenson at UFC 124 this past December, recording arguably one of the biggest wins of his career, when he knocked out the fellow TUF vet with a first-round KO which earned him the evenings “Knockout of the Night” award.

Both Danzig and Cerrone are known for their aggressive styles, and this should play out to be an exciting fight for the fans to watch.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Who do you favor? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to Sherdog for an official report that comes to us courtesy of Spike TV executives. According to them, the UFC 126 “Prelims Live” special peaked with two million viewers and pulled a 1.2 household rating, with a 1.7 rating in the UFC’s and Spike TV’s key demographics, males 18-34 and 18-49.

The special one-hour broadcast featured two live fights and one pre-aired fight. In the first bout, Chad Mendes and Michihiro Omigawa fought to a competitive, entertaining decision, with Mendes ultimately winning the bout via Unanimous Decision. Then fans saw Kyle Kingsbury KO Ricardo Romero in twenty-one seconds in a bout that had taken place earlier in the evening. The “Prelims Live” main event saw the successful UFC debut of WEC star and veteran Donald Cerrone, who submitted Paul Kelly with a Rear Naked Choke in the second round.

I’m very glad that the “Prelims Live” specials have a new record measure themselves up against, and this new record fills me with a lot of positivity regarding the future of the specials. I think the “Prelims Live” fights have been getting better and better, to the point where I find myself enjoying the “Prelims Live” fights more than the actual Pay-Per-View fights. For a specific example, I ended up being far more entertained by Donald Cerrone’s great performance than I was by the boring fight Miguel Torres and Antonio Banuelos gave us on the UFC 126 Pay-Per-View card.

To a certain extent, the UFC “Prelims Live” specials are even becoming my personal replacement to the WEC. What I mean by that is this: with the WEC, I always advocated watching the promotion as often as I could because I enjoyed the promotion immensely and I thought that not nearly enough people had discovered how great the WEC was. I’ve yet to really find another “underrated underdog” type of show to get behind and root for, I thought the “Strikeforce Challengers” series of shows were going to fit the bill, but some of their latest outings simply haven’t been living up to all of their potential.

Make no mistake, it certainly sounds and feels strange to see myself saying and writing the following, but I truly believe that these “Prelims Live” specials are becoming the “dark horse favorite” that I was left wanting when the WEC was folded into the UFC. Now more and more I’m making time for these preliminary fights, I’m watching them and enjoying them, whether it be on Spike or Facebook or anywhere else.

I think this rating signifies that more and more people are also beginning to realize the potential of this series, and I can’t wait to see how these specials develop in the future. The “Prelims Live” specials seem to be where the UFC goes to test out new things like Facebook, and it also seems to be the place where a lot of entertaining fights are going down. You may end up hearing me talk a whole lot more about “UFC Prelims Live” before the year is over.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on “UFC Prelims Live” and it’s latest, record-setting rating?

The preliminary card bought tons of action during Saturday’s night of fights, with knockouts, submissions galore, however few fights stood above the rest and in the end those respective matches took home an extra bit of change of their efforts.

Jon Jones, not only impressively dismantled then-undefeated collegiate wrestler Ryan Bader, but he did it in style. The Greg Jackson product was able to work the Division I star several times to the mat during their light heavyweight bout, and eventually locked in a fight ending guillotine choke inside of the second-round. The finish earned the New York native a title shot against champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua once teammate Rashad Evans bowed out of the contest due to a knee injury. Oh, and Jones also earned the “Submission of the Night” award, pocketing an additional $75k for his win.

Both Donald Cerrone and Paul Kelly engaged in a fast battle in the lightweight division. Immediately Kelly got the attention of “The Cowboy” when he landed some sharp hooks to the dome. The two rallied for position on the ground, with Donald getting the better of the scrambles, having taken down the veteran several times over. Cerrone looked every bit the great fighter he showed in the now defunct WEC promotion, where he was a three-time challenger to the title, when he eventually mounted and submitted Kelly with a fight-ending rear-naked choke. The two men took home the evenings “Fight of the Night” award, both taking home the additional bonus.

Finally, Anderson Silva brought in perhaps the most impressive performance of the evening when he was pitted against former teammate Vitor Belfort in the main event of the evening. After a few tentative minutes spent on the feet, Anderson eventually connected on a wicked front-kick knocking down Belfort to the mat. Silva met his fellow countryman to the ground, connecting on two more flush punches that left Vitor out cold on the ground, though he recovered quickly thereafter. The spectacular win earned him the “Knockout of the Night” award–his third such award.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the post-fight findings? Sound off in the comment section below.

Forrest Griffin deftly defeated former champ Rich Franklin in a pivotal light heavyweight match-up, moving him closer to the title, however Jon Jones beat him to it when he submitted then-undefeated prospect Ryan Bader with a second-round submission.

However nothing surprised me more then some of these fighter pay-outs with some seeming valid, while others have me scratching my head in humble confusion.

It looks like the fruit of Jones’ labor is finally paying off, as the 205-spitfire has since earned his first six-figure payday inside the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion, which is justified by his exciting fight-finishing performances in the octagon.

On the same token, Anderson Silva, who is currently on a record breaking 13-fight win streak in the cage, as well as an equally impressive eighth-straight title defense, was a top earner on the pay-per-view card, however earned a reported $175k less than fellow countryman Vitor Belfort, whom Anderson knocked out inside of the first-round.

MMAJunkie also claims that should “The Phenom” had taken home the “W” last Saturday, he would have came home with an additional $100k for his efforts (win bonus). Most likely, Silva earned a large portion of his purse due to the PPV revenue that the super bowl card has picked up.

MMAJunkie.com has reported the following figures, which they had originally requested from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Champ Anderson Silva: $200,000 (includes no win bonus)
def. Vitor Belfort: $275,000

Forrest Griffin: $275,000 ($150,000 win bonus)
def. Rich Franklin: $75,000

Jon Jones: $140,000 ($70,000 win bonus)
def. Ryan Bader: $20,000

Jake Ellenberger: $32,000 ($16,000 win bonus)
def. Carlos Eduardo Rocha: $8,000

Miguel Torres: $56,000 ($28,000 win bonus)
def. Antonio Banuelos: $9,000

Donald Cerrone: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Kelly: $19,000

Chad Mendes: $19,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Michihiro Omigawa: $8,000

Demetrious Johnson: $10,000 ($5,000 win bonus)
def. Norifumi Yamamoto: $15,000

Paul Taylor: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)
def. Gabe Ruediger: $8,000

Kyle Kingsbury: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus)
def. Ricardo Romero: $10,000

Mike Pierce: $28,000 ($14,000 win bonus)
def. Kenny Robertson: $6,000

So, MMA peeps, are you surprised by any of the payouts you see here? The figures above however do not include any “Fight Night” awards that several fighters earned over the course of the evening. Sound off in the comment section below.

Cerrone has stepped up on short notice to be taking on UFC veteran Paul Kelly in a promising lightweight match-up. Evidence of the importance of this bout is the fact that both Cerrone and Kelly will be one of two-preliminary bouts which will be featured on the Spike Televised portion of the pay-per-view event, “UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort” which takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Coupled with his extensive Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu background, Donald is has become as well-rounded a fighter as you can get. His area that lacked has always been his wrestling, but he has always made up for it with his tight triangle chokes, which have aided the Greg Jackson product to six victories with the submission hold among his career 13 wins. However, Cerrone had shown drastic improvement in his decisive victory over rival Jamie Varner, out wrestling the wrestler en route to unanimous decision.

Paul Kelly though, is another wrestler with a vicious top game that could negate some of Donald’s attacks from his back. Debuting in the UFC in January of 2008, Kelly displayed the kind of cardio and relentless takedown attacks that would make Cain Velasquez proud, plowing through the very tough Paul Taylor, claiming a decision win over his fellow countryman, hailing from England. Though he has shown some susceptibility to high-level strikers, Kelly remains a dangerous opponent for any up-and-coming star in the lightweight division.

Good thing for “Cowboy”, this isn’t his first rodeo, which is why this bout is tailor made for Cerrone to either knockout or submit “Tellys” inside of the first or second round. So, MMA peeps, what do you think? How do you see this particular fight playing out? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Donald Cerrone

I think this would be a great fight in all areas of the MMA game. If it goes to the ground we’ll probably see so many transitions and sweeps and counters that our heads may start spinning. If it stays standing, both men swing with authority and precision, so it has all the elements of a great brawl. Cerrone is on a two-fight win-streak and really wants to prove his relevance in the crowded Lightweight scene, while Anthony Pettis could use a good victory over a former WEC main star in order to really set the stage for his unification bout. So long as both men show up at their physical and mental best, this fight could easily approach “Fight of the Year” quality.

4. Kenny Florian

This fight would once and for all prove whether or not Kenny Florian chokes in big fights. At one time I thought that Kenny Florian would be a dominant UFC Lightweight Champion if BJ Penn simply didn’t exist. Of course I was wrong, but that doesn’t change the fact that Florian remains one of the biggest, most consistent threats that any UFC Lightweight could ever face. If Kenny Florian is a gatekeeper, he’s the MMA equivalent of Cerberus. Not only would this be an amazing fight, it would also be a huge proving point for both fighters.

3. Jim Miller

It appears as if Jim Miller just can’t catch a break. He’s only lost to Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard, he’s won his last six fights, and yet he still gets mostly middle-of-the-road competition. Miller’s intensity has really been amping up lately, since he thinks a lot of people don’t take him seriously, and against Pettis he’d likely be at his best. It would be a very dynamic, fast-paced fight, even for Anthony Pettis. And that’s definitely a fight I’d like to see.

2. Ben Henderson

Before the legendary “Showtime Kick” rocked Ben Henderson and shook the MMA world, “Bendo” was having a classic and ultra-close encounter with Pettis that just has to see a second chapter. Will history repeat itself? Would Pettis be able to land another insane kick? Would either one manage to finally lock in the submissions they constantly hunted for throughout their five-round war of attrition? All these questions would likely be answered it what would surely be an amazing second encounter.

But my number-one opponent for Anthony Pettis just had to be…

1. George Sotiropoulos

There seems to be no stopping Sotiropoulos, but then again, there seems to be no stopping Anthony Pettis. Sotiropoulos continues to improve by leaps and bounds every single time he competes, but once again, so does Anthony Pettis. I think this fight would prove once and for all who the can’t-miss prospect of the Lightweight division truly is. I don’t think any fight will ever fully measure up to what should have been the WEC/UFC Championship Unification bout, but this fight definitely comes closest.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you think Pettis should face when he makes his UFC debut?

The Greg Jackson product has been tabbed as a replacement for an injured Sam Stout, and will now face lightweight standout Paul Kelly at UFC 126.

The event takes place on Feb. 5 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, and will feature a main event pitting current middleweight champion Anderson Silva against former teammate Vitor Belfort for the title.

MMAWeekly.com initially reported the change in affairs for the upcoming pay-per-view event. Cerrone enters the UFC following the merger of his previous home with World Extreme Cagefighting, following the organization’s final event at WEC 53 on December 16, where Donald picked up his second consecutive win when he defeated former IFL star Chris Horodecki with a second round triangle choke. “The Cowboy” remains one of the select few of lightweight fighters that will be transitioning the UFC’s crowded weight class, and his first test will be against Brit Paul Kelly.

The Team Kaobon fighter recently picked up an impressive win this past November when he took on “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran T.J. O’Brien at UFC 123. Kelly was able to subdue his lanky 6’2 foe, and eventually score the TKO victory inside of the second round. Paul has now won two of his last three fights, however since dropping down to the lightweight division in June of 2009, he has alternated wins and losses and is in need for consistency in the crowded 155-pound class.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the new lightweight addition? There is no word yet where the fight will be featured, whether or not it will be on the preliminary portion of the card, but all signs point to yet. If anything else, this fight should be an early candidate to either be featured on a Spike TV special or nonetheless, ION television. Who do you think will walk away the victor? My money is on an impressive debut for Cerrone, preferably triangle choke since Kelly will likely take this fight to the ground. Sound off in the comment section below.

Courtesy of an interview Cerrone recently had with MMA Junkie: “I wanted to beat him at his own game. I got the win, so I can’t complain … (but) a couple of things I did wrong I need to go back and look at… In the gym, I have no problem getting going and putting combinations together. In the fight, I just can’t seem to put them together. That’s something I need to work on… I guess I need to go back and start working on my striking again… Cole Miller is the guy I’m chasing down… It’s a fight I’ve wanted since as long as I can remember.”

According to the report, Cerrone has been hunting for a fight with Miller for years, ever since Miller fought and beat his friend and teammate Leonard Garcia back in 2007. Most recently, Miller is on a two-fight win-streak of his own, with impressive submission victories over both Ross Pearson and Dan Lauzon. Both submissions earned him “Submission of the Night” awards.

Personally, I think Donald Cerrone’s striking is just fine. It’s certainly come a long way, that’s for sure. In the end, I think what held him back in the Horodecki fight is the simple fact that Horodecki is the better striker. Cerrone’s best asset has always been his ground game, that’s why he ultimately made his opponent tap out. Horodecki’s strength has always been striking, he’s got seven (T)KO wins on his record. It’s true that Cerrone’s striking could always stand to improve, but every fighter’s everything could always stand to improve.

I think a fight with Cole Miller would be a fantastic first fight for Donald Cerrone in the UFC. Both men are submission experts with wicked ground games: combined, they have over twenty wins via submission. They’ve shown an incredible amount of resiliency in the past, so I think it’s very possible that both men would rather be choked out than tapped out. And they’d be fighting to get out of it every step of the way, up to and including the moment when they inevitably lose consciousness.

All in all, I’m really excited to see Donald Cerrone debut in the UFC, and I hope that the UFC finds him a good opponent sooner rather than later, even if it’s not Cole Miller. Cerrone ended his WEC career by once again proving why he was one of the WEC’s biggest stars, so I think he has an incredible amount of potential as he heads into the Octagon and into the shark-tank that is the UFC’s Lightweight division.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about Donald “The Cowboy” Cerrone in regards to both his most recent performance and his chances in the UFC?

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?

5. Jamie Varner vs. Nate Diaz

This is assuming that Diaz would be willing to drop back down to 155. I think this would be a excellent match-up between two bad-boys that has a whole lot of potential. I think it would be great to see how Varner deals with Nate’s “punches in bunches” style, and if this fight goes to the ground, this could end up being a very engaging and wildly entertaining ground war. Plus, could you imagine the kind of venom both men would spew leading up to this match? I can’t even begin to imagine how bitter this rivalry could get if Diaz and Varner began to trade barbs.

4. Donald Cerrone vs. Clay Guida

Donald Cerrone is one of the most entertaining fighters in the WEC’s Lightweight division, and the same could be said for Clay Guida in the UFC’s Lightweight division. This would be a bench-setting brawl where both men would absorb incredible amounts of punishment and just keep swinging. Cerrone would most likely win, but Guida would pull a Fight of the Year contender out of “Cowboy” before all was said and done.

3. Anthony Pettis vs. Diego Sanchez

I don’t think I can accurately put into words just how crazy this fight could be. Sanchez seems to have rediscovered the fire inside himself following his huge victory over Paulo Thiago at UFC 121. For “Showtime” Anthony Pettis, that fire has never gone out and in fact continues to grow. This would be a wild, wild fight, with constant action. Both men would practically be flying around the cage if they show up in top condition and start to get competitive. On paper it has all the right ingredients for one of the most explosive matches in recent history.

2. Ben Henderson vs. Frank Edgar

It’s a battle of the underdogs-turned-champions, and I’d love to see it happen. Both men share very similar fates: no one thought they had it in them to be champion, and now they stand tall as the unquestioned best of their promotion’s Lightweight division. Both men are hard-working champions that have the impressive cardio to last five rounds and be dangerous from the first bell to the last. Take my word for it, if it ever happens this fight would be a lock for Fight of the Year.

But of course, my #1 “UFC vs. WEC” dream match just has to be…

1. Jose Aldo vs. BJ Penn

I know, I know. This could be considered “cheating”. Aldo would have to move up in weight while at the same time Penn would have to move down, since “The Prodigy” is heading back to the land of welterweights and is unsure of when he’ll return to 155. But if it happens, just imagine how a fight between a prime Jose Aldo and a focused BJ Penn would turn out. Aldo would come out throwing everything he has at “Baby Jay” with Penn not giving an inch and even returning the favor more often than not. If this fight ever sees the light of day, it will probably go down as one of the best fights of the last several years.

So that’s my list, fans and friends. What about you? How is your fantasy “WEC vs. UFC” card filled out?

According to MMA Mania, Cerrone is expected to face former IFL standout Chris Horodecki at WEC 53 in Glendale, Arizona, a location that was chosen by WEC fans in a contest promoted by the WEC and AMP Energy. Chris Horodecki is 14-2 and is perhaps best known outside of the WEC as one of the IFL’s standout stars, winning seven fights in a row in the short-lived organization before getting his first loss. Despite his 2-1 record in the WEC, Horodecki is perhaps best known inside the organization as the man that ate a fight-ending headkick while he was busy running away from Anthony Njokuani.

And MMA Weekly brings news that Jamie Varner, who hasn’t won a fight since his first highly-controversial win over Donald Cerrone, will be competing at WEC 53 as well, with Shane Roller currently pegged as his opponent. Roller is 5-2 in the WEC with four wins by submission, although he himself was last seen being submitted in spectacular fashion, losing to Anthony Pettis via Triangle Choke at WEC 50.

I think both matches are excellent additions to WEC 53, which is quickly becoming another can’t-miss event in a long, long, long line of can’t-miss WEC events. In fact, as it stands I think this December 16 show will be a late but all-too-deserving entry into the “Event of the Year” competition. In addition to these two matches, WEC 53 also features Benson Henderson defending his WEC Lightweight Championship against Anthony Pettis while Dominick Cruz defends his WEC Bantamweight Championship against Scott Jorgensen.

In regards to what I see happening in these two fights, I’m picking both Varner and Cerrone to win despite the fact that I liked Horodecki in his IFL days, and also despite the fact that I think Shane Roller is dangerous competition on any given day of the week. Horodecki is still finding his spot in the WEC, he recently got through a tough Split Decision win against Ed Ratcliff. Cerrone, however, is a proven hot commodity and top-level fighter. Cerrone is no man’s stepping stone, and I think his combination of striking and submission skills will be way too much for Horodecki to handle.

I see the Varner/Roller fight being a bit closer, but ultimately I think Varner will win. Despite his recent record Varner is a very talented individual, and I think he wants a win badly. With the proper motivation Varner can still be a force to be reckoned with in the WEC. I think he and Roller will have a great fight, but I’m looking for Varner to firmly re-establish himself with a big win over Roller in the same way that Anthony Pettis set himself up for a title shot with his victory over Roller.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of these two match-ups, and would you have preferred to have seen Varner/Cerrone 3 instead?

Next for Leonard Garcia/Chan Sung Jung: Each other, which is why they’re grouped together. Both men had to endure the agony of defeat at WEC 51, so the time is right for a rematch to what many are calling Fight of the Year 2010. Garcia/Zombie 2 should be just as amazing as the first fight, and should give a huge rebound to whoever wins it. It makes sense and the fans love it, so look for the WEC to make it happen sooner rather than later.

Next for Miguel Torres : Urijah Faber, plain and simple. This is the kind of fight that has both dollar signs and “Fight of the Year” written all over it. Unless Torres doesn’t want to wait, I think “The California Kid” makes the most sense and would generate the most money now that Torres has broken his losing streak. Even if Faber loses his debut at 135, a fight with Torres simply has too much appeal to pass up. And if Faber wins his Bantamweight debut against Takeya Mizugaki, it only sweetens the pot. The optimal time to have made this fight happen (when both men were WEC champions) may have passed, but it’s still one epic dream-match.

Next for Donald Cerrone: Another one or two fights against decent-to-good competition, and then it’s right back to another showdown with the current WEC Lightweight Champion. Make no mistake, I still firmly believe that Cerrone will wear the gold one day. Properly motivated, he’s an absolute monster. Look for Cerrone to get a couple of big wins under his belt and then finally capture an actual belt. I have a strong feeling that we’ll see Cerrone at the top before 2011 is through.

Next for Jamie Varner: Nothing less than a complete overhaul will do. Whatever Varner is doing simply isn’t working. I don’t know if he’s coasting in his training or just doesn’t have the heart for it all anymore, but Varner’s credibility as a top-division athlete took a real hit at WEC 51. He scored a few good shots, but ultimately he left the fight bruised, battered, bloody, and on the wrong side of a supremely lopsided Unanimous Decision. There’s still a future for Jamie Varner in the WEC, but unless he make some big changes, it won’t be a pretty one.

Next for Jose Aldo: Defending his WEC Featherweight Championship against any and all opponents brave (some would say “foolish”) enough to step inside the blue cage against him. As dominant as Aldo has been, as amazing as I think he is, we’ve got to give credit where credit is due. The WEC Featherweight division is far from dead, Aldo has far from conquered it. He conquered Manvel Gamburyan, of that there is no doubt, but his conquest of the entire division has only just begun. Aldo will face a steady stream of contenders and will more than likely beat them all. Now more than ever there can be no doubt: we’ve entered the “Era of Aldo”.

And those are my thoughts, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of WEC 51: “Aldo vs. Gamburyan”?

“Cowboy” can overcome some of his mental hurdles that have plagued him in the past, and he really hates Jamie Varner–like, REALLY.

While Cerrone has vied for the lightweight title on three separate occasions, twice against Ben Henderson (the current WEC lightweight champion) and nemesis Varner–his bout with Jamie was not about positioning himself as a top contender once again in a crowded weight class, but rather settle the score against a man whom has been a thorn in his side for nearly 2 years.

In the early goings of the co-main event of the night, just behind the featherweight title fight pitting champion Jose Aldo against top contender Manny Gamburyan, Cerrone was able to control the pace of the fight from the get-go. Rocking Varner early and often, Donald established himself as the alpha male in the cage, commanding the center and firing away with chopping leg kicks that Varner, the former WEC lightweight champion, simply had no answer for. After dropping him twice in the first, Jamie’s heart shrink little by little once the Greg Jackson product was able to take down the collegiate wrestler on several occasions in each round, where eventually he was able to secure the unanimous decision victory. While both men showed respect towards the end of the fight with a general touch of gloves and a short exchange of words, another fight almost ensued once Donald denied Varner a “bro-hug”–but tempers cooled soon after.

With obvious disdain for one another, but amicable respect, Cerrone did the righteous thing and offered Varner a rematch.

Donald, the Denver native who was the hometown favorite in Broomfield, Colorado, offered Jamie a rematch in his home state of Arizona, which Varner obliged and asked for a December showdown, post-loss.

While Reed Harris, the General Manager of the WEC, inevitably gave his celebrated “I’m going to sit down and talk to Sean Shelby” speech, he did speak somewhat of a different tune.

“I’d have [Cerrone and Varner] fight every show the way these guys fight,” Harris said during the post-fight press conference. “That was an absolutely exciting, outstanding fight, and I’d love to see it again.”

While all three parties agree, looks like we’ll be seeing a rematch in the future, though no date is certain and no one truly knows what looms ahead for either competitor.

So, MMA peeps, what did you think of the fights last night? Did Varner and Cerrone deserve “Fight of the Night” honors? Who do you favor in the rematch? Sound off in the comments section below.

At the 1st Bank Arena in Broomfield, Colorado, we witnessed Aldo establish his dominance once again, when he was able to easily dispatch the season five finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter”, knocking out Manny Gamburyan with a flurry of punches on the ground, after connecting with a vicious uppercut that sent him to the mat.

While the Brazilian claimed the knockout victory, it was George Roop‘s kick-to-head connection against “The Korean Zombie” which eventually garnered the nights “Knockout of the Night” award, and allowed him to pocket an additional ten thousand dollars for his efforts.

Roop, a veteran of the TUF series, was able to use his 6’1 frame effectively early on, establishing his jab and creating the distance which eventually lead to a second round knockout, when in Chan Sung Jung fashion, the Korean star came forward wildly leaving himself open for the head kick. With the victory, Roop picks up his first win inside the WEC after going 0-1-1 in his last two bouts, and “The Korean Zombie” now drops back-to-back bouts since his inception to the U.S. promotion.

Miguel Angel Torres came back in true form. After trading in a mirror for a teacher for the mental prowess of Firas Zahabi and the Tri-Star gym in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the proud Mexican was able to use intelligent and controlled aggression throughout the bout against fellow bantamweight fighter, Charlie Valencia. Picking in choosing his shots rather than wading wildly like in the past, Torres was able to compose himself and find his openings in the second round, rocking his opponent with a combo against the fence, utilizing a torrid pace of ground and pound, eventually locking in a rear naked choke once a dazed Valencia gave up his back, and tapped. For his efforts, Miguel picked up “Submission of the Night” honors, as well as a win which snapped a two-fight losing streak, and immediately establishes himself once again as a top contender in the weight class. Valencia sees a three-fight win streak inside the WEC snapped, and goes back to the drawing board once again.

Finally, the grudge match of the ages, Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner finally stepped into the cage with one another once again. After their initial meeting in January of 2009, which ended in controversial fashion in the fifth and final round of their championship bout (Varner being the 155-pound champion at the time) when an illegal knee appeared to graze Jamie’s eye, needless to say there has been built animosity against both competitors.

Cerrone literally ran at Varner in the opening moments of the bout and continued to apply the pressure throughout. In the first round alone, Cerrone was able to drop Varner twice, once with a sharp knee to the head, and a left hook later on which had “C-4″ reeling early. Surprisingly, it was Donald’s wrestling that was on display, taking down the accomplished collegiate wrestler on several occasions. Admiring his work at times, it appeared that “Cowboy” had the openings to finish his opponent throughout, however opted to settle for a unanimous decision victory, enjoying his time spent in the cage punching his foe in the face. Varner was game, and hung tough, and for their efforts, both competitors took home “Fight of the Night” honors.

They may not be barbecuing with one another anytime soon, but dammit if they don’t respect each other after that.

So, MMA peeps, agree with the bonuses? Anyone else you would have rather seen in there? Sound off in the comments section below whether you agree or disagree with the WEC execs on their bonus winners.

Jose Aldo defeats Manvel Gamburyan by KO (Punches) at 1:33 of Round 2 to retain the WEC Featherweight Championship. Donald Cerrone defeats Jamie Varner by Unanimous Decision. Miguel Torres defeats Charlie Valencia by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:25 of Round 2. George Roop defeats Chan Sung Jung by KO (High Kick) at 1:30 of Round 2. Mark Hominick defeats Leonard Garcia by Split Decision .Tiequan Zhang defeats Pablo Garza by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:26 of Round 1. Mike Brown defeats Cole Province by TKO (Punches) at 1:18 of Round 1. Chris Horodecki defeats Ed Ratcliff by Split Decision. Diego Nunes defeats Tyler Toner by Unanimous Decision. Antonio Banuelos defeats Chad George by Unanimous Decision. Demetrious Johnson defeats Nick Pace by Unanimous Decision.

I’m always disappointed when Leonard Garcia loses, but I’ve never been disappointed in Leonard Garcia’s performances. Like he always does, he left his heart and every ounce of his energy inside the cage against Hominick, but Hominick definitely deserved the win. It was a great way to start the show, and it would only get better when “The Korean Zombie” was finished for the first time in his career. I never would have guessed that George Roop of all people would put a screeching halt to what had up until then been a very productive hype train. My hat is off to Roop, but I’m not going to abandon Chan Sung Jung just yet. I’m still a fan despite the tough loss.

I breathed a sigh of relief when Miguel Torres beat Charlie Valencia. I knew, I just knew, that the Miguel Torres of old was still buried inside the formerly top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter. Valencia may have been a glorified sacrificial lamb, but a win is a win and I’ll take it when I get it. There’s still hope for a Miguel Torres resurgence, and a potential dream fight with Urijah Faber took one more step towards becoming a reality. So I’m definitely glad that Torres is back in the win column.

Varner/Cerrone 2 went almost exactly as I thought it would, although I did expect Varner to put up more of a fight than he did. This fight proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Varner hasn’t been the same since returning to the WEC and needs to go back to the drawing board to figure out a way to remain relevant in his division. Donald Cerrone put on one of the best performances of his career, and I thank both him and Varner for giving us a Fight of the Night fight and a dark horse candidate for Fight of the Year.

The main event did go exactly as I thought it would, although Jose Aldo did seem a bit tentative in Round 1. However, once the feeling-out process was over, Aldo won the match with authority. I really can’t say enough about Jose Aldo, and I’ve said so much already. No one is going to beat him anytime soon. He’s too complete of an athlete, he’s too great of a fighter. Point blank: fear this man.

All in all, the WEC gave us another amazing show, and honestly, I expected nothing less. I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for my “little promotion that could”. Events like these make me proud to be an MMA fan in general, not just a WEC fan. This is the kind of event that anybody can like, the kind that all can enjoy. If the WEC continues to put on events of this caliber, I may even begin suggesting that they’ll have actually surpassed the UFC in terms of their ratio of bad-to-good-to-great events, instead of just my usual assertion that the WEC would be the best promotion in the world if the UFC did not exist.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of “Aldo vs. Gamburyan”?

If you’ve been following the WEC since it’s inception to the main stream, especially with the aid of the Versus network, then you should be familiar with the bad blood between Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone, Manny Gamburyan serving notice to the featherweight division, or Jose Aldo‘s dominance inside of the cage–something that has him often likened to the middleweight kingpin, Anderson Silva.

So for those of you who think this card is worthy of PPV honors, your right.

According to Reed Harris, General Manager of the WEC, the event was supposed to be a Pay-Per-View card, according to an interview he did with MMAJunkie.com. However, the promotion eventually opted to settle for the card to be free for fans–well, at least the ones who have Versus. Don’t worry, Hooters is calling your name MMA enthusiasts.

While Aldo has been nothing short of spectacular inside the cage, holding a perfect 7-0 record in the WEC, Gamburyan feels that Aldo is imperfect like everyone, and that he holds the keys to success.

“Every fighter has holes in his game,” said Manny while speaking to MMAJunkie. “He has some holes in his game.”

Aldo, who feels that if the UFC veteran and finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter” thinks he holds any advantage over the Brazilian, it would be on the ground. The featherweight champion, though, holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under one of the most prestigious grappling schools in Brazil, hailing out of the famed Nova Uniao team, which has produced studs such as Vitor Ribeiro, Marlon Sandro, Thales Leites, and BJ Penn.

“I feel Manny’s wrestling, and his judo, and also his heavy hands are what I’m going to be watching out for the whole fight,” Aldo told MMAjunkie.com. “Me and my trainers have been watching all of Manny’s fights to create a strategy on top of that judo.

“He’s going to come in aggressive, and I’m going to come in aggressive. It’s going to be a great fight to watch for the fans.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the card tonight? Should Aldo reign supreme, where does he go from here? Does Manny have a shot? Sound off in the comments section below.

Leonard Garcia vs. Mark Hominick: On paper, it looks like Hominick can beat Garcia in more ways than Garcia can beat Hominick. Both men are within shouting distance of each other’s win/loss ratios, so it should be a very competitive fight. My pick just has to go to Garcia, since I’ve been a fan of his for a long while and I always love it when he wins. Garcia has a huge amount of heart and not an ounce of quit in him, but Hominick is also a very gifted performer. It’s going to be a rough night, and one of the judges won’t give the fight to him, but I’m picking that Garcia takes a very close but very justified Split Decision win.

Chan Sung Jung vs. George Roop: Look for this fight to be the one where “The Korean Zombie” takes an emphatic step into the win column. George Roop has been incredibly up-and-down in his time in the big leagues, he’s 1-2 in the UFC and 0-1-1 in the WEC. Meanwhile, Chan Sung Jung put on one of the best performances of the last several years in his first WEC fight, a fight that many seem to think he should have won. As talented as George Roop is, he’ll be playing the role of “sacrificial lamb” when he’s put up against the Zombie’s uncanny ability to keep moving forward and keep throwing punches. Either Jung wins by first-round submission or he takes a lopsided Unanimous Decision.

Miguel Torres vs. Charlie Valencia: I really want Torres to win this fight, because I don’t want to think about where this leaves him if he doesn’t. Some might say that Valencia is basically a softball pitch thrown by the WEC to get Torres back to his winning ways, but I frankly disagree. Valencia is 5-3 in the promotion while Torres is 5-2. It’s true that Torres has faced (and beat) the better competition by far, but Charlie Valencia is no joke. It’s going to be a tough night unless we see the full-on rebirth of the Miguel Torres of old. I’m picking Torres by Unanimous Decision, with him scoring a first-round submission or TKO being an unlikely but possible second pick.

Jamie Varner vs. Donald Cerrone: Now this is a fight I can really sink my teeth into. In fact, I’ve done just that several times in the past. So, to spare a glorified re-post of my original thoughts, I’ll just say that those thoughts haven’t changed. It’s going to be brutal, high-octane, mile-a-minute goodness from two of the WEC’s best. Cerrone will take a Split Decision in a Fight of the Night performance.

Jose Aldo vs. Manvel Gamburyan: I’ll have to eat a whole heaping helping of humble pie if I’m proven wrong, but I truly believe that Jose Aldo, as he is right now, is unstoppable. There will always be an Achilles Heel, there will always be a Fabricio Werdum to a fighter’s Fedor Emelianenko…but Manny Gamburyan is not that fighter. Aldo will eat Gamburyan alive on the feet and won’t get taken down easily, if at all. I’m predicting that Aldo wins by KO by the third round at the very latest.

So those are my picks, fans and friends. What about you? How do you see WEC 51 going down?

The main event of the evening, a featherweight match up against two of the best in the class, will feature Jose Aldo putting his belt on the line against season five finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter” Manny Gamburyan, and taking on co-headlining duties will be a grudge match for the ages when former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner steps back into the cage for the second time this year when he faces nemesis and crowd favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, who is coming off of a loss to current champion Ben Henderson in an attempt to vie for the title.

Cerrone and Varner definitely delivered the most intense staredown that has been witnessed in some time, when both competitors were both at a head with one another, with the obvious tension in the air so thick, it could have been cut with a knife. Nothing further transgressed and Cerrone addressed the fans, saying “You guys win”, when asked if a win over Varner will settle the score between the two once and for all.

The following excerpt was taken from MMAJunkie.com, who was on seen for the weigh-ins and will be providing round-by-round updates as the fight airs lives on the Versus network, tomorrow night.

MAIN CARD

* Champ Jose Aldo (145) vs. Manny Gamburyan (145)
* Donald Cerrone (155.5) vs. Jamie Varner (156)
* Miguel Torres (136) vs. Charlie Valencia (136)
* Chan Sung Jung (146) vs. George Roop (145)
* Leonard Garcia (146) vs. Mark Hominick (145)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Pablo Garza (154) vs. Tiequan Zhang (154)
* Mike Brown (145) vs. Cole Province (146)
* Chris Horodecki (155) vs. Ed Ratcliff (155)
* Diego Nunes (145) vs. Tyler Toner (145)
* Antonio Banuelos (136) vs. Chad George (135)
* Demetrious Johnson (135) vs. Nick Pace (135)

So, MMA peeps, which match up are you most excited about? Any upsets in mind for tomorrow night? Who will leave Broomfield as the best featherweight in the world? Sound off in the comments section below.

Here’s what Varner had to say at a recent Strikeforce conference call (text courtesy of Sherdog.com): “I feel like I don’t need to get caught up in all the name-calling and all the bantering back and forth. (On) September 30, we get to go out there, we get to settle our differences and hopefully we walk out of the cage and the beef is squashed. Or, you know what? Maybe the animosity continues, but nevertheless, I’m not going to concern myself with it anymore…He feels like I looked for the easy way out (in the first fight) when it was the doctor who stopped the fight. I want to clear the air…I see this as a fight where if he makes a mistake, hopefully I can catch him, but if not, it’s gonna be a three-round war.”

I think the mass media as a whole was right to criticize Cerrone, and I applaud Varner for taking the high road for once. I think Cerrone/Varner is a great rivalry, but there’s simply no place for slurs or death threats in MMA. It’s the type of cannon fodder that those that oppose the sport are hungry for. It’s more ammunition for them, they say it proves that MMA fighters are nothing but animals out for blood. I’m all for an intense war of words, I think it’s great motivation for both fighters and gives them another reason to fight at their best and let it all loose in the cage. But Cerrone simply went too far.

However, that doesn’t change my earlier prediction. I still think he’s going to beat Jamie Varner. Varner hasn’t looked the same since he returned to the WEC, while Cerrone has looked awesome save for his recent, shocking loss via submission to Benson Henderson. And I honestly think the second loss to “Bendo” falls under the “anyone can get caught” category. Cerrone simply left himself open, but against Varner, he’ll be at his best and smarter than ever. He’ll have to be if he wants to beat his arch-rival.

Even though I think “The Cowboy” will win, it won’t be easy. Like Varner said, this has a very high possibility of being a three-round war. Varner is a former WEC Lightweight Champion, and you don’t hold that gold unless you have the skills to back it up. Even though my allegiance lies with and my pick goes to Donald Cerrone, I’m not counting out Varner at all. It should be an amazing fight.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Do you think Cerrone should have been criticized as much as he was for his statements towards Varner? And how do you feel about Varner suddenly taking the high road? And perhaps most importantly, who do you see winning this hotly-anticipated rematch?

The “little” big promotion has made many strides in the last few years, improving their fundamentals and becoming a leading competitor to any organization that embodies the lighter weight classes. Currently, of the WEC’s bantamweight and featherweight classes, most if not all of the top-10 competitors exist within the promotion. And while the WEC has consistently put together solid shows, time after time–WEC 51 will be no exception. In fact, it may be on their better cards to date.

In an interview with MMAWeekly, WEC General Manager Reed Harris discussed the upcoming card in addition to the final lineup that completes this 11-fight deep event which takes place in Broomfield, Colorado at the 1st Bank Center on September 30th.

“The UFC has put on some very successful events in Broomfield and we are hoping to duplicate their success,” said the GM while speaking with MMAWeekly. “This card is absolutely loaded with tremendous fights. In addition to the main card bouts, fans are in store for the return of former featherweight champ Mike Brown and the debut of our first Chinese fighter, Tiequan Zhang. Plus, hometown fighter Tyler Toner competes in his own backyard against a very dangerous Diego Nunes. We are extremely excited to bring this event to Colorado.”

Now with the addition, though previously rumored, of China import Tiequan Zhang, who takes on UFC veteran Jason Reinhardt on the preliminary portion of the nights festivities.

The nights final lineup, which is headlined by a featherweight title fight pitting pound-for-pound great Jose Aldo against number one contender and “The Ultimate Fighter” season 5 finalist Manny Gamburyan, is listed below in it’s entirety.

Main card

* Featherweight Championship bout: Jose Aldo (c) vs. Manvel Gamburyan
* Lightweight bout: Jamie Varner vs. Donald Cerrone
* Bantamweight bout: Miguel Torres vs. Charlie Valencia
* Featherweight bout: Chan Sung Jung vs. George Roop
* Featherweight bout: Leonard Garcia vs. Mark Hominick

Preliminary Card

* Featherweight bout: Mike Brown vs Cole Province
* Lightweight bout: Ed Ratcliff vs. Chris Horodecki
* Featherweight bout: Diego Nunes vs. Tyler Toner
* Bantamweight bout: Antonio Banuelos vs. Chad George
* Bantamweight bout: Demetrious Johnson vs. Nick Pace
* Lightweight bout: Jason Reinhardt vs. Zhang Tie Quan

So, MMA peeps, are you excited for the match ups? Any ONE bout stick out to you? How do you think everyone will fair come September 30th? Sound off in the comments section below.

Here’s what Cerrone had to say in Part 1: “He won the Academy Award for Best Acting [in the first fight]…Who looks for a way out of every fight? Jamie Varner. He knows he quit. I know he quit. You could just feel him breaking, and he looked for his way out and he found it. Glass jaw, glass hands. You’re a ***** and you’re always going to be a *****, and I’m gonna prove on the 30^th that you are a *****.”

And it somehow gets even worse in Part 2: “If we were to do a word recognition and say ‘Jamie Varner’, you’d think ‘spineless, gutless, little *****’. I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees like a coward, like him…I’m not like that, I’m not built like that, I don’t have the ***** gene in me… This is an ‘I ****ing hate you’ Jamie Varner fight. I hate every bit and ounce of your soul and **** you.”

Now this is the kind of rivalry we can all sink our teeth into. There’s not an ounce of fakeness here, I 100% believe that Cerrone means every single word he says. The WEC is a fantastic promotion that features all (or very close to all) of the best lighter-weight fighters in the world under one umbrella, but the promotion as a whole actually has very little in the way of legitimate rivalries. This fight has only seen its anticipation build as the Lightweight Championship situation got figured out and both men re-emerged as legitimate championship contenders. I think the fight has lost some of its luster now that the belt isn’t on the line and Benson Henderson has ran right through both men, but there’s so much legitimate animosity heading into this match that I can’t wait to see how it all goes down.

It’s pretty hard to predict a winner for this fight. So much has changed since their first fight in January 2009. Varner took a year off, got submitted by “Bendo”, then fought to a Split Draw that he likely would have lost had opponent Kamal Shalrous not gotten a little overzealous with his kicks and landed several of them right in Varner’s groin. Yet I think Varner will show up in prime form in order to try his best at taking down his rival. Even so, the odds seem to favor Donald Cerrone making it 1-1 against Jamie Varner, even though he’s 2-2 since the fight with to Varner. Both losses have come against the aforementioned Benson Henderson, with one being widely regarded as the 2009 Fight of the Year, while the other ended in a shockingly quick submission win that saw Henderson roll right through “The Cowboy”.

So both men aren’t at the best points in their careers. Doesn’t matter. This will be an all-out war and I can’t wait to see it happen. Right now I’m going to go ahead and say that Cerrone will get the better of Varner, who just hasn’t looked the same since his return to the WEC. It will more than likely be a long and grueling fight no matter who wins, and should be one of the highlights of a card that I personally think is Pay-Per-View quality.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you see winning this hotly-anticipated rematch, and how?

In an interview with SB Nation, Gray Maynard said the following: “Who is stopping them? Name a name and I’ll bow down, but who is stopping these guys? That’s why I can’t pay attention to these people. If you’re a true sports fan who enjoys MMA and really try to understand it, you’ll get it. Look at Edgar. He’s only ever lost to myself. Huerta has never been stopped. Pretty much the same thing with Nate Diaz. Florian did get stopped by Penn, but you see what I mean. It’s an excuse, but that’s just how it is. I’m asking for the top guys. The decisions are just part of it.”

I agree with Maynard in theory, but not in practice. I think getting a decision win should absolutely not be held against you. You did your job, you won your fight, you deserve your acclaim. How backwards does it sound that fighters who tough it out and fight hard all three rounds are getting ostracized like they had a Scarlet Letter? Fighters should be praised for having the cardio, mental fortitude, toughness, and heart to go the distance, and those that do so and still dominate their opponents deserve even more praise. That’s the theory.

In practice, though…people want to see fights finished! You simply can’t ignore what the mainstream wants, and the mainstream wants to see awesome KO’s or slick submissions. We’ll even settle for a wild brawl or an active ground game. But these no-stoppage shut-outs are unappealing to fans who crave action in their sports. You can call it backwards thinking all you like, but the mainstream MMA fan holds true to one core belief: “intricacies be damned, we’re here for a fun show”. There will always be fans, especially MMA fans, that go in just for the blood, guts, and glory. You can hold your head high with the knowledge that true fans appreciate what you do and respect your ability to do it, but at the end of the day, exciting fighters sell Pay-Per-Views.

Perhaps this wouldn’t even be such a big issue if Maynard was correct in his belief that most Lightweights don’t finish their fights. But that’s the thing: they do! There are a lot of Lightweight fighters (and fighters that had runs at Lightweight) known for their stoppage victories: Kenny Florian, BJ Penn, Sean Sherk, Shinya Aoki, Jamie Varner, Donald Cerrone, Ben Henderson, Josh Thomson, KJ Noons, Anthony Pettis…just to name a few! They may not dominate the division, but they’re out there.

I’ll make one thing clear before I go: I don’t have a problem with Gray Maynard. I think he’s a fantastic athlete, and I think his rematch with Edgar will be far more entertaining than what any of the doomsayers are predicting it to be. I just don’t like that Maynard answered the question of why he doesn’t finish anybody with another question, which was “Does anybody finish anybody at Lightweight?” Because the simple answer is: yes. Yes they do. And if you really want people to stop calling you boring, why not try and finish a fight every once in a while? It couldn’t hurt.

And what do you think, fans and friends? How important is it to you that fighters finish fights, and are you excited for Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 2?

After his losses to former champion BJ Penn at lightweight, and then budding welterweight star John Hathaway, Diego will try his hand once again at the 170-pound division at UFC 121 against Paulo Thiago. Sanchez largely made his name after winnings “The Ultimate Fighter” season one as a middleweight, before dropping down to the welterweight division in dominating fashion.

After defeating fellow finalist Kenny Florian at the TUF finale, Diego would make a name for himself in victories over Karo Parisyan, Nick Diaz, and Joe Riggs. While Diego can attribute a large amount of his success to his hard work and dedication, but in some respects a little of that success also needs to be addressed to the man, the myth, the legend–Greg Jackson.

In the beginning, Sanchez was one Greg Jackson’s first success stories. Soon more would follow, and flock towards Albequerque, New Mexico, to be trained under his tutelage. Now, Jackson hosts some of the worlds top fighters in all different weight classes, including UFC phenom Jon Jones, welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre, former champions Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and additionally WEC contenders Damacio Page, Leonard Garcia and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

Early rumors dubbed Sanchez’ initial reasons for leaving the camp was due to none other than one GSP who joined the crew before meeting with adversary BJ Penn at UFC 94, where at the time Diego was dubbed at the top of the heap in that division, before meeting his first set of back-to-back losses against division standouts and American Kickboxing Academy teammates Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch (respectively).

After a move with Saulo Ribeiro‘s school was short lived, spanning just the last couple of fights, Diego is hoping that a change to New Mexico might be the difference maker–and he’s going to need it, should he expect to fair well against welterweight standout Paulo Thiago.

So, is the change back to Jackson’s camp too little-too late for Sanchez, or will he have a shot against Thiago? You decide.

In the main event of WEC 51, WEC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo will take on the runner-up to the fifth season of the popular UFC reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter” Manny Gamburyan with the championship on the line. Aldo has been a man possessed in his run to the top of the Featherweight division, having lost only one fight in his six-year career, with eleven of his seventeen career wins coming by way of (T)KO. Most recently, Aldo put on a near-shutout performance against former long-reigning WEC Featherweight Champion and WEC posterboy Urijah Faber in the main event of the WEC’s first-ever Pay-Per-View. Manvel Gamburyan has earned his nickname “The Anvil” with his spirited performances both in the UFC and the WEC, and since dropping down to Featherweight in 2009, Gamburyan is on a three-fight win-streak.

The next chapter in the war between Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone will be written at WEC 51, as the two men are set to lock horns for a second time. Both Cerrone and Varner are no stranger to the WEC Lightweight Championship, with Varner being a former Lightweight Champion and both men having competed for the championship in their recent fights. Both men need a win in a big way, with Varner coming off of a split-draw with Kamal Shalorus while Donald Cerrone is coming off of a loss to Ben Henderson. With the desire to get back into the W column as well as the already-fierce hostility these two have shown towards each other, this should be one of the best fights of the night.

Miguel Torres will also be making his return at WEC 51 against Charlie Valencia. For the first time in his career, the former long-reigning WEC Bantamweight Champion and Pound-for-Pound darling is on the wrong side of a two-fight losing streak, with many beginning to seriously question whether or not the Bantamweight division has finally caught up with him, and maybe even passed him by. Charlie Valencia is going to be a tough test and should be a good win, as he’s coming off a three-fight win-streak.

And there’s still more action to come, with big name, former champions, and incredible athletes. Here are the other announced match-ups that have been officially signed for WEC 51: Leonard Garcia vs. Mark Hominick, Mike Thomas Brown vs. Cole Province, Chris Horodecki vs. Ed Ratcliff, Chan Sung Jung vs. George Roop, Diego Nunes vs. Tyler Toner, and Antonio Banuelos vs. Chad George.

This event is so star-studded that I honestly think it may even top WEC 48 as the best WEC event of the year, possibly the best MMA event in 2010 period. I can’t wait to see people like Leonard Garcia, Mike Thomas Brown, Chris Horodecki, and “The Korean Zombie”, Chan Sung Jung. Add to that a huge championship fight, a huge grudge-match, and the do-or-die scenario of Torres desperately needing to get back in the win column, and you’ve got the makings for a stellar event.

But what do you think, fans and friends? How excited are you for WEC 51?

The WEC has a big problem moving from Versus to pay per view.  Why would I pay to watch an Aldo-Faber matchup I’m used getting for free on Versus?

It’s similar to the problem newspapers are having transitioning to the Internet.  I’m used to getting news for free.  Why should I pay now?

The UFC, which shares Zuffa, LLC as its parent company with the WEC, has successfully differentiated their PPV product from their SpikeTV product.  There are fights I know I will never see on SpikeTV under the UFC’s current PPV-focused business strategy.  Second-ranked heavyweight and UFC champion Brock Lesnar (4-1) versus third-ranked Frank Mir (13-4) will never be a UFC Fight Night main event.

The UFC has shown Europe-staged events for free on SpikeTV, but lately those cards have been weaker than the PPV cards anyway and the UFC has successfully presented it as an occasional special gift to fans.  A treat!

But, Aldo versus Faber isn’t a treat. It could just as easily be a main event on the next Versus-televised fight card, and I could watch it for free.  So, the proposition the WEC seems to be presenting to me as an MMA consumer is, “Come on!  Give us $44.99 just this once!”

Admittedly, WEC 48 will group together the Aldo-Faber title matchup with another WEC on Versus potential main event, WEC lightweight champion “Smooth” Ben Henderson (10-1) versus “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (10-3).

But, again, this differs from the UFC’s successful model because it’s just two Versus-caliber main events on the same card.  There’s no added value that convinces me to pay $44.99 for two fights I’m used to getting for free.  The UFC’s added value on the PPV events are fights and fighters I’ll never get to see live for free.

Even if the WEC starts segregating PPV fighters, like Aldo and Faber, from its Versus cards, they don’t have the depth of talent to continue producing a quality free product on Versus or an immediate vehicle to begin marketing fighters.  Most of the UFC Fight Night cards are populated with fighters who’ve built audiences on SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter reality contest.  WEC’s second tier fighters aren’t popular enough to guarantee the same viewership on Versus if the popular fighters are taken off the Versus cards in favor of the PPV cards.  And, the WEC doesn’t have a vehicle like TUF to market those second tier fighters.

So, are you going to pay $44.99 to watch Aldo-Faber, Henderson-Cerrone?  Honestly, I don’t think I will.

Henderson had held an interim title since defeating “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (10-3) at WEC 43 in San Antonio October 10.

Varner had controlled the first two rounds with aggressive stand-up and stated after the fight, “I came to fight.  Ben was the better man. He caught me in a guillotine. He’s a studly dude. I wanted to box…he wanted to kick.  Shit happens. I was winning that fight. All he was doing was throwing were body kicks. I had the takedowns, I had the control.  He didn’t want to box. I came to fight, Ben came to grapple. Two different things.”

But, as Varner shot in round three, he ate a big Henderson knee.  As Varner stumbled from the knee, Henderson wrapped the guillotine choke around Varner’s neck and squeezed until Varner tapped out.

Henderson will likely rematch Cerrone for his first title defense.

Frank seems to be looking for an exciting stand up war which casual fans seems to thirst for today. I feel  the most exciting fights are ones where we see the actual definition of mixed martial arts. The continued rise of this sport and the very future of it depends upon fighters and promoters working to show what a true mixed martial artist is and not focusing on only one aspect of that,specifically the stand up wars.

I noticed that many times during a pay per view we get to see the knock out of the night even when it is not a main card fight. Seldom to we get to see the submission of the night when it is an under card fight. This is a travesty to the sport. We can’t continue to promote the sport, the fighters and the evolution of it while focusing on the stand up aspect and essentially ignoring the other aspects.

Promoters tout mixed martial arts as the combination of boxing, muay thai, kick boxing,wrestling and jiu jitsu. This is the evolution of the sport. We see fighters working hard to evolve into complete mixed martial artists. Guys like Fighters.com and UFC lightweight champion “The Prodigy” BJ Penn (12-4-1) and UFC welterweight champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2). Yet it is the strikers that are getting the biggest headlines in the national media.

On ESPN’s website today we see former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le. A man highly touted yet has faced not one top tier middleweight. He is known for his striking and this gets him publicity. That and his new found movie career. I would much rather see fighters such as Strikeforce interim lightweight champion “El Nino” Gilbert Melendez (14-2) and “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (9-2) get publicity. Both of these men train hard to become well rounded. Cowboy is known as a submission fighter but has worked hard recently to clean up his stand up. This is what the sport is all about.

Spike TV has done a great job of promoting mma but look at one of the shows they like to run, Ultimate Knock Outs. This is run over and over while Ultimate Submissions is a show I have never seen. We seem to be promoting the stand up and ignoring the ground game. It is an injustice to pander to the new fans who tune in to watch someone get knocked out using the four once gloves. I understand that many new fans want to see a knock out but it is our job to make sure we educate them and a show like Ultimate Submissions would do just that. When  watching the reruns of fights on Spike, instead of showing us a fight with great stand up I say show us a fight with great transitions. Maybe then we will see a fight go to the ground and not have to listen to fans boo even while one fighter is passing guard.

This education of fans is also a responsibility fighters must take seriously. Frank is dodging a fight because he feels it would not be exciting. It is the fighters job to work to be the best and in doing so one must take fights that put them against the best. Even if a fight may end up being a fight like we saw when Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields (24-4-1) took on “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-7). The fight was a five round wrestling match with Jake doing very little striking and Mayhem unable to look for subs due to the great top control of Shields. There will be times when these things happen. Fighters seem to be more worried about how they look in the cage then if they win or lose. How many times do you see a fighter lose and then ask the crowd if they enjoyed the fight? Yes, promote yourself but let’s allow our sport to turn into a Jorge Gurgel (12-4)

Jorge is a black belt in jiu jitsu yet has decided to put all that aside to be an “exciting fighter” who focuses on stand up. This has led to him being cut from the UFC due to loses. Jorge may have the ability to be a top lightwieght fighter but it is his insistence on putting on a show that has been his downfall. Do not abandon one aspect of this amazing sport just to be exciting. Seasoned mma fans know and new fans will find out that the most exciting fights are the ones that transition from stand up, to wrestling , to jiu jitsu and then back to the feet. Fights such as Fighters.com ninth ranked light heavyweight “Axe Murder” Wanderlei Silva (15-1) versus Hidehiko Yoshida (9-6-1) or Fighters.com third ranked light heavyweight “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4) versus fourth ranked heavyweight “Lil Nog” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1).

We can use knock outs to bring people new fans to the sport but without educating them ikn all aspects of the sport fighters like Frnak Shamrock will continue to refuse fights they don’t feel will be exciting and we could miss the next Shogun versus Lil Nog fight. There comes a time when one needs to shut up, step inside the cage and let his skills speak for themselves and the fans will surely be pleased.

Cerrone lost a five-round unanimous decision to “Smooth” Ben Henderson (9-1) for the WEC interim lightweight title at WEC 43 in San Antonio October 10.

Ratcliff won a unanimous decision over Phil Cardella (8-5) at WEC 42 in Las Vegas August 9.

Henderson consistently put Cerrone on his back while swinging power shots from top position and avoiding an arm triangle in round four and a Kimura in the final round.

Henderson and WEC lightweight champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (16-3) will now fight to consolidate the titles.

Lightweight Dave Jansen (14-0) won a three-round UD over “Cleat” Richard Crunkilton, Jr. (16-3) by judges’ scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice.  Jansen was debuting in the WEC.

Featherweight “Tiger” Yves Jabouin (12-5) fought ferociously in his WEC debut, but Rafael Assuncao (13-1) eeked out a split decision victory by judges’ scores of 30-27 and 29-28 for Assuncao and 30-27 for Jabouin.

Bantamweight “Angel of Death” Damacio Page (10-5) tapped out WEC newcomer William Campuzano (6-1) in a rear naked choke at 1:02 of round one.

Lightweight Anthony Njokuani (10-2) TKO’d Muhsin Corbbrey (6-4) when the referee stopped the fight at 1:42 of round two.

Bantamweight “Young Guns” Scott Jorgensen (6-2) TKO’d The Ultimate Fighter 5 contestant Noah Thomas (14-7) at 3:13 of round one.

In a featherweight upset, Mackens Semerzier (5-0) tapped out BJJ ace and 145-pound contender Wagnney Fabiano (12-2) in a triangle choke at 2:14 of round one.

Bantamweight Eddie Windeland (14-6-1) won a three-round UD over “Mangler” Manny Tapia (10-3-1) by judges’ scores of 30-27 three times.  Tapia has lost both fights since his WEC bantamweight title challenge versus Miguel Torres (36-2) at WEC 37 in Las Vegas last December.

Bantamweight Charlie Valencia (11-5) won a three-round unanimous decision over “Ox” Coty Wheeler (9-1) by judges’ scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice.

Lightweight Deividas Taurosevicius (11-3) won a controversial three-round split decision over “Showtime” Javier Vazquez (13-4) by judges’ scores of 29-28 twice for Taurosevicius and 29-28 one for Vazquez.

WEC 43 will be held at the AT&T Center. Tickets starting at $25 go on sale 4 September and can be purchased at Ticketmaster. The main card will be broadcast live at 10:00 PM EST on VERSUS.

A statement at the WEC website states: “An injury to main event fighter Ben Henderson forced the postponement of the event.”

But, MMA Weekly reported that “Smooth” Ben Henderson’s (8-1) manager, Jason Genet, said, “[Henderson] had a slight physical issue that he had to deal with and the WEC and [Donald] Cerrone were gracious enough to give us a little more time to make sure he’s 100-percent ready.”

“A slight physical issue” sounds different than “an injury” to Fighters.com, but I’m naturally cyncial.

The Corvelli Centre in Youngstown, original venue for the WEC 43, is open 10 October.

Ticket refunds for the event can be obtained at the point of purchase, according to the WEC.

Besides the title defense by WEC Lightweight Champion “The Worm” Jamie Varner (15-3) against “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (8-1), WEC 38 will feature a rematch between “California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-2) and “Little Evil” Jens Pulver (22-9-1).

Faber, then the Featherweight Champion, earned a unanimous decision victory over Pulver in their first fight at WEC 34 in June.

Faber lost his title at WEC 36 in November when he was TKO’d at 2:23 of round one by Mike Thomas Brown (16-4).

Pulver also lost his last fight at the same event.  He was TKO’d at 1:12 of the first round by “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (11-3).

The bout is tentatively scheduled for 25 January in San Diego.

Varner TKO’d “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (11-2) in round one at WEC 35 in August.  He won the belt in February from “Razor” Rob McCullough (16-5).

Cerrone fought last week at WEC 36, earning his title shot with a unanimous decision victory over McCullough.

“Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (8-1) versus “Razor” Rob McCullough (16-5) made “Fight of the Night”.  Cerrone won the unanimous decision over McCullough.

Rani Yahya’s (12-2) guillotine choke on Yoshiro Maeda (23-6), which ended the fight at 3:30 of round one, was “Submission of the Night”.

Brown, Cerrone, McCullough, and Yahya each earned $7,500 in addition to their regular fight purse.

“Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (11-3) was awarded a separate bonus of $7,500 for his performance versus “Little Evil” Jens Pulver (22-9-1), according to MMA Weekly.  Garcia won via TKO at 1:12 of the first round.

Brown took the title decisively following a right hand that laid the former champ out. 

Chael Sonnen (21-9-1) won a surprisingly boring unanimous decision over Fighters.com’s third-ranked middleweight and WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho (15-1) in a non-title fight that was heckled by fans throughout.  Official scores were 10-9 twice for Sonnen, 10-8 for Sonnen.

 ”Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (11-3) dismantled “Little Evil” Jens Pulver (22-9-1) in a 1:12 TKO shocker to move up the ranks in the WEC’s stacked 145-pound division.

Jake Rosholt (5-0) powered to victory over Nissen Osterneck (4-1) in the second round via TKO stoppage.

Rani Yahya (12-2), Danny Castillo (4-1), “The Fury” Carmelo Marrero (9-2), Jose Aldo (11-1), “The A-Train” Aaron Simpson (2-0) and “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (8-1) were all winners within the cage as well. 

Brown Shocks Faber To Take the WEC Featherweight Title

The arena was pumped for the title bout of the night as Mike Thomas Brown entered to a favorable home crowd.  The fight started quick as expected, but soon tied up into the clinch.  Both fighters threw leather, but Brown’s right hand set the tone for the surprise to follow. 

“I train with the best team in the world.  All I have to do is perfrom like I do in training each day.  I don’t have a lot of knockouts on my record, but I hit fucking hard, man,” announced the new WEC Featherweight Champion, Brown. 

Faber rushed in with a careless elbow attempt only to get tagged with a hard and heavy right hand from the challenger.  Faber went down to the mat and covered up as Brown plastered the champ with punches.  Referee Troy Waugh stopped the fight at 2:23 of the first round. 

Sonnen Glides To A Boring Victory Over An Overweight and Passive Filho

Filho’s entrance into the cage proved to be a metaphor for his performance to come as fans heckled loudly in disapproval in what most assume was a reaction to the veteran’s failure in making weight for the bout. 

The fight between Filho and Sonnen was an absolute deflation to an evening of otherwise exciting and fast-paced bouts.  Filho preferred to lay on his back for the majority of the fight resulting in continuous stand-ups by the referee.  During the fight, Sonnen definitely scored in the stand-up game, but showed hesitation at moments in answering Filho’s lackluster performance. 

Sonnen seemed satisfied to pepper his opponent with jabs and the occasional straight shot resulting in what appeared more as an exhausted round of western boxing set to a chorus of moans and vocal disappointment by the fans on hand. 

Sonnen took a unanimous decision win in this unfortunately boring mixed martial arts sequel. 

Garcia Stuns Pulver With Heavy Hands

Going into the fight,  Garcia hoped for a stand-up war with veteran “Little Evil”.  Although temporarily wobbled by a flurry of punches early from Pulver, Garcia weathered the storm to eventually land a strong right hand.

Pulver was immediately rocked falling to his knees and visibly hurt.  Garcia went in for the kill and unleashed a storm of punches resulting in a quick and surprising stoppage.  It was all over but the shouting at 1:12 of round one.

Rosholt Overpowers Osterneck

This middleweight challenge started out with the lightning fast pace of a typical featherweight affair.  Both fighters came out swinging with Nissen Osterneck (4-1) swarming Rosholt with a sloppy but continuous barrage of fists.  But, it wasn’t long before the superior wrestling skill of Rosholt took root and found Osterneck on the receiving end of pounding following numerous takedowns. 

Osterneck attempted a few submissions only to find himself mounted again and again by the feisty Rosholt. Momentarily in the second round Osterneck caught Rosholt with another flurry of punches, but the wrestler survived the clash only to get his hooks in again and score another strong mount.  The second round came to an official end via TKO stoppage at 3:48 with Rosholt pounding his way to victory.

The A-Train Railroads Avellan 

Pardon all the clichés here, but if ever there was an train wreck in the cage, this was certainly one for the ages.  “The A-Train” Simpson landed a devastating overhand right at 0:18 of the first round sending David Avellan (5-1) into the realms of unconsciousness.  It was a strong KO victory for Simpson augmenting his undefeated record in stunning fashion.

Yahya Chokes Maeda

Yoshiro Maeda (23-6-2) secured an early guillotine in what appeared to be a potentially tight and winning submission only to have Yahya escape and come back with a guillotine of his own.  Yahya hung on strongly to the choke, making Maeda tap at 3:30 of the first round. 

Castillo Stops Dias

Rafael Dias (12-5) was winning on the cards in round one with more technique all around against more wild shots coming from Castillo.  The fight was up and down with Dias looking the better of the two.

Round two found the two fighters in familiar exchange. Dias scored a takedown while Castillo attempted a guillotine. Castillo then tried for an armbar that proved too loose. Dias took Castillo’s back for a moment, but then wound up on the bottom.

But, it was a missed shoot by Dias that finally delivered the ending.  After missing the shoot, Castillo got on top and rained down punches until the fight was stopped at the 2:54 mark.

Marrero Wins The Split Over Steinbeiss 

Marrero’s wrestling skills came in handy for the UFC veteran in the bout against “The Hooligan” Steve Steinbeiss (4-2).

Taking Steinbeiss down often, Marrero avoided submission attempts.  The fighters utilized all weapons, exchanging body kicks in the second round before Marrero appeared gassed in the closing minutes.

Steinbeiss appeared fresh in round three, delivering shots to Marrero and temporarily stunning him.  Winning the round, Steinbeiss nearly got caught in a late guillotine attempt and took an elbow.  The final round ended with Steibeiss in the guard.

Marrero won a split decision with a 29-28 score twice against Steibeiss’ 29-28 third round score. 

Aldo Defeats Brookins In Late Round Stoppage

Aldo scored much better than Jonathan Brookins (8-2) through the first two rounds and winning on the cards.

Aldo came into the second round with a knot over his eye even though he handed out the worse of the stand-up punishment.  Brookins looked surprisingly crisp in the second, but eventually took a lot of damage via leg kicks.

In the third round, Aldo dropped Brookins with a left hook and laid down the leather.  Taking a lot of punches but also hanging in, referee Troy Waugh stepped in and stopped the fight at 0:45 of the final round. 

The Cowboy Disposes The Razor

“Razor” Rob McCullough (16-5) came out with strong low kicks against Cerrone, only to have them answered by the middle of the first round.  Cerrone dropped McCullough with a right and mounted the injured fighter.  An elbow cut McCullough and eventually resulted in a stop to inspect the cut.  The first round started back up; and, Cerrone dropped McCullough again, but was saved by the bell.

In the second, a right uppercut dropped McCullough yet again, but ended up with Cerrone on the bottom.  Cerrone then grabbed an armbar; but, McCullough escaped.

The third round found McCullough landing an overhand right; but, Cerrone soon answered with leg kicks.  There were equal exchanges, but Cerrone turned on the heat and scored a strong takedown.  Cerrone landed a combination of punches late in the final round that hurt McCullough yet again.

Cerrone won a very clear unanimous decision.

After submitting Cub Swanson (12-2) with a guillotine choke in 35 seconds at his WEC debut in December, Pulver lost the unanimous decision in his five-round battle with current Featherweight Champion “California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-1) in June.

Garcia, who has been battling drug charges, most of which have been dropped, last fought at his WEC debut in February when he TKO’d “Streetfight Bancho” Hiroyuki Takaya (9-5-1) in the first round.

Also official on the WEC 36 card are:

“Indio” Danillo Villefort (8-2) v Jake Rosholt (4-0)
“Razor” Rob McCullough (16-4) v “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (8-0)
Rani Yahya (11-4) v Yoshiro Maeda (23-5-2)
Johny Hendricks (3-0) v “Russian Crusher” Alex Serdyukov (8-4)
“9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) v Danny Castillo (5-1)

Headlining the event are Faber and Mike Thomas Brown (19-4) in a featherweight title fight, and a middleweight title rematch between Fighters.com’s third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0) and Chael Sonnen (20-9-1).

McCullough squeaked by“Machine” Kenneth Alexander (5-3) by split decision in Sacramento 1 June, his first fight since losing the WEC title to “Worm” Jamie Varner (14-2) by vicious knockout.

Cerrone has submitted all eight of his opponents, sixth of them in the first round.

His last victim, Danny Castillo, found himself in an armbar just 1:30 after the opening bell in Sacramento.

The “California Kid” packed a big right hook counter to Pulver’s southpaw boxing in the first session.  Faber landed the punch just enough to make Pulver think twice.

The fight only went to the mat once in round one, when Faber fell mid-kick and Pulver pounced; but, Faber locked up Pulver and stood out of “Li’l Evil’s” mount.

In round two, Faber felt Pulver respected his stand-up enough to shoot to the mat with single-leg takedowns.  Faber scored most attempts; but, Pulver’s guard smothered Faber’s offense.

Faber decided to throw with the noted striker, Pulver, in round three and beat “Li’l Evil” by popping in and out with jolting shots and mixing in a high kick to keep Pulver guessing.

In the fourth, Faber took Pulver back to the mat and hammered elbows into his skull until the bell.

By the final round, Pulver was gassed and Faber closed the UD with jabs and right hooks to Pulver’s head.

Torres Shuts Maeda Down

WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres (34-1) boxed Yoshiro Maeda‘s (23-5-2) right eye shut, convincing the cageside doctor to stop the fight after the third round.

Maeda drew first blood in round one, splitting Torres’s forehead with a knee in the clinch.

The cut didn’t slow Torres’s forward onslaught.  In round two, Torres landed kicks at all levels before clsoing distance with a jab/right hook/knee combo into the clinch where Torres hammered knees to Maeda’s body.

Maeda was game!  He brawled the champ to the mat and slipped on a nifty toe lock.  Torres reciprocated before they both released and scrambled.  Maeda reached again for the toe lock; but, Torres swung his legs into a near triangle choke.  Maeda slipped free and the fighters returned to their feet.

By round three, Torres’s jab had ballooned Maeda’s right eye.  A straight punch direct hit proved how little Maeda could see from his lead side and the cageside docter ended the fight.

Munoz Mauls Grigsby

Mark Munoz (4-0) solved Chuck Grigsby‘s (13-4) reach advantage to pound him out at 4:15 of round one.

Grigsby exploited his advantage early, landing an uppercut that drove Munoz to the cage.  But, Munoz was persistent with the takedown, scoring it beneath Grigsby’s combos.

Once Grigsby was back to the mat, Munoz postured out of Grigsby’s guard and landed several looping, lunging overhands.  Grigsby reached for Munoz’s ankle and Munoz kneeled and landed three right hooks, the second of which knocked Grigsby cold for the Munoz victory.

“Razor” Dull in Return

Former WEC Lightweight Champion “Razor” Rob McCullough (16-4) and “The Machine” Kenneth Alexander (5-3) wanted nothing to do with each other in a three-round McCullough split decision.

The kickboxer and wrestler circled each other most of the fifteen-minute affair.

McCullough scored consistently with a sharp leg kick, frequently countering an Alexander straight; but, Alexander took the kickboxer McCullough to the mat just as often.

Alexander couldn’t score on the mat, nor keep “Razor” pinned; and, McCullough’s strikes added up on the cards in the meantime.

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

Cerrone Taps Castillo

“Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (8-0) tapped WEC debuting Danny Castillo (5-1) in an armbar in the first round.

Castillo took lanky Cerrone to the mat; but, Cerrone wrapped up the armbar from rubber guard.