WEC Lightweight Champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (15-3) revealed Friday that he will make his second title defense versus “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (8-1), The Fight Network reported. 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. ...

"Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit (23-4) can take his WEC welterweight title defense over Hiromitsu Miura (9-5) in Las Vegas Sunday night one of two ways. 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? ...

Fighters.com was at Body English inside the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas Saturday for the WEC weigh-ins. 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. ...

World Extreme Cagefighting announced Wednesday that welterweight champion Carlos Condit (22-4) will defend 3 August versus Japan's Hiromitsu Miura (9-4). 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... ...

"Wrecking Ball" Marcus Hicks (8-0) confirmed to Fighters.com Wednesday that he'll challenge WEC Lightweight Champion "Worm" Jamie Varner (14-2) at WEC 35 in Las Vegas 3 August. "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. ...