We head to the one and only Sherdog for an interesting bit of news regarding Miguel’s upcoming fight at UFC 130. According to their sources, Torres’ originally-intended opponent, Brad Pickett, has suffered an injury and has been forced to pull out of this fight. A replacement opponent has already been named: 9-1 Demetrious Johnson.

UFC 130: “Edgar vs. Maynard 3” is currently scheduled for May 28, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is set to be headlined by Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard for Edgar’s UFC Lightweight Championship. Other big matches include Brian Stann vs. Jorge Santiago, Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill, and Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson.

From June 5, 2004 to April 5, 2009, Miguel Torres managed to stay unbeaten for seventeen straight fights. During that time period, he won the WEC Bantamweight Championship, successfully defended it three times, was consistently ranked as the top Bantamweight fighter in the world, and even garnered a slot in most major publication’s “Pound for Pound” rankings.

Torres’ reign was cut short by Brian Bowles, who TKO’d him in August 2009. After losing by submission to Joseph Benavidez, Torres pulled himself out of his slump with a fantastic victory over Charlie Valencia at WEC 51. He then put on a rather bizarre performance during his UFC debut at UFC 126, seemingly afraid to engage and coasting three rounds to a very boring Unanimous Decision win against Antonio Banuelos, who seemed equally as gun-shy.

Demetrious Johnson, on the other hand, performed quite admirably in his UFC debut at UFC 126. Johnson was tasked with welcoming international star and knockout specialist Norifumi Yamamoto into the UFC. Johnson promptly put on one of the best performances of his career and dominated “KID” Yamamoto for three straight rounds, all of which I found pretty exciting.

I think this is a great fight for Demetrious Johnson, who fully deserves a big step up in competition. I wasn’t just impressed with how easily Johnson manhandled Yamamoto, I honestly thought that he displayed all the traits necessary of a champion. He approached a knockout artist with absolutely no fear, dominated him totally, and kept the fight exciting throughout. Johnson has speed, power, and dominant wrestling, and I think all those things are a big threat to Miguel Torres.

And when it comes to Miguel Torres, all I hope is that “Mighty Mouse” brings out the best in him, which means bringing out the former Miguel Torres. I’m simply not a fan of Torres’ new style, no matter how much he seems to like it. I understand that Torres felt like changing things after losing two straight for the first time in his career, with both losses by stoppage. But there’s a difference between fighting smarter and fighting scared. And this “new” Miguel Torres is also a far more boring Miguel Torres.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on this upcoming bout?

In a new interview over at MMA Fighting, Torres had this to say: “”Even now, with my new style, people say I’m scared or not exciting… When I lost, everyone threw (crap) on me saying I was nobody. My new style is actually cerebral and smart. I don’t get hurt anymore, but lost fans. When I get the belt back, they will (love me) again, but I won’t care. I’m all grown up.”

Well, those are certainly some strong words from the former WEC Bantamweight Champion. I can certainly appreciate Torres’ blunt and brutal honesty. And with that in mind, here’s some blunt and brutal honesty of my very own.

If this is the new Miguel Torres, if this is a Miguel Torres that doesn’t care what the fans think about him and fights a safety-first style, then I am no longer a fan of Miguel Torres.

I love it when fighters attack “the fans”, as if we were all one vast gelatinous blob instead of a countless number of differing (and sometimes warring) factions. There is no such thing as “the fans”, and this isn’t just about being an MMA fan, this goes right to the core of being a sports fan in general. If you ask long enough and look deep enough, you’ll find that every possible answer has a fan that thinks it’s the right answer. I’m sure there are fans out there that think that Miguel Torres gave a great performance at UFC 126.

I’m just not one of them, and I honestly have to wonder how you can defend that sort of performance.

I know it takes two to tango, and Antonio Banuelos was certainly gun-shy as well. But at least Banuelos was visibly upset about his performance after the final bell. Torres’ performance at UFC 126 was such a strong departure from his amazing WEC Bantamweight Championship defenses that it honestly felt as if we had just stepped into some strange, parallel world where “Angel” is afraid to strike and plays it safe in order to grind out a decision.

And to fans thinking of making the following argument: don’t even think of throwing “he was being elusive” at me. Lyoto Machida is elusive. Anderson Silva is elusive. Miguel Torres was not elusive. Miguel Torres didn’t want to lose his UFC debut, so he chose the best strategy to guarantee victory even if that strategy guaranteed a mundane fight.

And you know what? I honestly didn’t have too much of a problem with Torres’ performance at UFC 126. I thought it was a bit boring, perhaps a part of me was a bit sad that UFC fans who never saw the WEC would judge Torres on this fight and not his awesome WEC wars, but in truth I didn’t have any real strong opinion, which is why I only commented on the fight in passing. But if Torres wants to put his foot in his mouth and call out “the fans”, rest assured that I have no problem calling him out on it. Whether any of us want to admit it or not, the fans made us all what we are today. Me, in particular? I’m a fan too, in fact, you could say I’m just a fan that got lucky. And if Torres wants to attack me, you can bet that I’ll bite back.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on this interview?

Dominick Cruz recently picked up the UFC bantamweight title by defeating perennial contender Scott Jorgensen in his last bout under the WEC banner before transitioning to the prestigious mixed martial arts organization.

Both Brad Pickett and Miguel Torres have made a case for themselves to become the next challengers to the title, though the two 135-pound stars will be pitted against one another to create a more concise picture.

Torres, the former WEC bantamweight champion, is fresh on the heels of a dominating decision victory over perennial contender Antonio Banuelos at UFC 126 just this past Saturday. Miguel used his reach to his advantage, sticking Antonio with stinging jabs and right straights throughout the fifteen minute affair, giving the “PIT” product no choice but to fight Torres’ fight.

With the win, Miguel is now riding a two-fight win streak since a disappointing two-fight skid in the WEC, where he relinquished his title to Brian Bowles via first-round knockout, and was then submitted by Joseph Benavidez with a second-round submission. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt looks to be back in top-form and hopes to climb the 135-pound ladder once again to his shot at the title, but first he must get past American Top Team product, Brad Pickett.

“One Punch” debuted in the WEC in December of 2009 with an impressive submission victory over Kyle Dietz, which earned him the evenings “Submission of the Night” honors. A decision win over Demetrious Johnson, who recently made his UFC debut with a dominant win over Japanese legend “Kid” Yamamoto, helped hoist Pickett into contender status within the division, though he was later bested by eventual title challenger Scott Jorgensen. He bounced back in a “Fight of the Night” performance against UFC veteran Ivan Menjivar, besting the Canadian over the course of a three-round war.

Now poised to make his octagon debut, Pickett hopes to ruin the Miguel Torres party with another exciting performance, which is almost a garuantee when you pit these two men against one another.

“Got offered a fight with Brad Pickett for UFC 130,” Torres recently tweeted. “My answer was (expletive) yes, thank you, & your welcome.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Who do you favor? UFC 130 takes place at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on May 28, with a headliner matching lightweight champion Frankie Edgar against Gray “The Bully” Maynard. Sound off in the comment section below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Rani Yahya

Rani Yahya also recently burst onto the scene with a big win over a notable MMA star (former WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Thomas Brown), but his recent return to Featherweight leaves this match as a remote possibility, which is why it’s starting us out. Both men are very quick on their feet and very good on the ground, so this would be a hotly-contested fight that would definitely entertain.

4. Takeya Mizugaki

Mizugaki may not be as big a name as “KID” Yamamoto, but he’s still a tough opponent for anybody and has more or less morphed into a bit of a gatekeeper, which is the kind of fight Johnson could use right now. Mizugaki is skilled in all major areas of the MMA game even though he’s not a master at any one particular thing, and on any given day he represents a pretty legitimate threat to any given fighter. And that includes Demetrious Johnson.

3. Scott Jorgensen

I’m picking this fight for one main reason: Jorgensen has cardio for miles and miles, and if Johnson wants to fight at a mile-a-minute pace, Jorgensen will be right there and waiting to match and maybe even surpass him. Expect the pace in this match to redefine the term “blistering” if it does ever get around to happening. Plus, Johnson would really benefit by having a big win over a former WEC Bantamweight Championship contender on his record.

2. Miguel Torres

At the time of this article’s publication, Miguel Torres has yet to lock it up with Antonio Banuelos as part of the main UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” Pay-Per-View card. But whether he wins or lose, I’d love to see the former WEC Bantamweight Champion take on Johnson. Torres will always be a tough test for any fighter, and Johnson would prove a lot by beating the man who once ruled the WEC Bantamweight division with an iron fist.

But my top pick simply has to go to…

1. Urijah Faber

There is only one “California Kid”, and with Faber’s recent and successful debut at Bantamweight, this is “the” fight for Johnson. It’s not just against a big name, it’s against the man who basically put the WEC on the map. It’s not just a skilled fighter, it’s the man who once held a thirteen-fight win-streak that included five successful championship defenses, with four stoppages and three first-round stoppages. Faber is definitely the man to beat if Johnson wants to immediately cast himself into the role of a top-division fighter, so Faber easily gets the top spot on this list.

And what about you, fans and friends? Following his dominating performance over “KID”, who do you think “Mighty Mouse” Johnson should take on next?

The event, which is headlined by a middleweight title clash pitting champ Anderson Silva against former teammate Vitor Belfort, is held before a sold-out crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, in what is sure to be a ruckus crowd in attendance.

If there was any one fight that would be a good pick-me-up for those in attendance, Torres and Banuelos would be just that.

Arguably the greatest bantamweight of all time, Miguel went on an incredible 17-fight unbeaten streak before he ran into bad luck with devastating losses to both Brian Bowles and Joseph Benavidez in succession, a knockout and submission (respectively). However, Torres, the former WEC bantamweight titleholder, has since rebounded with an impressive second-round submission over perennial contender Charlie Valencia in his last outing in September. With the recent acquisition of both the 135 and 145-pound divisions into the UFC following the merger with their sister promotion in the WEC, Torres remains one of the more high profile fighters among their roster.

Great stand-up skills coupled with a world class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu game, compliments of the late Carlson Gracie, Torres is a consensus top-5 bantamweight star and hopes to climb back up the ladder with a win over Antonio.

Banuelos, a product of “The Pit” in San Luis Obispo, California, is a true spitfire in the 135-pound class. Antonio might as well coin the term “fast” as he one of the most explosive fighters in the sport. In a matter of seconds, you never know whether you’re headed to the ground or remain on the feet with Banuelos, as his wrestling pedigree and heavy hands often dictate where the fight takes place. However, in Torres, is where Antonio will run into problems once again. A glorified bantamweight, Antonio could easily slide into the flyweight class, that is when the organization decides to adopt the division. With Torres standing at 5’9 against Banuelos’ 5’4 stature, it’s easy to see why the bigger man might be able to get the job done.

Banuelos won’t go out without a fight, as he has proven to be as tough and as durable as they come, but this is really Torres’ fight to lose, where I see the proud Mexican-American picking up a fun-to-watch decision win over the near 10-year vet.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? How do you see it going? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Leonard Garcia vs. “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.

While I think it’s debatable that this fight was one of the year’s best, it’s certainly one of the wildest brawls I’ve ever seen. I know that MMA purists like to point out that it’s a guilty pleasure at best, considering that it was basically two iron-chinned strikers throwing sloppy punches for fifteen minutes. Plus you had the outright robbery of Jung courtesy of a ridiculous call by the judges. But none of that matters to me: for fifteen minutes I got to see an amazing fight by my standards, one that might not have been masterfully technical, but one that I was glued to my screen for. It’s a bout I won’t be forgetting for a long, long time.

4. Urijah Faber and Miguel Torres.

You knew when it was time for Urijah Faber or Miguel Torres to fight. The mood changed, the air seemed to positively crackle with electricity. These two were the best of the best for a long, long time, and I immensely enjoyed watching them blast back competition again and again. Their numerous wars and hard-fought victories will always be an integral part of the WEC’s success.

3. The Ascension of Jose Aldo.

The first time I saw Jose Aldo, I had no idea what to think about him. I generally feel that way about any debuting star I’ve never heard of. Then, of course, Aldo immediately changed my perceptions. In an era where once-dominant champions continue to fall, Jose Aldo looks to be one of the rare cases of a dominant champion remaining dominant no matter who is put against him. Aldo is a phenom inside the cage, and I’ll likely never forget the way he ran straight to the top with reckless abandon and destroyed everyone in his path.

2. Seeing the WEC on Pay-Per-View.

This show was a success on so many levels. First and foremost, it was one of the best cards of the year. And if you believe the reports, the show did surprisingly well. Here’s a comparison that just might floor you: at anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000 estimated PPV buys, WEC 48: “Aldo vs. Faber” beat out both PPV shows held by the short-lived Affliction promotion, both of which featured Fedor Emelianenko. WEC’s first PPV was an incredible achievement and an incredible night of fights.

And my #1 memory just had to be…

1. My First WEC Show.

Here’s something you may not know about me, fans and friends: for the most part, I have a terrible memory. I say this because I honestly can’t remember what my first WEC show was, it’s all a happy blur to me. But I can say that I remember my exact feelings the first time I ever saw two men fight in that fancy blue cage. My initial thoughts were very hesitant, then I saw my first fight and thought “Well, that was pretty good.” After another few fights, my thoughts shifted to “Wow, those were even better.” And when I saw my first WEC main event, my final thoughts of the night were “Holy crap, that was amazing. I need to see more.” And ever since then, I was hooked. I’ll never forget the feeling I had after watching my first WEC show, because all it took was one WEC event to permanently change my opinion on lighter-weight fighters.

So that’s my list, fans and friends. What about you? What are your fondest memories from your time as a WEC fan?

Since then, additional match ups have been added to some future UFC event’s, including the return of Leonard Garcia when he meets fellow featherweight slugger Tyler Toner for “The Ultimate Fighter 12″ finale show in December.

Slowly but surely, former WEC competitors are becoming do dissent into the UFC ranks, and there’s truly no better time to be a fan than right now.

Former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres, who is quite possibly the most recognized Mexican-American-Mullet bearer in the sport, will return to action to meet former title challenger Antonio Banuelos at UFC 126, in February of next year.

Heavy.com caught the beat of the action earlier today.

Both Miguel and Antonio will make their UFC debuts this February in an effort to return to the title picture.

Torres, the aforementioned former title holder, recently bounced back from a disappointing two-fight losing streak with a victory over former contender Charlie Valencia. Miguel, who defended the bantamweight title for a record three times before being derailed by Brian Bowles for his championship and then to bantamweight standout Joseph Benavidez (respectively), was able to submit Valencia in the second-round with a rear naked choke. With the victory, Miguel picked up “Submission of the Night” honors as well as placed himself back into the title picture.

Hoping to again reclaim his top spot, Antonio Banuelos will look to put a stop to the 29-year-old’s ascension back to the top of the division with a victory over the former champ.

For Banuelos, who is a glorified bantamweight fighter who can very compete in the flyweight division, a victory over Miguel is everything. A life long training partner of Chuck Liddell‘s out of “The Pit” in Arroyo Grande, Calif., the scrappy veteran has won four of his past five bouts, with the only loss coming to the hands of current title challenger Scott Jorgensen, whom Antonio hold’s a victory over.

The 31-year-old has been within arm’s reach of a title shot on several occasion’s since a failed attempt to grab the gold from former title holder Eddie Wineland in 2006, and will look to make Torres an example of his frustration’s.

The bout is expected to take place on the main card of UFC 126, which is headlined by middleweight contest pitting current champion Anderson Silva against former teammate Vitor Belfort, and features additional bout’s such as Forrest Griffin against Rich Rich Franklin, Jon Jones against Ryan Bader, and Jake Ellenberger versus Jon Fitch.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the match up? Are you glad to see the bout taking place on a major UFC card–the Super Bowl card at that? Who do you favor in the match up? Sound off in the comment section below.

In a video first posted on MMAWeekly, here’s what Torres had to say: “Mentally and physically I’m in a better place. I think I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I’m not worried about a title shot right now. I’m worried about being the best fighter I can be. And I still have a long way to go… That whole first round I wanted to jump on Charlie so bad, but having to sit back and wait, to be calculating…I still get the impulse to go after it, but now especially with the way the game’s developing… I’m going to have to be smarter when I fight.”

Spoken like a true fighter. Torres has always been a very humble and incredibly driven fighter, it’s why he’s so popular and it’s why it hurt so badly to see him rack up a two-fight losing streak, both of which were incredibly humbling losses. In today’s MMA scene no job is safe if you can’t perform, and although I don’t think a three-fight losing streak would have been cause enough for the WEC to fire one of their biggest stars, it would have been another nail in the coffin. Instead, Torres put on a classic performance and proved once and for all that he can still be a force to be reckoned with in the WEC and especially in the Bantamweight division. I’m incredibly happy that Torres won that fight.

But as Torres himself knows, this was just the first step back. It was more of a leap given how he got back to his glory days of running right through opponents, but still, Torres isn’t out of the woods yet. With absolutely no disrespect meant towards Charlie Valencia, I’ll say right now that he’s not a top-division fighter in the WEC. He may not have been a sacrificial lamb, but he was definitely a step down in competition compared to the last two opponents that beat Torres. With this win, Torres proves that he’s ready to tackle some of the best in the world, and that will be where the real test lies.

If Torres can stick to his gameplan like he stuck to it in the Valencia fight, he should be poised for a career rebirth. Torres needs to know when to pull the trigger, and not rush into encounters just because he’s got the heart of a fighter and wants to fight. His recklessness is one of his biggest strengths and yet also one of his greatest weaknesses. Torres needs the right coaching to teach him when and where to unleash the monster, and he seems to be getting just that with his new coaching staff. I’m looking forward to seeing this new Miguel Torres, because it seems to be the best version of him yet.

I may be getting ahead of myself, but can you honestly blame me? I’m a big fan, and I really want to see him do well. It’s going to be tough, but I think he can do it. Everybody loves a comeback, and I’m loving this one. And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think the future holds for the former WEC Bantamweight Champion?

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”?

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”?

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.

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.

5. Miguel Torres vs. Urijah Faber

Both men are likely only one fight away from this massive dream match-up. If Torres can beat Charlie Valencia at WEC 51 and Faber makes a successful Bantamweight debut at WEC 52 against Takeya Mizugaki, I think the WEC would immediately make this match. It’s true that both men have fallen on hard times and that the match itself loses some of its luster due to that, but it’s a fight that’s been on people’s minds for a long time and still features two of the best fighters the WEC has ever seen, so it’s definitely good enough to make this list.

4. Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez

I’ve talked about this fight in the past, but it could easily happen in 2011. In fact, it’s only a matter of who wins what. If Brock Lesnar beats Cain Velasquez to retain the UFC Heavyweight Championship, a match with Carwin is an immediate possibility. If Velasquez beats Lesnar, then Carwin is only a few fights away from another title shot, perhaps only one fight away if Lesnar/Carwin 2 is booked and Carwin manages to even the score to 1-1. Even though Lesnar is the UFC’s golden boy of PPV ratings, Carwin/Velasquez would do monster business and definitely be a landmark occasion.

3. Randy Couture vs. Mauricio Rua

Of course, this is assuming that Couture keeps winning and Rua remains the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. This would be a huge fight that would pit the unlikely comeback of Mauricio Rua against the Comeback King, Randy Couture. No matter where it’s held, I think the arena that has this fight would explode if Couture somehow beat “Shogun” and became champion once again. Seeing the ageless wonder with gold around his waist once again would go a long way towards outdoing 2010 in terms of can’t-miss happenings.

2. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen 2

It was one of the most hyped, talked-about, and shocking fights of 2010…and it’s very likely that 2011 will see Chapter 2 written. Everyone wants to see this fight. I’m convinced that those that say Chael Sonnen doesn’t deserve an immediate rematch even want to see this fight. We need to know once and for all: was the first fight a fluke? Is Chael Sonnen really that good, or was Silva’s rib injury the cause for his near-downfall? Will this be the return of the old Anderson Silva or the final coronation of the people’s champion? The first fight made history, the rematch should be even bigger.

And in that regard, my #1 spot goes to…

1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum 2

I don’t know when it will happen, how it will happen, or even where it will happen. But it’ll happen in 2011, I have a strong feeling about that. Fedor Emelianenko’s first legitimate loss was the biggest story in years, and the rematch would likely set several records if marketed correctly and promoted heavily. It’s the ultimate test of Emelianenko’s career, it would finally and definitively answer the avalanche of questions surrounding that defeat. Did Emelianenko get careless? Was Werdum just that good? Is Fedor done? Was he ever all that good to begin with? This rematch would settle all the scores, and due to that, it’s number one on my list.

And what about you, fans and friends? As big a year as 2010 was and still is, what fights do you think could happen in 2011 that would make it even bigger?

5. The Debut of Zhang Tie Quan

It was recently announced that the WEC had signed their first-ever Chinese fighter, Tiequan “The Mongolian Wolf” Zhang of Beijing, China. Zhang is undefeated at 11-0, with eight submissions and three (T)KO’s. Zhang looks to be yet another fantastic addition to the WEC, and it’s been announced that he’ll debut at WEC 51 against the tough Alex Karalexis. If Zhang can keep his string of quick victories intact, we’ll have another great Lightweight contender on our hands.

4. The Continuing Quest to Find the Real Mike Brown

Mike Brown was once unquestionably the world’s best Featherweight. Even after Jose Aldo knocked Brown off of his perch, Brown rebounded with a great submission victory over Anthony Morrison…only to then get knocked out by Manny Gamburyan. Brown returns at WEC 51 against Cole Province, a 6-1-1 fighter with no wins in the WEC (the one win he did have was changed to a “No Contest” after he tested positive for banned substances). Brown needs some big wins in a big way, and he should have it easy in this fight. But anything can happen when the cage door closes, and it will be interesting to see which Mike Brown shows up at WEC 51.

3. The Return of Leonard Garcia and The Korean Zombie

The two men who fought against each other in what I deemed my “Fight of the Half-Year” step back inside the blue cage at WEC 51, although it won’t be against each other. Still, they’ll face tough opponents in Mark Hominick and George Roop, respectively. Both Garcia and Chan Sung Jung were so entertaining in their fight against each other that I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

2. Do or Die Time for Miguel Torres

Not only was Miguel Torres the undisputed top Bantamweight in the world for quite a long time, he was even touted as one of the premiere pound-for-pound fighter. Now he’s lost two straight and is surrounded by questions. Can he still go? What has he been doing wrong? Has he been slacking, or has the Bantamweight division just been improving? When he faces Charlie Valencia at WEC 51, he’ll be right in the middle of a do-or-die situation. It will be very interesting to see if Torres can rise from the ashes and set himself up for a comeback, and believe me, I have every doubt that he’ll either do so or die trying. So it should be an entertaining fight no matter what.

But of course, the number 1 spot goes to…

1. Jose Aldo…because it’s Jose Aldo.

Jose Aldo is one of those once-in-a-lifetime athletes that you should either fall in line behind or take great pains to avoid, because I don’t see anyone stopping him anytime soon. Jose Aldo is a wrecking machine; he’s an engine of destruction. He’s unbeaten since 2005, and save for a Unanimous Decision win over Urijah Faber, he’s finished all of his opponents in the WEC, three of them within the first round, and one of them within the first ten seconds of the fight! From his deadly leg kicks and knee strikes to his serious punching power, Aldo is a phenomenal athlete and undoubtedly the best fighter currently fighting in the WEC. In a year that has seen more great fighters fall from grace than almost any other year in MMA history, Jose Aldo looks primed to go on a reign of domination that shows no signs of stopping.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are you most looking forward to for WEC 51?

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?

In an interview with Sherdog Radio’s “Savage Dog Show”, Faber had this to say: “I’m back to full-on training now. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to fight in November. I told (WEC officials) I could go in September when I found out I’d be out four to six weeks. I wanted to be on the September 30 card, but I got pushed back to November.” In regards to the injury that forced him to pull out of the recent WEC 50 event, where he was scheduled to make his Bantamweight debut against former WEC Bantamweight Championship contender Takeya Mizugaki, Faber revealed that the injury was only moderately serious and didn’t require any type of surgery.

I think a drop down to Bantamweight is a very smart move for Faber, considering that his misses at 145 have finally begun to catch up to his hits. I think there’s still a home for Faber at 145, just not right now, with Jose Aldo seemingly poised to crush the division beneath his powerful hands and feet. I think the argument can be made that in Faber’s two losses to Mike Thomas Brown, Faber was caught in the first fight (which can happen to anybody) and that Faber’s two serious hand injuries in the second fight ruled out any chance of evening the score to one win apiece. But the fight with Jose Aldo was a one-sided thrashing from start to finish, and the only thing keeping Faber standing after absorbing twenty-five minutes of heinously-powerful leg kicks was Faber’s heart and dedication. But heart and dedication can only get you so far, even if you’re Urijah Faber, and right now, getting out of the WEC 145 scene is a smart move. It may be admitting defeat, but if Faber proves successful at 135, one day he’ll return and be better than ever in the division where he first made his mark.

And I think Faber will be successful at 135, even against some of the WEC’s best Bantamweights. Plus, the dream-fight pitting Faber against fellow fallen-from-grace once-dominant former WEC Champion Miguel Torres has such big money-making potential that the allure of the fight may just be enough to book a Pay-Per-View around. It’s always exciting to see a gifted athlete try and test himself out in a new weight division, and with an athlete as gifted as Urijah Faber, there’s a lot of potentially awesome fights lined up for him when Faber steps back inside the blue cage once again in November.

And what do you think, fans and friends? How excited are you for Urijah Faber dropping down to 135, and how successful do you think he’ll be?

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

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

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

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

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

MAIN CARD

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

PRELIMINARY CARD

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

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

The WEC, a Zuffa owned company, has always done well in the production department but last night they made a huge error in using “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar (11-7) as on air talent. We usually find Fighters.com third-ranked Frank Mir (13-4) behind the mic but due to his upcoming fight they needed to bring in another person. Bonnar looked wide-eyed when the camera was on him and generally made me want to turn away from the television. He creeped me out to be completely honest. Then to have to be subjected to his commentary, it was as if someone was punishing me. The pick of Bonnar confuses me as he is not a huge star and I am sure with all the fighters that had already planned on being in Columbus, Ohio for the Arnold’s Sports Festival someone better suited could have been found. Hopefully the next time Frank is training for a fight they can find anyone other than Bonnar or else I will have to listen with the television on mute.

Once again the quality of most of the fights was top notch. There was the exception of the fight between LC Davis (15-1) and Deividas Taurosevicius (12-4). This fight offered little in the way of quality action with most of the fight taking place against the cage in the clinch. Normally I love good clinch work and some dirty boxing but this fight seemed to drag on as I was sitting there hoping for it to end and did not care how it ended, unlike the main event.

The main event featured WEC champion Brian Bowles (8-1) taking on Dominic Cruz (14-1) in a fight many thought would be a knock out victory for Bowles. Sadly the fight did not exactly go as fans and media would have liked. No one likes a fight to be stopped for an injury. It leaves you feeling unsatisfied and not confident that the win is actually a win. I do understand that the doctor can stop a fight at any time and it is their job to keep the fighters safe. Having said that, at the end of the second round I was excited and looking forward to the rest of this war. Then I hear Bowles can’t continue and was sitting there in disbelief. I am sure Bowles was feeling worse than any of us as he just lost his title and was not knocked out, submitted nor did he lose a decision. That is a hard pill to swallow both for the fighters and the fans albeit part of the sport.

We also witnessed what may be the end of a legend when “Lil Evil” Jens Pulver (22-13-1) lost last night in the first round via armbar to “Showtime” Javier Vazquez (13-4). Jens was working hard on the ground and I was actually impressed with some of his reversals and escapes but Javier was just to much and you knew if Jens could not get back to his feet eventually he would get submitted. No one likes to see a legend in any sport go out with five losses in a row and seven of his last eight. We tend to cheer for guys like Jens but sometimes it happens. I know I will miss seeing him inside a cage and hope to see him get a job with the WEC. Maybe he can fill in for Frank Mir next time so we can all be spared.

One of the highlights of the night was the fight between Joseph Benavidez (9-1) and Miguel Torres (36-3). Torres came into the fight with something to prove after losing his title to Bowles at WEC 42. The mark of a champion is after all, how they rebound from defeat. Torres is a good but not great striker but his ground game is excellent. It was amazing to see him get submitted via Guillotine Choke in the second round. I look forward to watching him fight again as I think these losses are great learning experiences and will fix some of the holes in his game.

All in all I was once again impressed with the WEC and Reed Harris. It was without a doubt a great show on an amazing weekend in Columbus, Ohio.

The division title will be on the line in the main event between champion  Brian Bowles (8-0) and challenger Dominick Cruz (14-1).

After a championship run that seemed unstoppable, Torres was KO’d in the first round by Bowles at WEC 42 in Las Vegas August 9.

Benavidez lost a unanimous decision to top contender Cruz that same night.

The Torres-Benavidez matchup is likely to determine the next title contender in the WEC.

Former champ Miguel Torres (36-2) and “Little Evil” Jens Pulver (22-10-1) will also appear on the card.

Bowles is coming off of a first-round knockout of Torres to win the title at WEC 42 in Las Vegas August 9.

Cruz bested Joseph Benavidez (7-1) in a unanimous decision the same night.

Pulver publicly battled inner demons such as depression over the years and seemingly left the sport of MMA for good following his loss to Josh Grispi (1-0) at WEC 41 in June of 2009. But, the early UFC superstar found recent success through medication over his mental disorders and is motivated to make a run at a comeback.

WEC 47 will occur in Columbus alongside the 2010 Arnold Sports Festival.

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.

As round one opened, Torres utilized his nine-inch reach advantage by throwing repeated unanswered jabs to the face of Tapia.  Tapia was able to return some punches of his own in the form of hooks to the body of Torres.  Torres seemed unfazed by any striking from Tapia and began to mix in leg kicks with his jabs.

Late in the first round Torres attempted a rolling axe kick which completely missed Tapia, but was enough to freeze his opponenet for a moment while he regained his footing.  The round ended with Tapia putting up his best offensive burst of the fight with several hooks to the body and head to Torres.

Round two looked to be more of the same from Torres as he kept Tapia at arms length with jabs to the face and leg kicks to the thigh.  Tapia attempted several punches to the body just to be met with a thrust kick that sent him back into the cage.  Torres followed the kick up with a spinning back fist that connected; however, Tapia was able to get back to his feet.

Tapia again began to step in attempting to overcome the reach advantage of Torres, just to have Torres connect with a right cross to the head, knocking Tapia to the ground.  Torres immediately swarmed Tapia attempting what appeared to be a guillotine choke and landing several elbows to Tapia’s back.  Tapia was again able to make it back to his feet.

Torres followed up with another right cross and Tapia again was knocked to the ground.  This time Torres went to mount and was able to pin Tapia on his side and rain down punches to the face.  The referee called a stop to the fight at 3:04 of the round.

Torres remains the WEC Bantamweight Champion.

The two were originally scheduled to meet in June, but Tapia withdrew due to injury.

Torres won the title when he submitted Chase Beebe (11-3) in February and successfully defended in June when doctors stopped his fight against Yoshiro Maeda (23-5-2) at the end of round three.

Tapia last fought in February when he won a split decision over Antonio Banuelos  (14-5).

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

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

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

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

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

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

Torres Shuts Maeda Down

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

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

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

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

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

Munoz Mauls Grigsby

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

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

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

“Razor” Dull in Return

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

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

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

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

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

Cerrone Taps Castillo

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

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

A replacement challenger for the 1 June card in Sacramento will be named shortly according to the WEC.