[WEC 53] Ben Henderson vs Anthony Pettis (2010-12-16)
Visualizzazione post con etichetta wec. Mostra tutti i post
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18 dicembre 2010
26 aprile 2010
[WEC 48]: Aldo vs Faber - video, bonus e risultati (24/04/2010)
A seguito riporto i video del buon evento targato WEC di questa notte.
Ricordo che, come sempre, di tanto in tanto i video verranno rimossi, ma provvederemo a sostituirlo con alcuni funzionanti.
Ricordo inoltre che è possibile scommettere su MMA, K-1 e boxe, per scoprire come segui il link nella colonna di destra!
Nella colonna di destra infine trovate il link al post per superare il limite dei 72 minuti su MEGAVIDEO e non avere quindi la visualizzazione interrotta ;)
Buona visione!
Urijah Faber vs Jose Aldo
Donald Cerrone vs Ben Henderson
Mike Brown vs Manny Gamburyan
Leonard Garcia vs Chan Sung Jung
Chad Mendes vs Anthony Morrison
I risultati a seguito:
Main Card
* Featherweight Championship bout: Jose Aldo (c) vs. Urijah Faber
Aldo defeated Faber via unanimous decision (49–45, 49–45, 50–45) to retain the WEC Featherweight Championship.
* Lightweight Championship bout: Ben Henderson (c) vs. Donald Cerrone
Henderson defeated Cerrone via submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:57 of round 1 to retain the WEC Lightweight Championship.
* Featherweight bout: Mike Brown vs. Manvel Gamburyan
Gamburyan defeated Brown via KO (Punches) at 2:22 of round 1.
* Lightweight bout: Anthony Njokuani vs. Sttes Shane Roller
Roller defeated Njokuani via submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:21 in round 1.
* Bantamweight bout: Antonio Banuelos vs. Scott Jorgensen
Jorgensen defeated Banuelos via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).
Spike TV Card
* Lightweight bout: Alex Karalexis vs. Anthony Pettis
Pettis defeated Karalexis via submission (Triangle Choke) at 1:35 in round 2.
* Featherweight bout: Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung
Garcia defeated Jung via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28). This bout aired last on the PPV broadcast following the Aldo vs. Faber fight.
Preliminary Card
* Bantamweight bout: Brad Pickett vs. Demetrious Johnson
Pickett defeated Johnson via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28). This bout aired on the PPV broadcast following the Brown vs. Gamburyan fight.
* Featherweight bout: Chad Mendes vs. Anthony Morrison
Mendes defeated Morrison via submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:13 of Round 1. This bout aired on the Spike broadcast following the Karalexis vs. Pettis fight. This bout also aired on the PPV broadcast following the Toner vs. Visher fight.
* Bantamweight bout: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Rani Yahya
Mizugaki defeated Yahya via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 29–28).
* Featherweight bout: Brandon Visher vs. Tyler Toner
Toner defeated Visher via TKO (Elbows) at 2:36 of Round 1. This bout aired on the PPV broadcast following the Henderson vs. Cerrone fight.
Bonus Awards
Fighters were awarded $65,000 bonuses.
* Fight of the Night: Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung
* Knockout of the Night: Manvel Gamburyan
* Submission of the Night: Ben Henderson
24 aprile 2010
[WEC 48]: Aldo vs Faber - countdown (24/04/2010)
Ricordo che in questo post potete trovare la card completa ed i consigli sulle scommesse.
23 aprile 2010
[WEC 48]: Aldo vs Faber - consigli sulle scommesse, preview su ESPN e card completa (24/04/2010)
Come ben saprete è possibile scommettere sugli eventi di MMA, UFC, K1 e Boxe (e ovviamente anche su tutti gli altri sport) sia su di uno dei classici siti di scommesse sia gratis con la possibilità di arrivare a vincere soldi veri, potete trovare tutte le informazioni a riguardo in QUESTO POST DEDICATO o brevemente visitare il famoso sito inglese di scommesse williamhill.com per scommettere investendo i propri soldi oppure questo link per scommettere gratis e vincere soldi veri.
Continuo la rubrica sulle scommesse che tratterò ogni volta prima dei maggiori eventi sui quali è possibile scommettere per discutere con voi su quali combattimenti scommettere, quali siano i favoriti, quali invece i match più incerti. Vi invito pertanto a partecipare commentando questo post e dicendo la vostra sui vostri pronostici. Tratteremo solo alcuni combattimenti suddividendo il rischio in 4 categorie: alto, medio, basso, bassissimo, se usate il sistema di scommesse gratuito, per il quale serve costanza nelle vittorie vi consigliamo solo di puntare sulle scommesse di livello bassissimo o al limite basso :)
* Jose Aldo (c) vs. Urijah Faber: Aldo sembra davvero di un altro pianeta, Faber avrà anche la pressione di combattere in casa ed ha subito due sconfitte dall'uomo che Aldo ha distrutto nel suo ultimo match. Noi diamo vincente Jose Aldo con livello di rischio BASSO
* Ben Henderson (c) vs. Donald Cerrone: grandissimo match, sarà combattutissimo, davvero difficile dare una previsione. Visti come sono andati gli ultimi due round del precedente match riteniamo che Donald Cerrone possa aver messo un po' di timore in Ben Henderson, il che potrebbe giocare a favore del "cowboy". Favorito Donald Cerrone con livello di rischio ALTO
* Mike Brown vs. Manvel Gamburyan: Mike Brown dovrebbe avere vita abbastanza facile contro Gamburyan. Favorito Mike Brown con livello di rischio BASSO
ESPN MMA Live: WEC 48 Preview
Official Fight Card
Main Card
* Featherweight Championship bout: Jose Aldo (c) vs. Urijah Faber
* Lightweight Championship bout: Ben Henderson (c) vs. Donald Cerrone
* Featherweight bout: Mike Brown vs. Manvel Gamburyan
* Lightweight bout: Anthony Njokuani vs. Shane Roller
* Bantamweight bout: Antonio Banuelos vs. Scott Jorgensen
Spike TV Card
* Featherweight bout: Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung
* Lightweight bout: Alex Karalexis vs. Anthony Pettis
Preliminary Card
* Bantamweight bout: Brad Pickett vs. Demetrious Johnson
* Featherweight bout: Chad Mendes vs. Anthony Morrison
* Bantamweight bout: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Rani Yahya
* Featherweight bout: Brandon Visher vs. Tyler Toner Leggi tutto...
22 aprile 2010
21 marzo 2010
16 marzo 2010
[WEC 48]: Aldo vs Faber - WEC matchmaker talks (24/04/2010)
On WEC 47’s overall card: “The card was fantastic. It really was. It was one of those cards I wish that everyone could've seen all the fights. All the people there (who) saw it live, I think they were pretty entertained and I wish we could've gotten all the prelims on television.
On the Casimir-Lamas bout: “That was just incredible. I was a big fan of Bendy Casimir. It was just unfortunate in his first fight he had to come in against a guy like Lamas. I told Lamas that he's kind of had a habit of fighting down to the level of his opponents. Before the fight I said look you gotta go out there and put as much as distance between and your opponent as possible and you go in there and go for the knockout. Don't just go for the decision. And man, that was one of the most beautiful flying knees I've ever seen and then the mouthpiece coming flying out towards the camera made it a little bit more dramatic. It was pretty awesome.”
Is Jorgensen in the running for a title shot?: “A lot of people are making the case for Jorgensen. Jorgensen, how many fights does he have? He's moved into double-digit wins now, but I'd like to see him develop a little bit more. Just a little bit. I still wouldn't have a problem giving him a title shot. I just don't think he's reached his potential yet.
On the upcoming WEC 48 pay-per-view: “Actually putting this card together was actually kind of fun. Sometimes it's a little bit laborious. But this one was really fun. Obviously the fights all have to be relevant. They all have to be competitive. But it was all a right-place, right-time sort of thing and I was able to put an all-star card together. It was strange how it all fell together. It was a little bit easier than I thought it would be. Most of the guys that are coming in for this card are multi-time veterans of the WEC. But then I'm bringing in two guys that haven't been in the WEC before. One is going to be the “Korean Zombie” (Chan Sung Jung), who obviously is proven in international competition. He's a fantastic fighter and that's going to be fun to have him on the card and then there's another kid out there. Actually he's one of the best 135ers no one's ever heard about and that's Demetrious Johnson. He's probably going to be on that card as well. On paper this is probably one of my favorite cards in the year and a half I've been doing this.”
On the WEC fighter pay discussion: “It is what it is. This isn't my first rodeo. We all came up together -- Joe and I and the whole UFC crew. We did this once before. This is a slightly different model than the UFC because UFC started out on PPV and then went to television and we're doing it the exact opposite. This is a necessary step in the evolution of the lighter weight classes. I'm confident it'll all work out. It's not one of those things where we're going to do this, I'm sure you've heard Reed talk about this a million times, we're not going solely to pay per view. But there's one thing you can't deny and that's everyone on this card is as good talent wise as anybody else that's ever fought on pay per view. I've got no problems with this.”
On the pending 125-pound division: “You can expect it. The question is when. Even I don't have a concrete answer on that. It's really an answer of simple math. If you want deep division, you only have so much space and you only have so many spots. So if you divide it one more time, you're taking time away and you're taking spots away from these other divisions. I have a list a mile long of guys I want to bring into the WEC that I can't. It kills me. In already extremely established weight classes. You bring in the 125ers right now I have even less opportunity to do that. It's just one of those things. It's going to work itself out and the WEC is still growing, but I think what people forget is this model we're running on now is less than a year old since we made the decision just to go to all lighter weight classes. We made extreme strides but we're still building. We have a great product but we're still building. I think 125ers are one of the last frontiers.”
On James Toney’s anticipated UFC debut: “It's not freak show to me because it's not like a guy has been hitting a baseball his whole life and saying, ‘Hey lets give him a fight,’ or a comedian (and we’re saying), ‘Let’s throw him in there.’ No, this guy was competing in one of the aspects of mixed martial arts his whole life. It's the same like Brock Lesnar. People were calling him a freak show. He's been wrestling since he was a little kid. He just chose to specialize in one aspect of mixed martial arts. Then he had two years of specialized training before he got into the UFC. (It) wasn't a freak show. I don't think it's a freak show. I'm sure he's going to be matched up with somebody on a similar skill level and we'll see what he's got. Remember he's a pro boxer. No one would say that if we brought in an amateur wrestler who's been doing this his whole life or whatever five-time world jiu-jitsu champion. Nobody said that about B.J. (Penn). Remember B.J. specialized mostly in jiu-jitsu before he got into the UFC. I think the problem is because he is a boxer and people in MMA, not necessarily looking down on that, give him much less of a chance than if he was a wrestler. The fact is the guy was a professional combat athlete for most of his life. One of the world's best at what he did and I'm intrigued. Again, it's not a comedian. It's not a baseball player. It's not something on that level. A professional combat athlete. We'll see.”
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10 marzo 2010
[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - update tutti i video dei vari match (06/03/2010)
Aggiornati e aggiunti i video dell'evento WEC 47, possono essere trovati nel vecchio post qui Leggi tutto...
9 marzo 2010
[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - Payouts: Benavidez guadagna $39,000 (06/03/2010)
Benavidez’s haul included a $10,000 performance bonus distributed by the promotion for “Submission of the Night.” Torres earned $26,000 for his second straight defeat in the cage.
In the evening’s main attraction, Dominick Cruz locked in his sixth consecutive victory for the promotion with a second-round technical knockout over Brian Bowles to become bantamweight champion. Cruz took home $18,000 for the biggest win of his career; Bowles made $12,000.
WEC 47 Payouts
Dominick Cruz -- $18,000 (including $9,000 win bonus)
def.
Brian Bowles -- $12,000
Joseph Benavidez -- $39,000 (including $14,500 win bonus, $10,000 submission bonus)
def.
Miguel Torres -- $26,000
Javier Vazquez -- $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus)
def.
Jens Pulver -- $14,000
L.C. Davis -- $18,000 (including $9,000 win bonus)
def.
Deividas Taurosevicius -- $9,000
Bart Palaszewski -- $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus)
def.
Karen Darabedyan -- $4,000
Scott Jorgensen -- $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus)
def.
Chad George -- $3,000
Chad Mendes -- $8,000 (including $4,000 win bonus)
def.
Erik Koch -- $3,000
Anthony Pettis -- $16,000 (including $3,000 win bonus, $10,000 knockout bonus)
def.
Danny Castillo -- $9,500
Leonard Garcia -- $24,000 (no win bonus, $10,000 FOTN bonus)
drew with
George Roop -- $13,000 (no win bonus, including $10,000 FOTN bonus)
Fredson Paixao-- $4,000 (including $2,000 win bonus)
def.
Courtney Buck -- $3,000
Ricardo Lamas -- $10,000 (including $5,000 win bonus)
def.
Bendy Casimir -- $3,000
Note: These numbers, sent to Sherdog.com by the Ohio State Athletic Commission, are disclosed pay only. They do not include additional bonuses or percentages of other revenue.
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8 marzo 2010
[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - post-mortem: il controllo di Cruz, l'addio di Pulver e altro (06/03/2010)
Dominick Cruz is clearly in the first act of his career. Three solid wins in 2009 earned him a title shot against Brian Bowles, which he turned into a bantamweight championship win after Bowles -- dominated for two rounds -- was unable to answer the bell for round three. Cruz is lanky and never stands idle: his style of peppering punches and cutting sharp angles is a pleasure to watch, but it’s a game only the very young (Cruz is 24) and agile can play. What will determine Cruz’s longevity is if he can anticipate the need for other dimensions before his footwork slows down.
The man Bowles beat to briefly hold the title was Miguel Torres, and his second act might be rapidly approaching what students of storytelling refer to as the ordeal: the moment when all seems lost, and the protagonist is at his lowest point. Torres needed a convincing win over Joe Benavidez to propel himself right back into contention: instead, he was taken down, split open, and choked out. There’s no ambiguity here. Torres, once the division’s biggest star, is 0-2 in recent outings, both convincing stoppages. Competing at 135 pounds does not give him much opportunity for reinvention. He’s not about to drop to 125, and 145 presents even bigger dangers for him. Any corrections need to be made without the gimmicks.
It’s obvious that the star of his last act is Jens Pulver, who now has seven losses in his last eight fights. The 35-year-old was the UFC’s first lightweight champion and remains the only man to defeat B.J. Penn at 155 pounds. But potent hands are not enough when athletes are faster and fresher, and so Pulver has been forced to make a series of tearful speeches. After being submitted by Javier Vazquez, he may have finally and inevitably dried up.
One road might lead him to a livable wage as a commentator; another might see him taking headline fights in Midwest states against jokers in gloves. The fighter is wired to take the latter; here’s hoping Pulver has the sense to choose the former.
Next for Cruz: He and Benavidez both want a rematch of their WEC 42 fight, which Cruz won via decision. Why not?
Next for Torres: A rematch with Bowles to determine who rematches the winner of the rematch between Cruz and Benavidez. Perhaps 135 isn’t as deep as previously believed.
Next for Pulver: Commentating. He’s good at it. Most fighters aren’t.
Awards
The 1,000-Yard Stare Award Fill-in commentator Stephan Bonnar, who stared into the camera like he was under hypnotic suggestion.
The Bring-in-the-Troops Award Zuffa, for plunking in familiar talking heads Dana White and Joe Rogan to hype up the WEC’s pay-per-view debut on April 24.
Comeback Kid Award Bart Palaszewski, for getting roughed up against Karen Darabedyan in the first round and then pulling out a slick armbar submission in the second -- like the hail-mary punch in boxing, only without the scrambled brains.
Reality in Combat Award Jens Pulver, for knowing he’s probably done in the sport but not explicitly promising to step down: Pulver had the awareness to realize the moments immediately after a fight are a poor time to plan for the future.
The Oxymoron Award “Classy MMA crowd” is not a phrase you’ll find myself using often, but the Ohio chant for Pulver following his loss was spectator sportsmanship at its best. Arenas are quick to harass athletes and slow to show affection. It was nice to see them put Pulver on their shoulders, if only figuratively.
Etc.
Still think the UFC brand isn’t the most dominant in combat sports? According to MMAJunkie.com, 8,345 was the total attendance figure for the WEC event at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio Saturday, a significant dip from the 17,000 that attended UFC 96 in the same venue this time last year…Anthony Pettis earned a $10,000 mercenary’s bonus for his impressive knockout of Danny Castillo on the undercard. Referee Jerry Poe was slow to respond to Castillo being toppled, which meant he sustained a few surplus punches without cause. You can’t blame Poe, who intervened as quickly as he could, but you might make the case that Pettis needed to display a little restraint. Dan Henderson’s icing after knocking out Michael Bisping cold last summer was an equally ugly sight; athletes and officials should acknowledge that blows after an athlete has already been knocked cold play with fire…Joe Benavidez pocketed $10,000 for submitting Miguel Torres, well-deserved in light of the fact it was the first time Torres has been forced to tap in his career…Brian Bowles, who lost to Dominick Cruz after refusing to answer the bell for round three, circulated pictures of an obviously afflicted right hand on Sunday. Some fighters have fought through fractures, leading some to comment that Bowles was looking for an out or lacks attrition. But fighters fight for a prize: was Bowles getting paid enough to risk long-term problems?
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[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - Cruz, Benavidez aperti per un Rematch (06/03/2010)
Cruz, who outworked Benavidez for a unanimous decision last August, defeated Brian Bowles over two rounds to take the WEC 135-pound title. Benavidez submitted former champion Miguel Torres earlier that evening in his most mature performance to date.
“I’d love to go in there and avenge my only loss against Dominick,” said Benavidez at the WEC 47 post-fight press conference. “It was a tough fight. I think it was a great fight for the fans and we put on a great show. We both could have gone two more rounds -- it was a three-round fight -- and I’d love to do that.”
The 24-year-old Cruz, now atop a deep division that’s seen the title change hands between three fighters in the last seven months, was also open to a second bout with Team Alpha Male’s Benavidez.
“I’ve fought him already and I’m down to fight him again,” said Cruz. “I’ll fight whoever the WEC puts in front of me. If you’re a r real champion -- I’ve never picked my fights.”
Reed Harris, the WEC’s general manager, said the promotion has no immediate plans for its newest champion, but would convene next week to begin discussing options.
“We really don’t talk a lot about where we’re going with fights until the fights happen,” said Harris. “It’s one of these things I’ve learned from doing this a long time -- don’t make plans, because anything could happen out there.”
Anything did happen in the cage Saturday. Cruz, a wrestler by trade, wasn’t expected to out-slug rock-steady Georgian Bowles, who most thought had the edge in striking power. However, Cruz’ angular footwork kept him constantly in motion, allowing him to beat out many of the exchanges.
After two dominant rounds, Cruz felt that with the way the fight was unfolding, he’d be able to finish Bowles in the next two stanzas. He never had to fulfill his own prediction, as the fight was called between the second and third rounds on account of Bowles’ injured hand.
“I had his timing down. I had his rhythm,” said Cruz. “Things were coming together and you can just see it someone’s eyes when the fight’s going to turn. I felt to go in for the kill and I was going to continue to do so until I finished. I was determined to finish this fight.”
Cruz, who’s now won five bouts in a row in the WEC, credited his preparation and game-planning for the victory.
“I wasn’t sure I was just going to go in there and just pick somebody apart,” said Cruz. “I had confidence in what I was going to do and I just make sure that my training partners are beasts -- 155 pounds and they all hit hard and they move fast and they’re all maniacs at Alliance Training Center.”
Likewise, Benavidez wasn’t heavily figured to supplant the aggressive Torres, who was hungry for the opportunity to reclaim the title he lost to Bowles back in August.
“After the first round, when I went back to my corner, I just felt really good,” said Benavidez. I saw his jabs. I saw everything he was throwing. I felt faster and that was kind of a turning point after that first round. I just realized that I’d seen everything and I know I can do this and I just went out there and believed in myself.”
What was even more of a surprise was the method Benavidez used to stop Torres. Benavidez, who wrestled for one year in college before dropping out to join Urijah Faber’s fight team in Sacramento, Calif., grabbed a hold of Torre’s neck for a guillotine choke in a frantic scramble after Torres had been cut by his opponent’s elbow striker.
“It was a pretty tight choke,” said the 25-year-old Benavidez. “I think most people would have tapped or passed out, so I’m not surprised (he tapped out). It was surprising getting the submission, that it was open, but I saw it. That’s something I’d envisioned and it just happened.”
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7 marzo 2010
[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - analisi sulla main card (06/03/2010)
Bowles could not answer the bell after a second round that saw him repeatedly shake out a right hand that he could not clench. The former champion claimed he broke his hand on the first punch he landed.
“I knew it right then,” Bowles said. “That kind of just threw me off. My mind started thinking about my hand. I broke my hand in my last fight. That started going through my mind instead of concentrating on fighting.”
Broken hand or not, Bowles could not keep up with the speed and movement Cruz employed.
InCruz’s manager, Matt Stansell, predicted the fight would resemble a bullfight, with the challenger playing the role of matador. It was an accurate prognostication. Cruz made like an apparition, darting in and out, never on the same angle. Bowles tried to charge his elusive foe but repeatedly found himself on the end of a wide right hand counter that stopped him in his tracks on a number of occasions.
Cruz imposed his style more and more as the minutes ticked away, and the frustration mounted for Bowles. Cruz served his best salvo late in the second stanza, when he chased down Bowles, fired punches right down the pike and cut his legs out from under him with a chopping leg kick. As the frame wound down, it became apparent that something was wrong with Bowles’ right hand. He stopped throwing it with any conviction and shook it during lulls in the action.
Cruz’s corner signaled the end of the fight by exploding in celebration when it saw referee Kevin Mulhall waive off the fight before the start of the third round, delivering the 135-pound belt to the nearly four-to-one underdog.
“He popped me a few times in the mouth,” Cruz said. “I just had to move a lot, just like I said I was going to do, execute the game plan.”
Benavidez Stuns Torres
Joseph Benavidez scored a stunning upset over former bantamweight champion Miguel Torres with a second-round submission in the WEC 47 co-main event. The victory moves him to the front of the line for a title shot at 135 pounds.
The diminutive Benavidez, at an 11-inch reach disadvantage, had no trouble getting inside on Torres and unexpectedly handled the favorite with relative ease. Benavidez set the tone early, as he waded into the pocket and cracked Torres with a clubbing right hand that sent him circling away. Torres, returning from his first loss in six years seemed reluctant to engage, but Benavidez continued to walk him down. Benavidez dropped and off-balance Torres with a glancing shot before muscling him to the mat. From there, he controlled position, opened up for a few elbows and banked the first round.
Round two kicked off with an exchange of low kicks before Benavidez faked an overhand right and changed levels for an easy takedown. From dominant position along the cage, Benavidez sliced Torres’ forehead wide open with an elbow that he nestled into a heavy salvo of strikes. Torres scrambled back to his feet looking for a takedown, blood pouring from a jagged cut on his forehead. A desperate Torres high-tailed it after Benavidez, but his recklessness cost him dearly.
After a missed armbar attempt, Benavidez caught a retreating Torres in a tight guillotine choke and rolled him over to increase his leverage. Torres tried to stave off the submission, but eventually capitulated 2:57 into the second round.
“I’ve been waiting for this fight forever,” Benavidez said. “I was totally prepared for it. I believed in myself.
Vazquez Hands Pulver Fifth Straight Loss
Javier Vazquez ended his two-fight losing streak in dramatic fashion, as he submitted Jens Pulver with an armbar in the first round of their featherweight bout. Pulver scrambled early in the round, but Vazquez overwhelmed the former UFC lightweight champion, sending him to his fifth consecutive defeat. The submission came 3:41 into the first round.
“It was an honor for me to fight him,” Vazquez said. “You’ll never hear me say a bad thing about Jens Pulver. I just tried to follow the game plan, use my striking and then use my jiu-jitsu to finish. I couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
Vazquez took Pulver down three times in the short contest, though the crowd favorite reversed him twice. Pulver, hoping to keep the scrap on the feet, retreated to his comfort zone on both occasions. The second time, however, Vazquez tripped Pulver on his way out and finished the takedown.
Vazquez quickly moved to his back and searched for Pulver’s neck, but “Little Evil” skillfully defended the rear naked-choke. He then twisted in hopes of executing a third reversal, but Vazquez transitioned to the armbar and locked it in. A look of pain covered Pulver’s face, as Vazquez cranked on his left arm. The tapout came after the elbow was hyper-extended.
“I knew Javy’s bad on the ground. You don’t want to mess with him on the ground,” Pulver said. “He got the takedowns, and before you know it, twist, turn, there’s the armbar, pop, pop.”
Pulver remained on the canvas in obvious pain, as the crowd yelled encouragement. He eventually returned to his feet and congratulated Vazquez on the win. Pulver stopped short of announcing an official retirement but hinted that the appearance might have been his last in the cage.
“I love you all way, way, way too much to put you all through this again,” Pulver said. “You guys have made my life a miracle.”
Davis Nips Taurosevicius on Points
In an uninspiring featherweight tussle, L.C. Davis took a majority decision victory over Deividas Taurosevicius after 15 monotonous minutes. The judges scored it 29-29, 29-28 and 28-28, giving Davis the nod.
The fighters rarely engaged outside the clinch, and, even there, the action was less than enthralling. Davis did get the better of the dirty boxing exchanges while the two were tangled along the cage. He also recovered from an apparent knee to the groin in the second frame, despite the fact that referee Jerry Poe refused to break the action. The foul seemed to inspire Davis, who reversed Taurosevicius against the fence. However, he could not advance his position.
Entering the final round, the outcome was far from decided, and neither fighter seized the reins. Davis secured the first clean takedown of the bout but failed to gain the upper hand despite his superior position.
Poe returned the fighters to their feet for the final 30 seconds, and the best action of the match ensued. Davis and Taurosevicius flurried, but their efforts did not quiet the restless crowd, which soundly booed the combatants.
Palaszewski Armbars Darabedyan
Bart Palaszewski weathered an onslaught of punches and elbows from a tough Karen Darabedyan and landed a late-first round armbar submission to win his second WEC bout in as many tries.
The International Fight League veteran found himself on his back early in the round, courtesy of a Darabedyan double-leg takedown, which came on the heels of a furious punching exchange that favored his Armenian opponent. Once on his back, Palaszewski continuously worked for submissions from his guard, all while absorbing punishment from the top.
“He kept leaving those arms out,” Palaszewski said. “I was just spinning around. My corner was yelling at me, telling me to spin and go for an armbar [or] triangle.
The momentum changed when Palaszewski finally secured Darabedyan’s arm, as he slipped his leg across his trapped foe’s head and extended the limb. Darabedyan worked to free himself, but Palaszewski adjusted the hold and cranked until he solicited the tapout 4:40 into the opening period.
“I don’t know,” Palaszewski said. “I guess I’ve grappled before, once or twice, so I know what an armbar looks like.”
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[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - play by play (06/03/2010)
Round 1
Lamas pushes forward and lands a nice low kick, Casimir answers with punches to the head. Lamas advances again and lands a two punch combination followed by a leg kick. Casimir returns fire with an inside low kick. A spirited Lamas didn’t care for the shot to his inner thigh and responded with a flurry finalized by a head kick that sent Casimir backwards to the cage. After a brief tussle along the fence Lamas could not secure the takedown and the fighters returned to the center of the ring. Lamas then loaded up a flying knee that flattened Casimir. The left knee followed a right knee feint that sent Casimir sprawling down towards Lamas legs and right into the knockout blow. Referee Greg Franklin stepped in to save Casimir at 3:43 of the first round.
Courtney Buck vs. Fredson Paixao
Round 1
Buck tries to walk down Paixao but his shorter opponent circles away. Paixao shoots in about 40 seconds into the match and secures a single-leg takedown. Paixao immediately takes his back and sinks his hooks. Paixao is softening Buck up with shots from back mount while he searches for the rear-naked choke. Buck gets to his knees for a brief second but Paixao rolls him back over before slipping his arm under Buck’s chin to lock in the submission. Buck tries to fight it but eventually loses consciousness. Referee Mark Matheny checks his left arm but it is limp and he calls the bout at 2:39 of the first round.
Leonard Garcia vs. George Roop
Round 1
R1 Garcia low kicks to open the action, but Roop shrugs it off. Roop is headhunting early on while Garcia keeps his attack focused on the legs of his lanky opponent. Roop shoots in and secures the takedown, Garcia establishes his guard right away. Garcia cinches a guillotine, but can’t get any leverage on the choke with Roop pushing his shoulder into his chest. Roop pulls his head free and works some ground-and-pound. Garcia escapes back to his feet after a short scramble and lands some good shots in the final minute of the first round. Sherdog.com scores the first round 10-9 for Roop on the strength of his work from the top.
Round 2
Garcia heads back downstairs to start the second, lowkicking Roop to the legs and then loudly to the body. Roop waves Garcia on after a nice right. Roop tries clinching but Garcia shrugs him off. Garcia is looking a bit winded ever since the failed guillotine in the first. Roop drives in for another takedown and plants Garcia along the cage. Roop keeps Garcia stacked to lessen the chances of a submission attempt from the bottom. He improves position and tries to knee to the body, but referee Kevin Mulhall mistakenly thought it was to the head and separated the fighters. He warned Roop and restarted the bout. Garcia, perhaps feeling a bit desperate, launched into a full offensive. He lands some nice shots but Roop answers back as the round closes. Sherdog.com scores round two 10-9 for Roop.
Round 3
Roop looks the fresher of the two as the final round gets underway. He pots shots Garcia with the jab and then lands a nice head-kick that is partially blocked by Garcia. Roop drives in and scores another double-leg takedown but Garcia finds his way back to his feet quickly. Garcia drills Roop with a nice right and follows with a knee along the cage but Roop retreats unscathed. Roop connects to the groin of Garcia and Mulhall decides to take a point. On the restart, Garcia attacks wildly with punches before Roop takes him down yet again. The two fighters scrap frantically as the seconds tick down. Big shots are landed but both fighters remain upright until the final bell. Sherdog.com scores the final round 9-9 with the point deduction.
The official scores are 29-27 for Roop, 29-27 for Garcia and 28-28 for a split draw.
Danny Castillo vs. Anthony Pettis
Round 1
Fighters are feeling each other out a bit before Castillo lands a heavy low kick about 45 seconds into the bout. Pettis lurches forward with strikes and Castillo drops under for the takedown. Pettis tries to establish position but Castillo retreats back to his feat before he can even look for a submission. Castillo bullies Pettis into the cage and lands a hard knee to the groin that doubles Pettis over. The referee steps in and breaks the fight to allow him to recover. Just after the restart Pettis lands a blistering left-head kick to the head of Castillo that flat lines him. Pettis followed with punches until the referee Jerry Poe could get there to pull him away at 2:17 of the round.
Chad Mendes vs. Erik Koch
Round 1
Mendes bullies his way inside right off the bat but Koch escapes his clinch in swift fashion. Koch pops his jab but Mendes changes levels and pushes him back against the cage. Koch fights his way clear again and the crowd lets the fighters know they don’t appreciate the slow pace. Mendes finally gets the fight to the ground but Koch sits right up and tries to use the cage to walk back to his feet. Mendes fights to keep him down but can’t. Koch misses with a jab and gets slammed to the mat after Mendes drives him all the way across the cage. Koch works the rubber guard and strikes from the bottom. Mendes breaks the free and throws an elbow but his offense is limited. He tries to jump past the guard of Koch but is still snared as the round closes. The close round goes to Mendes 10-9.
Round 2
Mendes leaps in with a single right hand to kick off the second. Koch answers with a combination but is put on his back with a Mendes double for his effort. Koch works the rubber guard again while Mendes tries to get a little ground and pound attack going. Koch slips the leg in front of Mendes head but he defends by pulling his arm out and sitting back down in the guard. Mendes passes to half and tries to pin Koch’s left arm with his knee. He catches it for a second and lands a couple soft punches. Koch gets his guard back but Mendes is getting into the ground game. He lands a pair of hard elbows and a big left hand. Mendes passed to half again but Koch shrimps and goes for a kimura as the horn sounds. Round two clearly goes to Mendes 10-9 though the crowd is not enthralled by the ground struggle.
Round 3
Mendes kicks off the third with some chopping low kicks. Koch clinches as his corner Pat Barry urges him on, screaming “Go, you gotta go,” over and over. Mendes is cut outside the left eye, not sure if it was a punch or a head butt. Mendes puts Koch on the canvas again but can’t establish position before referee Greg Franklin stands them back up. The ringside physician checks Mendes cut and allows the bout to continue. Blood in pouring down the left side of Mendes face as Koch targets the cut with his jab. Mendes takes the fight back down with about 90 seconds to go but as Koch gets back to his feet Mendes inadvertently pokes him in the eye. Koch drops to the canvas in pain and Franklin breaks to allow him to recover. Mendes takes him right back down on the restart and lands a couple elbows before time expires. Round three goes to Mendes 10-9.
The official scores are 30-27 for Mendes on all three cards.
Scott Jorgensen vs. Chad George
Round 1
Jorgensen easily stuffs George’s shot to begin the fight. He takes hold of his neck and locks up a tight guillotine. George tries to back his way out but Jorgensen pins him along the cage and lifts him off the ground. George taps out at 31 seconds giving Jorgensen the win.
It was a vicious submission that left George in pain on the mat.
Bart Palaszewski vs. Karen Darabedyan
Round 1
Kevin Mulhall is your referee for the main card opener. Thirty seconds pass without the fighters touching. Both feinting. Palaszewski lands a kick to the leg. Darabedyan backs him into the cage and lights him up with lefts and rights before dumping him to the canvas. Palaszewski moves to his closed guard. Palaszewski climbs up with legs. Darabedyan postures out and punches. Palaszewski circles away from the cage. Darabedyan in his opponent’s half guard. 2:40 to go. Darabedyan delivers some short hammerfists and bigger punches before Palaszewski gets his closed guard back. Darabedyan breaks Palaszewski’s guard open and lands more punches. Palaszewski not close to a submission, only getting hit when he opens his guard. A minute to go. Palaszewski opens his guard and tries to hook an arm. Then Palaszewski sinks a
straight armbar, and Darabedyan tries to fight it off, but Palaszewski taps him for the win. Official time is 4:40.
Deividas Taurosevicius vs. L.C. Davis
Round 1
Jerry Poe is reffing. Both fighters in southpaw stances. Taurosevicius takes the center of the cage. They lock up after Davis ducks under a jab. He pushes Taurosevicius to the fence. Taurosevicius has one overhook and they trade short strikes on the opposite side. Taurosevicius reverses Davis to put Davis’ back against the fence, but Davis defends a takedown and puts Taurosevicius’ back against the fence again. 2:40 to go. The fighters are separated and restarted. Inside kick from Taurosevicius. Davis sticks Taurosevicius with a jab and they lock up with Taurosevicius against the cage. They trade knees to the body. Davis drops down for a single, stands back up when it isn’t there. Taurosevicius reverses Davis against the cage and tries for a single that fails. Taurosevicius tries for another single and then goes to a body lock, and Davis shows strong defense as the round ends.
Jordan Breen scored the round 10-9 Davis
TJ De Santis scored the round 10-9 Davis
Freddie DeFreitas scored the round 10-9 Davis
Round 2
An exchange begins the second without anything major landing. Both men back away when the other throws. Taurosevicius shoots for a double, and Davis defends against the fence. Taurosevicius switches to a single, and Davis sprawls on it, showing good defense, but Taurosevicius stays with it until he takes the top position on the ground. Davis working on standing up against the cage, and Taurosevicius trying to control him. Davis stands up without taking any damage. They’re clinched against the cage, 2:35 to go. Taurosevicius knees low and Davis groans, but the ref doesn’t intervene. Davis turns Taurosevicius around against the fence. Short punches and knees from both. They’re separated at 1:08 and restarted. One-two from Davis glances. Right hook from Davis glances, and they clinch again, with Taurosevicius working on a single-leg. Davis defends and tries for a double-leg that Taurosevicius defends.
Jordan Breen scored the round 10-10
TJ De Santis scored the round 10-9 Taurosevicius
Freddie DeFreitas scored the round 10-9 Taurosevicius
Round 3
Neither fighter wants to stay in the pocket and exchange. They take turns throwing and backing away and then clinch against the cage again. Taurosevicius works on a body lock. Taurosevicius misses a big elbow, and Davis reverses and then breaks. 3:00 to go. Davis ducks under some strikes for a takedown attempt, but it isn’t close. Taurosevicius works on a single-leg against the fence. Davis uses an overhook to stand him up, but Taurosevicius digs deep for a double-leg attempt. Davis defends well, and they’re restarted at 2:10 in the center. Davis throws a straight left and almost loses his footing and then finally hits a double-leg to ground Taurosevicius. Taurosevicius locks up Davis’ shoulder from the bottom and throws short punches until they’re stood up. 30 seconds to go. Taurosevicius misses a takedown and pushes Davis to the fence. Some boos from the audience, and the horn sounds, sending the fight to the judges.
Jordan Breen scored the round 10-10 (30-29 Davis)
TJ De Santis scored the round 10-9 Davis (29-28 Davis)
Freddie DeFreitas scored the round 10-9 Davis (29-28 Davis)
Official scores are 29-29, 29-28, 29-28, a majority decision for Davis.
Jens Pulver vs. Javier Vazquez
Round 1
Greg Franklin, brother of Rich Franklin is the referee. Pulver kicks to the thigh, and Vazquez tries to grab it for a takedown. Pulver defends. Vazquez pursues with punches and grabs another kick, but Pulver tries a guillotine. He rolls Vazquez to his back. Vazquez escapes, but Pulvers stands out. Back on the feet. Pulver kicks to the thigh again, and Vazquez gets the takedown. He takes Pulver’s back as Pulver tries to stand, but Pulver reverses and a quick-paced fight goes to Vazquez’s closed guard. 3:15 in. Pulver stands out and tries to kick, which Vazquez uses to take down Pulver. He works in Pulver’s butterfly guard and moves into side control. Vazquez locks up a crucifix and peppers Pulver’s ear. Pulver shoots his arms under Vazquez, who maintains control and goes to Pulver’s back with both hooks.
Vazquez tries to sink the rear-naked choke, but Pulver defends. Big lump on Pulver’s forehead. Vazquez stays on him, moves into mount and straightens Pulver’s arm for an armbar and the win. Dominant grappling by Vazquez. Official time is 3:41.
Miguel Torres vs Joseph Benavidez
Round 1
Mark Matheny is reffing. Torres flicks an inside leg kick. Benavidez standing in the center of the cage, Torres circling. Straight left from Benavidez out of a southpaw stance glances. Benavidez goes back conventional, and Torres kicks to his leg. Benavidez kicks back to Torres’ leg. Hard right from Benavidez during an exchange. Good leg kick by Benavidez, and he catches a kick and Torres trips. Torres stands back up. Benavidez closes against the cage. Benavidez throws Torres to the mat. 1:50 to go. Torres misses an armbar. Benavidez controls the head to keep Torres down. Now he’s working an arm-in guillotine that isn’t deep but does keep Torres on the mat. Torres has half guard, but Benavidez is controlling him. Torres regains full guard with 30 seconds to go. The round closes with Benavidez standing.
Jordan Breen scored the round 10-9 Benavidez
TJ De Santis scored the round 10-9 Benavidez
Freddie DeFreitas scored the round 10-9 Benavidez
Round 2
Benavidez holds his hands very high to start the second. Torres kicks into his arms. Torres circles. Benavidez switches stances and switches back conventional and drives a right hand into Torres’ body. Torres lands a jab. He misses a right and kicks to the body. Benavidez goes southpaw again and kicks to the body. Torres jabs. Benavidez kicks to the leg. Benavidez goes southpaw and shoots for a slick takedown and gets it. On the ground, Benavidez begins elbowing and opens Torres, who is bleeding badly. Torres misses an armbar and tries to roll out and grab a single-leg. Benavidez locks up a guillotine and rolls Torres. It’s deep, and a bloodied Torres taps. Official time is 2:57 of round two.
Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz
Round 1
Kevin Mulhall is the ref for the main event. Cruz kicks to the thigh, and Bowles misses with a straight right counter. Cruz is moving around while Bowles looks for the KO. Good right from Cruz. He misses a wild left. He’s showing Bowles a variety of angles. Bowles glances him with an uppercut. Both fighters connect with rights. They break, and Cruz lands another right that hurts Bowles. Bowles breaks to recover. Cruz hopping in and out. He misses another wild right. 2:00 to go. Cruz counters with another right hand. Cruz gets a takedown with 1:15 left. Bowles gets up with 30 seconds left. Solid leg kick by Cruz.
Jordan Breen scored the round 10-9 Cruz
TJ De Santis scored the round 10-9 Cruz
Freddie DeFreitas scored the round 10-9 Cruz
Round 2
Both fighters jumping in and out of exchanges. Cruz lands the first good strike of the round, a kick to Bowles’ lead leg. Bowles tries to crowd Cruz and gets hit with a right on his ear. Bowles covers up, and Cruz flurries on him with a combo that ends with a low kick that drops Bowles. Bowles gets up. 2:35 to go. Cruz kicks low and nearly gets countered by a Bowles’ right hand. Another good low kick from Cruz. His footwork is looking superior, and he’s using his length to flurry, kick and separate. An accidental low strike from Cruz halts the action. It was a knee and follow-up kick. Cruz jabs. Bowles still swinging for the fences while Cruz dips in and out and throws a variety of strikes. Bowles lands, but Cruz responds with his hands. Cruz finishes a takedown to close out the round.
Jordan Breen scored the round 10-9 Cruz
TJ De Santis scored the round 10-9 Cruz
Freddie DeFreitas scored the round 10-9 Cruz
The fight is over. The doctor appears to have stopped the fight between rounds while examining Bowles. The official word is that Bowles did not answer the bell due to "injury," and Cruz is the new champion. Bowles said he broke his hand on his first punch.
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[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - video, risultati e bonus (06/03/2010)
Riporto a seguito i video, i risultati ed i bonus dell'ottimo evento targato WEC di questa notte!
Brian Bowles vs Dominick Cruz
Miguel Torres vs Joseph Benavidez
Jens Pulver vs Javier Vazquez
Deividas Taurosevicius vs L.C. Davis
Bart Palaszewski vs Karen Darabedyan
Danny Castillo vs Anthony Pettis
Chad George vs Scott Jorgensen
Chad Mendes vs Erik Koch
Fredson Paixao vs Courtney Buck
Ricardo Lamas vs Bendy Casimir
Risultati
Main Card
* Bantamweight Championship bout: Brian Bowles vs Dominick Cruz
Cruz defeated Bowles via TKO (injury) at 5:00 of round 2 to become the new WEC Bantamweight Champion.
* Bantamweight bout: Miguel Torres vs Joseph Benavidez
Benavidez defeated Torres via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:57 of round 2.
* Featherweight bout: Jens Pulver vs Javier Vazquez
Vazquez defeated Pulver via submission (armbar) at 3:41 of round 1.
* Featherweight bout: Deividas Taurosevičius vs LC Davis
Davis defeated Taurosevičius via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29).
* Lightweight bout: Bart Palaszewski vs Karen Darabedyan
Palaszewski defeated Darabedyan via submission (armbar) at 4:40 of round 1.
Preliminary Card
* Bantamweight bout: Scott Jorgensen vs Chad George
Jorgensen defeated George via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:31 of round 1. This bout, although preliminary, was aired on the live broadcast.
* Featherweight bout: Chad Mendes vs Erik Koch
Mendes defeated Koch via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
* Lightweight bout: Danny Castillo vs Anthony Pettis
Pettis defeated Castillo via KO (strikes) at 2:17 of round 1. This bout, although preliminary, was aired on the live broadcast.
* Featherweight bout: Leonard Garcia vs George Roop
Garcia and Roop fought to a split draw. The judges scored the bout 29-27 (Garcia) 29-27 (Roop) and 28-28. A point deduction was given to Roop for a shot to the groin of Garcia.
* Featherweight bout: Fredson Paixao vs Courtney Buck
Paixao defeated Buck via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:39 of round 1.
* Lightweight bout: Ricardo Lamas vs Bendy Casimir
Lamas defeated Casimir via KO (knee) at 3:43 of round 1.
Bonus Awards
Fighters were awarded $10,000 bonuses.[7]
* Fight of the Night: Leonard Garcia vs George Roop
* Knockout of the Night: Anthony Pettis
* Submission of the Night: Joseph Benavidez
6 marzo 2010
[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - video weigh-in (06/03/2010)
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[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - tutto pronto (06/03/2010)
Bowles checked in at 134.5 pounds for his matchup with Cruz (134) in the WEC 47 main event on Saturday at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The 20 other men scheduled to compete -- including co-headliners Miguel Torres (134.5) and Joseph Benavidez (135) -- also met their contracted weight requirements at Friday’s official weigh-in.
Having quietly emerged as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best, Bowles has finished all eight of his opponents, five of them inside one round. His list of victims includes Torres, Will Ribeiro, Damacio Page, Marcos Galvao and Charlie Valencia -- men who held a cumulative 74-8 record at the time Bowles fought them. Spawned by The Hardcore Gym, an American Top Team affiliate in Athens, Ga., Bowles has not competed since he knocked out Torres at WEC 42 in August, ending the popular former champion’s string of 17 consecutive victories.
Cruz will carry a five-fight winning streak into his second crack at WEC gold. The 24-year-old submitted to former featherweight champion Urijah Faber in March 2007, moved to 135 pounds upon returning to the WEC and has not lost since. Based out of Alliance MMA, where he trains alongside UFC light heavyweights Brandon Vera and Phil Davis, Cruz last appeared in August, when he defeated the previously unbeaten Benavidez by unanimous decision.
Torres, meanwhile, finds himself on the rebound after his first loss in nearly six years. The 29-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt burst on the international scene in 2008, when he submitted Chase Beebe and captured the WEC bantamweight crown. Three successful title defenses against Yoshiro Maeda, Manny Tapia and Takeya Mizugaki followed, as Torres became the promotion’s first 135-pound superstar.
An understudy to Faber at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, Calif., Benavidez throttled BJJ ace Rani Yahya in just 95 seconds at WEC 45 in December. Despite his loss to Cruz, the 25-year-old remains one of the sport’s top young fighters Benavidez has delivered more than half (six) of his 11 career wins by submission.
WEC 47: Bowles vs. Cruz
Saturday, March 6
Nationwide Arena
Columbus, Ohio
WEC Bantamweight Championship
Brian Bowles (134.5) vs. Dominick Cruz (134)
Miguel Torres (134.5) vs. Joseph Benavidez (135)
Jens Pulver (145.5) vs. Javier Vazquez (145)
Deividas Taurosevicius (145) vs. L.C. Davis (144.5)
Bart Palaszewski (155) vs. Karen Darabedyan (156)
Scott Jorgensen (135) vs. Chad George (135.5)
Danny Castillo (155.5) vs. Anthony Pettis (154.5)
Leonard Garcia (145) vs. George Roop (145.5)
Chad Mendes (145) vs. Erik Koch (144)
Bendy Casimir (155.5) vs. Ricardo Lamas (155)
Courtney Buck (145) vs. Fredson Paixao (144.5)
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[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - Domande (06/03/2010)
What does Torres have to do in order to make a statement?
Miguel Torres was previously the world’s undisputed toughest man at 135 pounds, but a knockout loss to Brian Bowles in August dulled that shine considerably. Beating Joe Benavidez Saturday is a must, but the difference between Torres being written off as a stuttering fighter and one who’s righted his own ship could be in finishing off the notoriously hard-nosed Benavidez, who has never been stopped.
Is Ohio a proper test of the WEC’s brand power?
Thousands of gym rats and fight fans converge every March for the Arnold Classic, a celebration of garden-hose vascularity and protein powders. The UFC ran there in 2008 and 2009 to great success: even a Quinton Jackson/Keith Jardine-headlined UFC 96 drew 17,000.
The WEC has normally been content to run in smaller venues: the Nationwide Arena might be a way to bolster attendance and expose more prospective fans to the brand by piggybacking on an established organization.
Is Pulver running on fumes?
A former UFC lightweight champion, Jens Pulver has won once in the past four years while dropping six: it’s speculated that a loss to Javier Vazquez Saturday could get him hustled to the exit. Fortunately, few of Pulver’s several losses came as a result of neural disconnect: he was submitted in half of them and knocked out in two.
Age is kind to no one in combat sports, but it’s especially harsh on lighter fighters that see speed disappear and refuse to compliment power they never had. 35 years old and with 11 years of pro competition behind him, there may not be any camp or psychological change that can dispute that.
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5 marzo 2010
[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - Pulver "Cindarella man 2" in arrivo (06/03/2010)
The former UFC lightweight champion talked about his desire to keep fighting, his mind being right and whether he feels the WEC could cut him if he fails to get a win Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio.
[WEC 47]: Bowles vs Cruz - preview (06/03/2010)
Airing live on Versus from the Nationwide Arena, the headliner features reigning bantamweight kingpin Brian Bowles taking on the fleet fists of Dominick Cruz. Backing up that main event manliness is wolf-cut connoisseur Miguel Torres and Urijah Faber protégé Joseph Benavidez in a bout that will likely decide the next challenger for the bantamweight strap.
Throw in up-and-coming Armenian face-smasher Karen Darabedyan, Jens Pulver’s flat-lining left hook and a batch of prelims that will have everyone jonesing for some speedy main card bouts, and there is clearly no reason why you shouldn’t sacrifice your Saturday evening to the fight Gods.
Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz
The Breakdown: The number of people outside of Bowles’ immediate family who expected him to knock Miguel Torres into another dimension can be counted on one hand. The fact is, however, he’s the new bantamweight standard bearer and a walking target for everyone that was once locked on Torres. Dominick Cruz will be the first man to try and cash in on Bowles’ bounty in a fight that is inexplicably an assumed win for Bowles, according to a great many of the MMA cognoscenti.
Counting out a guy with a telescoping jab and takedown defense like a skyscraper is never a good idea. Cruz proved the versatility of his striking repertoire in his bout with Joseph Benavidez at WEC 42. Although Bowles has the edge in pure power, getting inside on Cruz’s reach will be about as much fun as a New Jersey Nets game.
Not fun at all, but not impossible either. Bowles knows when to ditch studied savvy in favor of wild-eyed aggression. Swarming like an army of bee-eating wasps is a Bowles’ specialty, and Cruz will have to be careful about getting into extended exchanges that favor power over reach.
The other big concern for Cruz is staying off the mat for five rounds. He hasn’t finished any fights in the WEC, and staving off takedowns for 25 minutes is a grueling exercise that may be beyond the limitations of Cruz’s gas tank, especially considering Bowles will press the pace every chance he gets.
If Cruz does end up on the floor, he’d do well getting upright since Bowles is an underrated grappler with a guillotine choke that he rents out to the local fire department as the jaws of life. The point here is that working a conservative game plan and picking up three-round decisions is one thing, and trying the same in a five-round championship fight is another.
The Bottom Line: Cruz is a tough fight for anyone at bantamweight, and Bowles is hardly the exception. With that said, Cruz is no Pernell Whitaker. He relies more on his reach to frustrate opponents than any real defensive talents. Bowles is eventually going to drag Cruz into the phone booth, and he won’t let him out until everyone is clear on who runs the show at 135 pounds.
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