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Jose Aldo Defeats Mike Brown, Captures WEC Featherweight Title
By Ariel HelwaniFight #10: Jose Aldo (16-1) def. Mike Brown (22-5) via TKO (strikes) -- RD. 2, 1:20. The Jose Aldo era has officially begun. The 23-year-old Brazilian phenom, who rose from rags to MMA fame,
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WEC 44: Brown vs Aldo Results From Las Vegas
By Ariel Helwani Fight #9: Manny Gamburyan def. Leonard Garcis via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). The old Manny Gamburyan appears to be back. The former finalist on the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter
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WEC 44 Weigh-in Results
By Ariel HelwaniThe event, headlined by Mike Brown vs. Jose Aldo for the WEC featherweight title, airs live on Versus beginning at 9 PM ET. The results are.....
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World MMA Awards: Leading Man of the Year
By Ariel HelwaniThe Leading Man of the Year award should probably be renamed the Dana White Award because I suspect the UFC president will win this one for many years to come. Nevertheless, each individual included on this particular ballot can certainly make a case for themselves to be considered.
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World MMA Awards: Best Promotion
By Ariel HelwaniHere’s the problem with this award: each organization nominated offers something completely different and unique. WEC – They are the UFC’s sister organization, but nothing like big brother. At the moment, WEC only has three weigh classes –
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Jose Aldo Ready for His Mike Tyson Moment
By Ariel HelwaniMike Tyson still holds the record for being the youngest man to win boxing's heavyweight title, and if one of his biggest fans, Jose Aldo, defeats Mike Brown on Nov. 18, he will be the youngest fighter to hold the WEC featherweight title since Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC and WEC, purchased the organization in 2006.
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'Stitch' Duran, Forrest Griffin to Be Featured on Upcoming Episode of New Versus Series 'Sports Jobs With Junior Seau'
On the field, on the ice, in the cage or behind the wheel, professional athletes have to be tough. But what does it take to do the behind-the-scenes jobs in sports? All-Pro linebacker Junior Seau is about to find out.Add Your Comment | Read More
Death, Taxes, and Mike Brown
By Ariel HelwaniMike Brown doesn't have a nickname, but he might want to think about going with "Mr. Consistent" from now on. Brown, the WEC featherweight champion, has been just that for the organization ever since he defeated
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Top MMA Reporters Weigh in on WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo
World Extreme Cagefighting asked some of the top MMA reporters (and me) their prediction on next week’s WEC featherweight title match between Mike Brown and Jose Aldo. The final tally was seven in favor of Brown and three in favor of Aldo, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my years of covering this sport it’s that you should never trust a reporter’s prediction. Add Your Comment | Read More
World MMA Awards: Submission of the Year
By Ariel HelwaniBefore I tell you why this is probably the easiest award to vote for, let's quickly look at the nominees: Terry Etim's Brabo Choke submission against Justin Buchholz, UFC 99 - June 13, 2009. Dustin Hazelett's reverse armbar against Tamdan McCrory, UFC 91 - Nov. 15, 2009.
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Varner vs. Henderson, Faber vs. Assuncao Official for WEC 46
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting has two more big events lined up for the conclusion of 2009, but on Monday the organization officially announced that they will be kicking off the new year with a bang in a familiar setting with some familiar faces.
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Video: Dominick Cruz Talks Brian Bowles Title Shot, Urijah Faber, More
By Ariel HelwaniVersus.com recently caught up with the No. 1 contender in the WEC's 135-pound division, Dominick Cruz, who is gearing up for a title shot against current champion Brian Bowles in early 2010.
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Takeya Mizugaki vs. Scott Jorgensen Added to WEC 45
By Ariel HelwaniAn exciting bantamweight bout featuring two contenders has been added to WEC's upcoming Dec. 19 card.
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Josh Grispi Sidelined for Several Months Following Ankle Surgery
By Ariel HelwaniIf you're wondering why you haven't heard any news about WEC featherweight contender Josh Grispi, well, there's a good reason for that.
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World MMA Awards: Knockout of the Year
By Ariel HelwaniAnother category, another tough decision to make. With that said, the moment I saw the nominees, I knew right away who deserved to win. But before I unveil my choice for MMA knockout of the year, I think it’s important to recognize those who didn’t make the cut, because there were a lot that deserved to be in the mix for this award
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WEC Announces Dec. 19 Card
World Extreme Cagefighting announced today a lightweight showdown that will have tremendous implications on the future of the 155-pound division. On Saturday, Dec. 19 from The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV, lightweight title contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will take on striker extraordinaire Ed RatcliffAdd Your Comment | Read More
October 2009 MMA Rankings: ‘Shogun’ Rua Turns Back Clock
By Ariel HelwaniWelcome to Versus.com’s official MMA rankings for October 2009. In August, we wrote about Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira being “back.” In September, it was Vitor Belfort who looked like his old dominant self.
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Video: GM Reed Harris Discusses the State of WEC
By Ariel HelwaniVersus.com recently spoke to WEC general manager Reed Harris about a whole host of interesting topics making headlines these days: the emergence of the WEC lightweight division, the recent signing of Chris Horodecki...
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WEC 44 Card Officially Announced; Newcomer Darabedyan Replaces Pettis
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting officially announced the rest of their upcoming WEC 44 card on Tuesday. The event, headlined by Mike Brown vs. Jose Aldo for the WEC featherweight title
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Urijah Faber Willing to Fight at 135 Pounds for Dominick Cruz Fight
By Ariel HelwaniUrijah Faber handed Dominick Cruz the first loss of his career at WEC 26 in March 2007, but apparently, there is still some lingering bad blood between the fighters.
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Report: Donald Cerrone vs. Ed Ratcliff in December
By Ariel HelwaniIt appears as though Donald Cerrone's road back to a WEC lightweight title shot will begin in December, and it will have to go through up-and-coming 155-pounder Ed "9mm" Ratcliff. Sherdog.com was the first to report on Tuesday, and several other prominent sites have since confirmed,
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Benson Henderon's Agent Says Varner-Cerrone II Not in Immediate Plans
By Ariel HelwaniUFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans raised some eyebrows when he said on last week's edition of ESPN.com's MMA Live that due to Benson Henderson's injured left eye, his teammate at Greg Jackson's camp, Donald Cerrone, would be fighting Jamie Varner next, possibly as early as December.
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Report: Chris Horodecki Headed to WEC
By Ariel HelwaniCanadian lightweight Chris Horodecki's next stop may be World Extreme Cagefighting. According to Fight Hype, who spoke to Horodecki's trainer, Shawn Tompkins, the one-time International Fight League is on the verge of signing with the organization.
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World MMA Awards Preview: Fighter of the Year
By Ariel HelwaniToday: MMA Fighter of the Year. This might be the most difficult category to vote for because if you’ve made it this far, you probably deserve a part of this award. Nevertheless, it’s our job to choose the fighter of the year, and it’s hard to argue with the nominees in this particular category:
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Cole Province Suspended, Fined Following WEC 42 Drug Failure
By Ariel HelwaniWEC featherweight fighter Cole Province has been suspended nine months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after he tested positive for the anabolic steroid Methasterone following his unanimous decision win over Fredson Paixao at WEC 42 in August.
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World MMA Awards Preview: Fight of the Year
By Ariel HelwaniToday: MMA Fight of the Year. When discussing these particular awards, one must remember that the time frame is Sept. 1, 2008 to Aug. 31, 2009, so great fights like Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone from WEC 43 will unfortunately have to wait until next year to get their due.
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Video: Mir, Varner, Torres Q&A Session in San Antonio
By Ariel HelwaniPrior to WEC 43, Frank Mir, Jamie Varner and Miguel Torres took part in a special question-and-answer session for the San Antonio fans.
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WEC Notes and Quotes: Harris, Shelby, Semerzier, WEC 43 Replay
By Ariel HelwaniLet's take a look at what some of the major players in World Extreme Cagefighting have been saying as of late ... "It's not frustrating. Look, I understand it and I get it; I've been doing this a long time and I know that the media needs to find things to write about.
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Karalexis vs. Shalorus, Krause vs. Lamas Added to WEC 44 Lineup
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting has put the finishing touches on its upcoming WEC 44 card, headlined by Mike Brown vs. Jose Aldo for the featherweight title. Two lightweight bouts were recently added to the card, as veteran Alex Karalexis (10-4) will face WEC newcomer Kamal Shalorus (4-0-1) and James Krause (10-1) will meet Ricardo Lamas (6-1)
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WEC 43 Notebook: Henderson's Eye Injury, Awards, Attendance
By Ariel HelwaniIf you're wondering why you haven't heard from Benson Henderson in the aftermath of WEC 43, it's because "Smooth" was immediately rushed to a local San Antonio hospital after the event.
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With Ben Henderson Leading the Way, WEC's Lightweight Division Has Arrived
By Ariel HelwaniThere seems to be a growing sentiment spreading throughout the MMA community that World Extreme Cagefighting and the Ultimate Fighting Championship need to merge. Fans especially like to point to the fact that both organizations have lightweight divisions, and that the UFC's is far superior to the WEC's.
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Danny Castillo vs. Shane Roller Added to WEC 44 Lineup
By Ariel HelwaniWith its young lightweight division receiving a lot of attention as of late, World Extreme Cagefighting announced on Saturday an intriguing 155-pound edition to the upcoming WEC 44 card. Danny Castillo (8-1) has agreed to meet Shane Roller (10-4) on the undercard of the Nov. 18 event.
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WEC 43: Benson Henderson Captures Interim Lightweight Title; Mackens Semerzier Shocks Wagnney Fabiano
By Ariel HelwaniWithout a doubt, the story of this fight was Benson Henderson’s ability to weather every single submission attempt Donald Cerrone threw at him in most impressive fashion. Henderson lived up to his nickname, “Smooth,” by never panicking, and repeatedly getting out of all kinds of submissions.
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WEC 43 Weigh-in Results
By Ariel HelwaniAll 20 WEC 43 made weight on Friday night just 24 hours before they will do battle at AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX. The event, headlined by Donald Cerrone vs. Benson Henderson for the WEC interim lightweight title, airs live on Versus beginning at 10 PM ET.
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Benson Henderson Can See Clearly Now, The Title Is Coming
By Ariel Helwani"I rank myself as a nobody. People don’t know who I am. I am still a baby in the game. I have a long, long way to go before I get where I want to be. Nobody knows who Benson Henderson is; I am a nobody. So I am just thankful to be in the WEC."
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Georges St-Pierre: Yves Jabouin Is Faster Than Me
By Ariel HelwaniWe've already featured an interview with Yves "The Tiger" Jabouin, who makes his WEC debut this Saturday night against submission specialist Raphael Assuncao, as well as one with his head trainer
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WEC 43 Cheat Sheet: Facts, Keys to Victory, Predictions
By Ariel HelwaniBelow is an in-depth look at Saturday's WEC 43 card, which airs live on Versus beginning at 10 PM ET. Learn all the information on this page well, and you will sound really cool in front of your friends this weekend.
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Four Bouts Officially Announced for WEC 44
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting officially announced three bouts that were previously reported for WEC 44 and one new fight for the Nov. 18 card.
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Versus to Air WEC's Greatest Knockouts II on Wednesday
VERSUS, the exclusive cable television home of World Extreme Cagefighting, will air WEC’s Greatest Knockouts II on Wednesday, October 7, at 9 p.m. ET. The hour-long presentation will feature fight highlights from some of the biggest knockouts in WEC history.Add Your Comment | Read More
Chuck Liddell, 'Dancing With the Stars' Coming to WEC 43
By Ariel HelwaniLots of a big names from the around the MMA world will be in attendance at the AT&T Center on Saturday night to watch Benson Henderson and Donald Cerrone battle for the WEC interim lightweight title, but none bigger than Chuck Liddell and his Dancing With the Stars partner, Anna Trebunskaya. Yes, both of them will be sitting cageside during the event.
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Urijah Faber Re-Signs With WEC, Hopes to Finish Career With Organization
By Ariel HelwaniWith or without a belt around his waist, one can argue that Urijah Faber is still the most popular fighter in World Extreme Cagefighting, and it's officially safe to say that "The California Kid" will be fighting for the organization for at least the next several years to come, if not more.
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WEC's Present Plans Enough to Get Excited About
By Ariel HelwaniIt seems like every few weeks WEC general manager Reed Harris and vice president Peter Dropick are forced to answer the same three questions: 1) When will WEC hold it's first pay-per-view?
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Rob McCullough's Memorable (and Painful) Summer
By Ariel HelwaniSure, your summer might have been semi-interesting; I bet that trip to the Grand Canyon was a lot of fun. But I'm confident in stating that it probably wasn't as exciting as "Razor" Rob McCullough's.
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September 2009 MMA Rankings: ‘The Phenom’ Rises Again
By Ariel HelwaniWelcome to Versus.com’s official MMA rankings for September 2009. This was a pretty light month for MMA action, but Vitor Belfort and Josh Koscheck were big movers, while Rich Franklin and Martin Kampmann fell a couple slots.
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Urijah Faber Says He Will Be Back in January
By Ariel HelwaniWEC featherweight contender Urijah Faber recently spoke Raw Vegas' Dave Farra about his comeback and his new WEC contract. "It's looking like I'm gonna be back in January, that's just about to be inked, and I'm excited about that, man. I'm really excited to get back in there. I can't wait to fight," he said.
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Report: WEC Newcomer Mackens Semerzier Replaces Erik Kock at WEC 43
By Ariel HelwaniAnother up-and-coming MMA fighter will get a chance to shine at WEC 43 due to a late injury. 28-year-old Mackens Semerzier, who spends part of his time training with former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres, will step in on short notice to replace the injured Erik Koch in his fight against top 145-pound contender Wagnney Fabiano on the undercard of WEC 43.
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A Day in the Life of Benson Henderson
By Ariel HelwaniFor my money, World Extreme Cagefighting does as good a job as any MMA promotion out there of using the Internet to get the word out about its upcoming fights. From their consistently updated Twitter page to their YouTube channel, there always seems to be something brewing in WEC-land.
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Video: Trainer Firas Zahabi Talks Yves Jabouin's WEC debut
By Ariel HelwaniLast week, we featured an interview with WEC newcomer Yves "The Tiger" Jabouin talking about his upcoming fight against Raphael Assuncao at WEC 43 on Oct. 10. Today, we hear from Jabouin's trainer at the Tristar Gym in Montreal, Firas Zahabi.
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MMA-instream Alert: Jennifer Connelly Edition
By Ariel HelwaniAs UFC president Dana White often likes to remind us, MMA has yet to hit the mainstream. Sure, the sport has enjoyed an incredible amount of success over the last couple of years, but he is right: we still have a long way to go before being in the same conversation as the NFL, NBA, MLB, Nascar, etc.
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Yahya, Curran Fall Short at ADCC 2009
By Ariel HelwaniWEC bantamweights Jeff Curran and Rani Yahya left the 2009 Abu Dhabi Combat Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship in Barcelona without any medals.Both Yahya and Curran competed in the under 66kg bracket.
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Dana White Unimpressed With Herschel Walker Signing
By Ariel HelwaniIn case you were wondering what Dana White thought about Herschel Walker's recent signing with Strikeforce, well, it's safe to say that the UFC president is not all that impressed. In fact, White told Spike.com's Mike Chiappetta that the 47-year-old's entrance into the world of MMA is nothing more than a gimmick.
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WEC Bantamweights Look to Shine at ADCC
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting bantamweights Rani Yahya and Jeff Curran are currently in Barcelona for the prestigious Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship. The ADCC Championship is a competition that runs every two years involving top athletes from the world of jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo, sambo, shooto and mixed martial arts
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Will Campuzano to Replace Akitoshi Tamura at WEC 43
By Ariel HelwaniWEC newcomer Will Campuzano (6-0) will step in on short notice to replace Akitoshi Tamura against Damacio Page (11-4) at WEC 43 on Oct. 10. Sources close to the fight confirmed the news with Versus.com on Thursday. No word just yet as to why Tamura had to pull out of the fight.
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Video: Yves Jabouin Talks WEC Debut
By Ariel HelwaniVersus.com recently spoke to WEC newcomer Yves Jabouin at the Tristar Gym in Montreal about his debut against Raphael Assuncao on Oct. 10. The fight will air live on Versus from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.
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Report: Hominick Out, Vazquez In at WEC 43
By Ariel HelwaniAnother day, another change to the WEC 43 fight card. The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Canadian featherweight Mark Hominick has been forced to withdraw from his Oct. 10 bout against Deividas Taurosevicius due to an undisclosed injury.
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Is Donald Cerrone Looking Past Benson Henderson?
By Ariel HelwaniWEC recently put out a compelling preview of the upcoming Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone WEC interim lightweight title fight. The 155-pounders will meet on Oct. 10 at the AT&T center in San Antonio, TX, live on Versus. The most interesting part of this clip, in my opinion, is how much Henderson talks about being focused on beating Cerrone, while Cerrone still has lightweight champion Jamie Varner very much on his mind.
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Former NFL Running Back Herschel Walker to Try MMA
By Ariel HelwaniFormer Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker has signed an multi-fight agreement with the Strikeforce mixed martial arts promotion. The College Football Hall of Famer will compete as a heavyweight in MMA and expects to make his debut in 2010. The 47-year-old Walker will immediately start an 8-to-12 week training camp with the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.
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Around the World of WEC: Manny Pacquiao, WEC 44, Varner and Faber's Health
By Ariel HelwaniHow would Manny Pacquiao, one of boxing's pound-for-pound kings, fare in MMA? WEC general manager Reed Harris seems open to finding out. “There are some really talented lighter weight fighters in the sport of boxing,” Harris told The Daily Telegraph. “With someone as athletically-gifted as Manny Pacquiao, there’s no telling how well he could do if he cross-trained in MMA.
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Noah Thomas Replaces Rafael Rebello at WEC 43
By Ariel HelwaniVeteran Noah Thomas will once again step in on short notice to fight in World Extreme Cagefighting. Thomas (13-5) announced on Friday's edition of MMA Junkie Radio that he will be replacing Rafael Rebello in his fight against Scott Jorgensen on the WEC 43 undercard. No word as to why Rebello had to pull out.
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UFN 19: Condit Weathers Storm; Stann Wins Rubber Match
By Ariel HelwaniFormer WEC champions Brian Stann and Carlos Condit notched their first UFC victories at UFC Fight Night 19 on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, OK. Condit defeated UFC newcomer Jake Ellenberger via split decision, but it didn't come easy.
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Former WEC Champs Face Must-Wins At UFN 19
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting's light heavyweight and welterweight divisions are long gone, but three former champions will be featured in important fights on Wednesday's UFC Fight Night. Former 170-pound king, Carlos Condit, will look to notch his first UFC win when he faces late replacement Jake Ellenberger.
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WEC 44 Coming to the Palms in Las Vegas
By Ariel HelwaniAfter weeks of speculation, WEC 44 has found a date and location. The organization announced on Tuesday via its Twitter account that the event will take place on Nov. 18 at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
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Frank Gomez vs. Seth Dikun Expected at WEC 44
By Ariel HelwaniWEC 44 has yet to be officially announced by the organization, but it card appears to be quickly taking shape. Bantamweights Frank Gomez (7-1) and Seth Dikun (7-3) will battle on the undercard of the event.
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Report: Manny Gamburyan vs. Leonard Garcia Set for WEC 44
By Ariel HelwaniLeonard Garcia (13-4) and Manny Gamburyan (9-4) will face off in WEC featherweight action at the yet-to-be announced WEC 44 event, according to Sherdog.com. WEC 44 is rumored to be taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 18, in Las Vegas, and headlined by Mike Brown vs. Jose Aldo for the WEC featherweight title.
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Cerrone and Garcia Welcome New Recruits
By Ariel HelwaniLast week, Versus.com told you about Donald Cerrone and Leonard Garcia's efforts to recruit new MMA talent by inviting a group of young fighters to live in their Albquerque, N.M., home while training with the famed Greg Jackson's camp in New Mexico.
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New Camp, New Mindset Helping Cub Swanson Forget Past
By Ariel HelwaniMMA fans are truly a "what have you done for me lately" bunch. Win a few of fights in a row, and they'll hail you as the next big thing. Lose once or twice, and all of a sudden your a has-been. Get back on track, and they love you again. And on and on it goes. WEC featherweight fighter Cub Swanson knows all about this phenomenon.
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Around the World of WEC: Free Tix, Faber in ADCC, Brown vs. Aldo
By Ariel HelwaniIf you are reading this before 12:00 PM CT on Wednesday and live in the San Antonio, TX, area, head over to the AT&T Center where WEC GM Reed Harris and Donald Cerrone will be giving out free tickets to WEC 43 to the first 20 people who show up. Harris, Cerrone and Garcia are in San Antonio to do media for the upcoming event, headlined by Cerrone vs. Ben Henderson for the interim lightweight title.
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Todd Harris Picks His WEC Dream Match
By Ariel HelwaniPrior to WEC 42, Versus.com asked World Extreme Cagefighting play-by-play man Todd Harris which fight he would love to see in the future: "Oh, wow. You know what? It just came to me, as soon as you said a dream match," Harris said. "I would love to see Jose Aldo drop down and fight Miguel Torres.
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Around the World of WEC: Bowles, Faber, Castillo, More
By Ariel Helwani
Brian Bowles' manager, Andrew Beach, told Versus.com on Friday that the new WEC bantamweight champion is already back to training. Of course, Bowles broke his left hand in his victory over Miguel Torres in August, but the good news was that he didn't require surgery. Bowles' hand is still in a cast.
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WEC's Leonard Garcia and Donald Cerrone Open Their Home to Aspiring Fighters
By Ariel HelwaniSo you wanna be a mixed martial arts fighter? Well, here’s your chance to bunk up with two of the best fighters in the world while training with arguably the best MMA team in the world. All you need is $500, and presumably, a lot of Ben Gay and ice.
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Report: Diego Nunes vs. L.C. Davis to Meet at WEC 44
By Ariel HelwaniA WEC 44 featherweight match-up between contenders Diego Nunes and L.C. Davis is close to being signed, according to MMA Junkie. The Web site recently reported that both fighters have agreed to the bout, but no official bout agreements have been signed.
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WEC VP Peter Dropick Debunks Rumors, Talks Future Schedule
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting vice president Peter Dropick recently spoke to ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas about the organization's decision to reschedule WEC 43. The event, headlined by Donald Cerrone vs. Benson Henderson for the WEC interim lightweight title will now take place on October 10 in San Antonio, TX, and will air live on Versus.
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Ben Henderson Discusses Injury for First Time
By Ariel HelwaniSince World Extreme Cagefighting announced that Benson Henderson had suffered an undisclosed injury, which forced the organization to reschedule it's latest card from September 2 to October 10, no updates have been provided on Henderson's health status. Well, Henderson finally took to his Web site, SmoothBen.com, to discuss the situation:
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August 2009 MMA Rankings: The 'Return' of Big Nog
By Ariel HelwaniWelcome to Versus.com’s official MMA rankings for August 2009. Now I know arguing rankings may be an exercise in futility, but what do you say we do it anyways? Be sure to check out our male and female pound-for-pound rankings at the bottom, and then let the arguing (and name-calling) commence!
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WEC 43 Heading to San Antonio
By Ariel HelwaniWEC 43 has found a new home. The 10-fight card which was originally supposed to take place on September 2 in Youngstown, Ohio, will now take place on Saturday, October 10, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX, the home of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs.
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UFC Looking to Add Lighter Weight Classes
By Ariel HelwaniLet the UFC/WEC merger rumors begin again. At UFC 101, Dana White shot down a rumor that both organizations would be merging in the near future. However, when White was asked at the UFC 102 pre-fight press conference on Thursday whether the UFC would be adding any new weight classes, he indicated that fans may be seeing lighter weight fighters fighting in the UFC soon.
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Reports: 'Razor' Rob McCullough vs. Anthony Pettis at WEC 44
By Ariel HelwaniAfter spending some time on the sidelines nursing a hand injury, "Razor" Rob McCullough (17-5) appears ready to return to action. Reports indicate that the former WEC lightweight champion has verbally agreed to fight up-and-comer Anthony Pettis (7-0) at WEC 44, however, McCullough's agent, Ken Pavia, recently told Versus.com that no bout agreements have been signed as of yet.
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Video: Which Randy Couture Will Show Up at UFC 102?
By Ariel HelwaniThe ageless Randy Couture returns to action this Saturday night at UFC 102 against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. This is a dream match-up for long-time MMA fans, as it pits former UFC champion, Couture, against former PRIDE and interim UFC champion, Nogueira. The big question heading into this bout is what does the 46-year-old Couture have left?
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Video: Ben Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone Will Still Headline October WEC card
By Ariel HelwaniThe Ben Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone interim title fight may have been postponed due to a Henderson injury, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening soon. WEC vice president Peter Dropick said on Tuesday that the bout will instead take place on October 10 in a yet-to-be determined location.
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WEC 43 Rescheduled for October 10
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting announced on Monday that they have decided to postpone their September 2nd card after headliner Ben Henderson suffered an undisclosed injury. The organization's next event has now been rescheduled for October 10, however, it is currently unknown whether the event will still take place at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio.
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Video: Jake Rosholt Looks to Get Back on Track at UFC 102
By Ariel HelwaniJake Rosholt lost the first fight of his career and his UFC debut in one night this past Feburary. Next, he faces veteran Chris Leben at UFC 102 on Saturday. It's an important fight for both men as they are both coming off losses and also have something to prove.
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Video: 'Shogun' Rua 'Pleasantly Surprised' to Receive Title Shot vs. Lyoto Machida
By Ariel HelwaniMany MMA fans were surprised when Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was picked to face Lyoto Machida for the light heavyweight title and not, say, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. In fact, "Shogun" even told Versus.com that he was surprised by the decision as well. That's not to say that the former PRIDE star doesn't deserve a shot at the 205-pound belt.
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WEC's Eddie Wineland Watches Roof Blow Off Apartment in Severe Storm
By Ariel HelwaniWEC bantamweight fighter Eddie Wineland witnessed a storm completely rip off the roof of his NorthWest Indiana apartment complex on Wednesday night. Luckily, no one appears to have been seriously injured in the storm. "I watched out my front window. I watched the roof go across the street to the other house. It's pretty wild," Wineland told WLS-TV.
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Around the World of WEC: Bowles, Brittany, Mexico and More
By Ariel HelwaniNew WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles will be honored by his hometown Atlanta Braves during the team's August 25 game against the San Diego Padres. Bowles, who fights out of Athens, Ga., will meet with fans and handle the "Play Ball" announcement duties. The last time a WEC fighter was honored by his hometown town, a pitcher threw a perfect game, so let's see if this can become some kind of WEC-MLB streak.
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Urijah Faber: Child Star
By Ariel HelwaniApparently former WEC featherweight champion Urijah had that "it" factor when he was a youngster. Check out this promo for a now-defunct Sacramento radio station. That dashing young man you see throughout the clip is "The California Kid."
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Karalexis vs. Pettis Off WEC 43; Assuncao vs. Jabouin Promoted to Main Card
By Ariel HelwaniThe WEC 43 card received a slight makeover on Tuesday when lightweight fighter Alex Karalexis (10-4) was forced to pull out his scheduled bout against Anthony Pettis (7-0) due to an arm injury. As a result, the Raphael Assuncao (13-1) vs. Yves Jabouin (14-4) featherweight fight has been promoted to the televised portion of the card. WEC 43 airs live on Versus from the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, on Wednesday, September 2.
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Cole Province Tests Positive for Steroid at WEC 42
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting featherweight fighter Cole Province, who defeated Fredson Paixao via unanimous decision last week at WEC 42, has tested positive for the anabolic steroid Methasterone. Province's test was the only positive one from the event. Miguel Torres, Brian Bowles, Dominick Cruz, Takeya Mizugaki, Leonard Garcia, Shane Roller, Ed Ratcliff and Diego Nunes were selected for tests and passed.
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Video: Jamie Varner Likes Ben Henderson at WEC 43, Hopes to Return in December
By Ariel HelwaniDonald Cerrone and Ben Henderson will battle for the interim lightweight title at WEC 43 on September 2, but Jamie Varner would like to remind everyone that he is still the reigning and defending WEC lightweight champion. Varner has been unable to compete since fracturing his hand in his successful title defense against Cerrone in January. Since then, both men have engaged in a heated war of words.
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Mark Hominick vs. Deividas Taurosevicius Added to WEC 43
By Ariel HelwaniAn exciting featherweight match-up has been added to World Extreme Cagefighting's next card in Youngstown, Ohio. Mark Hominick will face former IFL veteran Deividas Taurosevicius on the event's undercard. The headlining act for WEC 43 is an interim lightweight title fight between Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson.
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Dana White: No Plans for UFC-WEC Merger
By Ariel HelwaniDana White created a buzz among World Extreme Cagefighting fans when he was asked at the UFC 101 pre-event question-and-answer session on Friday if he would ever consider merging the UFC and WEC. "We're talking about that right now, possibly," White told a fan prior to Friday's weigh-in for UFC 101 at the Wachovia Center.
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'Underdog' Castillo Hoping for WEC Lightweight Title Shot
By Ariel HelwaniIf not for Brian Bowles' stunning knockout victory over then-WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres, Danny Castillo would have surely won the knockout of the night award for his come from behind victory over Ricardo Lamas at WEC 42 on Sunday night. The WEC lightweight fighter was losing the majority of the fight before he connected on a straight right hand with close to a minute left in the second round that knocked Lamas to the mat.
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Brian Bowles Suffers Broken Left Hand in Title Victory
By Ariel HelwaniThe similarities between Brian Bowles' upset over Miguel Torres on Sunday and Mike Brown's shocking victory over Urijah Faber last November continue. Following Brown's victory, the WEC featherweight champion revealed that he had badly injured his ribs towards the end of the bout, and Versus.com confirmed with Bowles' manager, Andrew Beach, on Monday that the new WEC bantamweight champion broke his left hand at the very end of his fight against Torres.
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Post-WEC 42 Notes: Awards, Bowles' Hand, Torres' Future, More
By Ariel HelwaniWorld Extreme Cagefighting officials handed out $10,000 in bonuses to Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez, Dominick Cruz and Rani Yaha following WEC 42 Sunday night in Las Vegas. Bowles earned the knockout of the night award after he defeated former bantamweight champion Miguel Torres in the first round. The victory is considered by many to be the biggest upset of the year in MMA.
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Brian Bowles Knocks Out Miguel Torres, Captures WEC Bantamweight Title
By Ariel HelwaniMove over, Mike Brown, there's a new upset kid in World Extreme Cagefighting. Brian Bowles shocked the MMA world on Sunday night when he defeated Miguel Torres via first-round knockout to capture the WEC bantamweight title. Torres had won his last 17 fights in a row, a streak that dated back to June 2004. It was only his second loss in 39 professional MMA fights.
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WEC 42 Weigh-in Results
By Ariel HelwaniThe WEC 42 weigh-ins were held on Saturday at Body English at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The event, headlined by Miguel Torres vs Brian Bowles for the WEC bantamweight title, airs live on Versus Sunday beginning at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT.
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Joseph Benavidez Ready for Final Stop in Title Chase
By Ariel HelwaniIn the weeks leading up to his fight against Dominick Cruz at WEC 42 (Versus, Sunday, 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT), Joseph Benavidez continues to hear that he is one step away from fighting for the WEC bantamweight title. It's an exciiting time for the 25-year-old undefeated fighter, but don't think for a second that he is looking past Cruz. "I'm totally focused on Dominick Cruz," Benavidez said. "He's a dangerous and anybody would be a fool to not take him very seriously.
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VS Announcer Todd Harris Breaks Down WEC 42
By Ariel HelwaniAs the voice of World Extreme Cagefighting on Versus, Todd Harris has witnessed some amazing fights, and he seems confident that he will see a few more this Sunday night while calling the action at WEC 42 in Las Vegas (Versus, 9PM ET / 6PM PT). Versus.com spoke to long-time sports broadcaster about how he got involved with the WEC and Versus and his thoughts on this Sunday’s WEC 42 card, headlined by Miguel Torres vs. Brian Bowles.
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Shaquille O'Neal Is Coming to WEC
By Ariel HelwaniShaquille O'Neal appears to have officially caught the MMA bug. Check out the videos above where the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks to be seriously training. Could he transition into an MMA career once his NBA days are done? Crazier things have happened (see: Canseco, Jose).
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Leonard Garcia Anxious to Begin His Road Back to the Title
By Ariel HelwaniLeonard Garcia has been looking forward to his next fight from the moment his last one ended. Of course, when we last saw Garcia in action, he lost to current WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown. Garcia returns to the WEC cage on Sunday to face Jameel Massouh (21-5), and as you can clearly tell in our Versus.com interview, he's very anxious to erase the memory of his last fight.
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'WEC: Torres vs Bowles' in Quotes
By Ariel Helwani"WEC: Torres vs. Bowles" is just six days away, and the talk is heating up online about it. Read some interesting quotes from the key figures involved in what is shaping up to be a memorable event.
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