The former WEC lightweight champion had been ousted from the from the Zuffa banner after going winless in four fights, despite having fought against some of the best fighters the promotion had to offer.

Varner took the opportunity to move one step closer in getting back to the big leagues when he picked up an impressive first-round submission victory at XFO 39.

Jamie moved up to the welterweight class in order to take on Tyler Combs in the co-main event of the evening. There, Varner wasted little time in pressing the action with his always impressive boxing skills, vaunting out jabs waiting for Combs to move forward. Once Tyler began to engage, Varner switched up the game and took Combs down on a nice double leg takedown. From there, Varner was able to quickly maneuver into north-south and apply the choke hold. It didn’t take long before Combs went to sleep, which took all but 90-seconds of action inside of the first-round.

With the win, Varner now snaps an 0-3-1 skid, which included a decision loss to rival Donald Cerrone in a highly anticipated rematch, submission defeats at the hands of Shane Roller and Ben Henderson in their title unification bout. Finally, Varner went to a controversial draw with Olympian Kamal Shalorus in June of last year.

Jamie was one of the bigger named fighters coming out of the WEC, and while many knew that Varner was on the bubble following the skid, it was almost a universal feeling of anticipation that we would inevitably see “C-4″ inside the octagon once the WEC assimilated with it’s sister promotion in the UFC.

Now that he has a win under his belt, Jamie will likely be fielding many offers elsewhere, though the end game will likely be to head back to the “big show”, where he rightfully belongs.

So, MMA peeps, how do you feel about Varner? A talented boxer, former world champion, and collegiate wrestler–does Jamie still have the tools to be heralded once again as a viable fighter? Sound off in the comment section below.

But first, MMA Mania (via MMA Diehards) reports that Tyler Toner has been released. Toner was on a two-fight losing-streak, both of which came by Unanimous Decision, although he did win his WEC debut by TKO. Toner is a five-year veteran of the sport with ten wins, three losses, and one no contest.

I think the UFC is setting an interesting, bordering-on-dangerous precedent with all the firings that have been going down lately. We all knew that not every WEC star would be able to make the transition, there’s just no way you can fully cram an entire promotion into another promotion even if you add two new weight classes. Furthermore, the UFC is perceived as the most prestigious MMA organization on the planet, so only the best should compete in the Octagon. I get that, make no mistake.

But Jamie Varner, Chris Horodecki, and Tyler Toner? I think you could make a case for all three of them to get at least one shot in the UFC. I admit that it’s not much of a case, but still, it can be made. Jamie Varner is a former WEC champion and, for a long while, was one of the WEC’s biggest stars. He’ll probably go down as one half as the bitterest rivalry in WEC history. And Chris Horodecki? He was on a two-fight win-streak and lost to Donald Cerrone, one of the WEC’s best fighters.

I think what bothers me the most about these releases is the precedent it’s setting and what it says about how the UFC is going to handle the incoming WEC stars, rather than the actual releases themselves. UFC President Dana White has gone on and on about how excited he is to sign Jose Aldo, but the WEC is not a one-man show and the world does not revolve around Jose Aldo. That’s said with absolutely no disrespect towards the man, I’m a major fan and I’ll probably never stop being one. But, at least to me, the heart and soul of the WEC, one of the key ingredients that made it all work and made the WEC so entertaining… were the tough fighters that won a few and lost a few but always put on fantastic fights.

I still look forward to seeing men like Jose Aldo, Ben Henderson, Donald Cerrone, and Anthony Pettis compete in the Octagon. I think the memory of the WEC will live on in them and I think the sky is the limit for all of them, even in the UFC. But now more than ever I realize that the promotion that I loved is no more. With this recent spat of releases, I’m once again reminded that only the best of the best of the absolute best ever get into the UFC. And the WEC was never about that, that ultra-competitive mindset, and yet they still produced some of the best fighters in the world and some of the most entertaining shows in recent memory.

But what about you, fans and friends? Is this just a bit of sour grapes on my part, or do you agree with me?

The former WEC lightweight champion recently suffered another loss when he was pitted against former top contender Shane Roller at WEC 53, the promotion’s final show which was to signal the assimilation of the lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight into the the organization’s sister promotion, the UFC which are both under the Zuffa LLC banner.

Along with Jamie, former IFL star Chris Horodecki has also been released from his contract following a loss at the same show earlier this month, which took place at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

Horodecki was last in action against three-time WEC title challenger Donald Cerrone. “Cowboy” used his superior grappling skills to work Chris to the mat in the second round, eventually locking up a tight triangle choke. The recent defeat marked the first time that the Team Tompkins fighter has been submitted in his entire mixed martial arts career.

The recent releases of the two lightweights should come as no surprise, considering the huge influx of fighters that are now beginning to co-mingle with the preexisting UFC fighters, especially in the lightweight division. While both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions have room to grow in the UFC since the organization only recently opened up the divisions following the merger, the 155-pound weight class was already well established, so all fighters knew very well that if your a lightweight, your fighting for your job come WEC 53.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Should both men have been released by the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion? Could either men have fared well in the UFC’s lightweight class? Varner has gone winless since a controversial split-decision win over Cerrone in Jan. of 2009, going 0-3-1 in his last 4 outings. Horodecki went 2-2 inside the cage, with losses to notables Anthony Njokuani and the aforementioned Cerrone. So what do you guys think? Sound off in the comment section below.

Recently, World Extreme Cagefighting has since merged with it’s sister promotion the Ultimate Fighting Championship, both promotion’s fall under the Zuffa LLC. banner. Among the acquisition of both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions, a stacked 155-pound class has since been assimilated into the UFC.

With the high influx of fighters, many have since found themselves fighting for their jobs in most recent events, with the lightweight class being atop of the chopping block.

But for Varner, it looks like that his accolades within the WEC have saved him for the time being. According to MiddleEasy.com, Jamie has yet to be released from his contract from Zuffa.

The UFC veteran claimed the WEC title in February of 2008 when he TKO’d then champion Rob McCullough, a kickboxing specialist, inside of the third round.

From there, Varner made two successful defenses of his title against top contenders Marcus Hicks and Donald Cerrone, albeit the fight with “Cowboy” was mired in controversy when in the final round, Varner caught an illegal knee to the eye and claimed he was unable to continue.

After his fight with Cerrone, Varner was on the mend due to multiple injuries for one year and returned to action when he faced top contender and then interim champ Ben Henderson. The two fought in order to unify the titles, and Henderson reigned victorious, submitting Varner in the third round in January of this year.

The loss snapped a five-fight win streak. Jamie has gone 0-3-1 in his past four bouts, drawing with Kamal Shalorus, losing a decision in a rematch with Cerrone, and finally at WEC 53 (the last ever WEC event) Varner was submitted by Shane Roller inside of the first round. An overzealous “C-4″ could not capitalize on an early opportunity when he knocked down Roller in the opening moments of the fight. He was next taken down and back-mounted quickly which prompted the rear-naked choke finish.

Of the Arizonan’s five losses, three of them come by way submission.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Do you think Varner should get cut, or do his accolades in the WEC keep him under contract? Sound off in the comment section below.

In the main event of the evening, Anthony Pettis shocked the world when he displayed devastating arsenal of striking techniques which culminated in a highlight reel head kick knockdown executed by “Showtime” launching himself from the cage and landing the maneuver mid-air on former champion Ben Henderson, before a ruckus crowd in Glendale, Ariz.

While Pettis’ star shined the brightest in his lightweight title clash with the hometown favorite in Henderson, several others displayed a varied array of skills that netted them an additional ten thousand dollars for their efforts.

While Henderson was dethroned at WEC 53 before his fellow Arizonians, himself and the newly minted WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, 23, picked up “Fight of the Night” honors for their five-round war of attrition, and added an additional ten-thousand to their total purse. The victory also helped Pettis cinch the number one contender’s spot for the UFC’s 155-pound title.

Former bantamweight champion Eddie Wineland may not have been featured on the nights televised portion of the event, however the 135-pounder made a lot of noise with another knockout victory to add to his already impressive résumé when he took care of newcomer Ken Stone inside of the first round. Although it wasn’t a traditional Wineland knockout culminating with his fist punching face, however when push came to shove, Eddie slammed Stone when the opportunity presented itself. The impact of the slam left the WEC newbie his Ken unconscious and as a result, Eddie picked up “Knockout of the Night” for his work.

Finally, former WEC lightweight contender Shane Roller made an impressive finish in his final bout with the UFC sister promotion when he submitted former champion Jamie Varner. The Marc Laimon protege in Roller, was able to survive an early scare when he was knockdown by Varner. Immediately, Shane went back to his wrestling roots, eventually taking Jamie to the mat and quickly secured back mount, and eventual the rear-naked choke finish. In under four minutes of the opening round, Roller picked up arguably the biggest win of his career, as well as the event’s “Submission of the Night” award.

So, MMA peeps, what did you think of the final WEC show? Memorable at worst, and all in all a great way to cap off these spitfires ascension into the UFC, where they were surely face stiff competition, though will definitely hold their own. Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Donald Cerrone’s Hunt for the Triangle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. The Ninja Kick from Hell.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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?

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.

“He’s a tough dude,” Varner said of Henderson. “But I’m the champion for a reason. I have nothing but confidence going into this fight.”

Returning to the cage for the first time since his clash with “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (9-2) in January, Varner says he’s healthy and determined to take sole possession of the world title.

Following the win to earn the interim title last year over Cerrone, Henderson hungrily seeks the unified title too.

“I think Jamie and I match up pretty well,” Henderson stated. “I’m ready to leave it all in the cage and win the undisputed championship.”

WEC 46 also brings the return of former WEC featherweight champ ”California Kid” Urijah Faber (22-3) as he faces talented grappler Rafael Assuncao (13-1).

“He definitely has some dangerous tools in his arsenal,” Faber stated. “But I think I will have slight advantages in every category of the fight.”

In response, Assuncao said, “A win puts me in line for a shot at the belt.  I always had a feeling that I’d fight Urijah one day and I’m glad it’s going to happen on January 10.”

Tickets for WEC 46 go on sale Saturday, November 7 at 10 AM PT.   WEC 46 will be televised live in the United States on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT.

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.

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.

At 4:43 of round four, Condit touched – and, maybe that’s all too literal of a description – Miura with a knee to the noggin.

Miura’s body and heart gave in to a brutal back-and-forth battle.  He dove for Condit’s ankle, and that was it.  He had nothing left.

Several times, Condit could’ve similarly surrendered on the receiving end of clean punches from the one-time middleweight, but didn’t.

That’s why Condit is a champion and Miura isn’t, both tonight and in general.

However, before the fight Condit made clear that he didn’t feel like Miura should be on the other side of the cage from him.

Isn’t that always the preface to a brutal back-and-forth battle?

Condit sits on the precipice of the welterweight top ten; and, now, Miura sits on a 9-5 record.

Condit was dumped on the mat thrice in the first round alone, swept from the mount consistently, and tagged with clean power shots from Miura.

Should Miura have been such a challenge?  Untested at the top of the division, Condit’s “W” only exposed how far the rising star has to go.

“All American” Brian Stann (6-1) has still farther.

Stann didn’t so much collapse at the end of any particular strike from Steve Cantwell (6-1) as collapse at the end of all of them.

Cantwell won the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship by TKO at 4:01 of round two when Stann fell face first into the mat.

Both fighters were gassed at the second round’s opening bell after a first session fought in scintillating spurts and won by Stann on all three judges’ scored cards.

Cantwell sustained the pressure with a mixed bag of fists, knees, and feet while Stann withered.

Cantwell’s win was revenge for a 2007 TKO loss to Stann, but may be for naught as the WEC will knockout its 205-pound division before the end of this year.

Fighters.com speculates that the next time Stann fights it’ll be in the UFC’s middleweight division.

WEC Lightweight Champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (15-2) looked like he got hit by…well, a “Wrecking Ball” after a minute in the cage with Marcus Hicks (8-1).

Varner was slammed twice, nearly tapped in Hicks’s bread-and-butter guillotine, and couldn’t get a beat on the 5’7″ brawler standing-up.

“He kept taking me down.  I’ve never been taken down like that in MMA before,” Varner admitted after the fight.

But, one minute was about how long it took Varner to find his range.

Once Varner rattled Hicks with a knee as Hicks shot to dump Varner, it was all “Worm” digging holes in Hicks’s skull.

Varner unloaded a barrage that Hicks seemed to walk through until the final onslaught beginning with two knees square on Hicks’s jaw and three straight rights that finally left Hicks limp on the mat at 2:08 of round one.

“I’m sure I’ll see [Hicks] again,” Varner said after the TKO title defense.

Bantamweight Brian Bowles (6-0) fell “Angel of Death” Damacio Page (10-4) at 3:30 of round one in a guillotine choke cinched as Page hoisted Bowles for a slam.

Page stumbled with Bowles monkeyed around him holding the submission before rocking backwards and collapsing as he tapped out.

The fighters had exchanged evenly to begin the fight, Page taking his advantage standing while Bowles had nearly locked a guillotine on the mat early in the round.

“Fluke” Josh Grispi (9-1) tagged Micah Miller (9-2) with an overhand right to Miller’s temple that spiraled Miller to the mat.  Grispi closed the show with a pair of rights before referee Herb Dean stepped in to end the fight at :50 of round one.

Brock Larson (23-2-1) slobberknocked Carlo Prater (23-6-1) with a straight left and finished him off on the mat at :37 of round one.

Las Vegas favorite Blas Avena (3-2) wheeled lefts and rights at the cage, dropping opponent Dave Terrel (5-2), then leaving him slumped and eating clean shots until the referee stoppage 1:07 of the first round.

Lightweight Shane Roller (4-1) finally locked in a guillotine choke on his third attempt at 3:00 of the first round to tap “Maniac” Todd Moore (9-2).

Lightweight Mike Budnik (7-0) tapped Greg McIntyre (5-3) by triangle choke at 3:21 of round three.

Bantamweight Scott Jorgensen (5-2) won a unanimous decision over Kenji Osawa (13-8-2).

Everyone made weight, except for WEC lightweight title challenger “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0), who needed an hour to drop one pound before stepping into the cage across from Champ “Worm” Jamie Varner (14-2).

Curiously, WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann (6-0) weighed 201 1/2 pounds, causing “Version 2.5″ Rory Singer (11-8) to shout from the crowd, “201!  What!?”

Stann’s opponent, Steve Cantwell (5-1), weighed-in at the 205-pound limit.

Refresh Fighters.com tonight for live coverage from The Joint in Las Vegas.

Condit has obliterated the 170-pound field since joining the WEC from Pancrase, winning four-straight, all by stoppage, three of the four in the first round.

In February, it took Condit just 3:48 to vanquish Brazilian Carlo Prater (22-6-1) in a guillotine choke before Condit’s hometown crowd in Albuquerque.

Miura has won two straight since losing his WEC debut by UD to Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5).

In March, Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of round one.

The WEC also officially announced light heavyweight champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-0) will defend his title from Steve Cantwell (5-1) and lightweight champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (14-2) will be challenged by “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0); but, Fighters.com readers already knew that…

“Jus’ gonna play my game,” Hicks said about his strategy to take Varner’s title.

Varner TKO’d “Razor” Rob McCullough (15-4) in February to claim the gold.  Hicks will be his first defense.

“Wrecking “Ball” has been just that since joining the WEC in April 2007, submitting all three of his opponents by guillotine choke, most recently dealing “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) his first loss.

The card will be headlined by “All American” Brian Stann‘s (6-0) first defense of his light heavyweight title in a rematch versus Steve Cantwell (5-1).

Stann TKO’d Cantwell in March 2007.