WEC 51 “Aldo vs. Gamburyan” was one for the history books, and now that it’s actually in the history books, I’m left looking towards the future once again. Like all of my previous installments in the “What’s Next” series, I’ll be giving my thoughts on what the future will hold for some of the big winners and losers of “Aldo vs. Gamburyan”. So let’s get right to it. ...

It's now come and gone, and WEC 51 reads like some crazy, bizarre storybook now that it's all over. A Korean Zombie was defeated, an Angel was reborn, a Mongolian Wolf chewed up the competition, a historic rivalry had its next (and almost certainly not last) chapter written in the blood of a great fighter, and in the main event of the night, the WEC Featherweight Champion once again proved that he is without equal. Here are all the results as well as my thoughts on the unsurprisingly fantastic WEC 51: “Aldo vs. Gamburyan” event. ...

Today marks the fifty-first show held by the World Extreme Cagefighting promotion. The card is so stacked that it was once rumored to be the next WEC Pay-Per-View, and it features big-name stars like Jose Aldo, Manvel Gamburyan, Mike Thomas Brown, Leonard Garcia, Miguel Torres, Donald Cerrone, and Jamie Varner. I’ve tried to be as vocal of a supporter of the WEC as I can possibly be in my time with fighters.com, so I can’t wait to see this show. Here are my predictions on all the big matches scheduled for WEC 51: “Aldo vs. Gamburyan”. ...

As wec 51 looms our way tomorrow night, all competitors at the 1st Bank Arena in Broomsfield, Colorado made it to the scale, with no controversy. 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. ...

While the WEC is recognized as being under the Zuffa umbrella that also is associated with the UFC, which is unarguably the worlds largest leading promotion in the world of mixed martial arts--the WEC does not remain as the red headed stepchild of the group. 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. ...

I just can’t get enough of the World Extreme Cagefighting promotion. I’ve been a fan of their’s for several years running, but only recently have I begun to realize that if the UFC did not exist, the WEC would be putting on the best cards on the planet right now. I think there’s even an argument to be made that some of the recent WEC shows have actually been better than some of the recent UFC shows. No matter what your opinion may be in regards to the friendly competition between the two companies both owned by Zuffa, the WEC is riding an incredible wave of momentum heading into their WEC 51 event, which looks to be another great night of fights. WEC 51 features a highly-anticipated WEC Featherweight Championship showdown, the next chapter in one of the bitterest rivalries in the WEC’s history, and the return of a former division kingpin looking to try and regain his former glory. Nine fights have recently been made official for WEC 51, so here’s how the card breaks down so far. ...

“Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (9-3) will bring his six-shooter to a gunfight versus "9mm" Ed Ratcliff (7-1) in Las Vegas at WEC 45  December 19, the WEC confirmed Thursday. ...

Two-time WEC featherweight Cole Province (6-1) tested positive for methasterone, a banned performance enhancing steroid, after winning a UD over Fredson Paixao (8-4) at WEC 42 in Las Vegas 9 August, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission which issued a report Monday. Also tested at WEC 42, but returning negative results were new WEC featherweight champ Brian Bowles (8-0), former champ Miguel Torres (36-2), Dominic Cruz (13-1), Takeya Mizugaki (10-3-2), "Bad Boy" Leonard Garcia (13-4), Shane Roller (5-2), "9mm" Ed Ratcliff (7-1), and "The Gun" Diego Nunes (11-2). Province's fight license in Nevada has been suspended pending an NSAC review of the positive test result. ...

The WEC has officially added a bout between former UFC Lightweight Champion “Little Evil” Jens Pulver (22-9-1) and “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (11-3) to its 10 September card in Hollywood, FL. 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). ...

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