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The MMA Minute: Torres Sets Sights On Lightweight Division
By Ariel Helwani
March 18, 2009
On April 5, Miguel Torres hopes to successfully defend his WEC bantamweight title for the third time when he faces Takeya Mizugaki (Versus, 9pm ET) at the UIC Pavillion in Chicago, Ill.
Torres (35-1) has won his last 16 fights in a row, and, in the process, has solidified his place as the greatest bantamweight fighter in MMA history.
Should Torres defeat Mizugaki next month, most believe he will defend his title against Brian Bowles. Bowles was originally scheduled to face the champion on April 5 before injuring his back last month.
Torres still has a few interesting opponents left at 135 pounds – the winner of the Joseph Benavidez vs. Jeff Curran fight at WEC 40 comes to mind - but many have wondered if he will ever decide to test himself in another weight class.
“WEC’s got great opponents,” Torres told Versus.com yesterday. “They got a bunch of guys coming up, but I want to make the weight class popular. I think 135 is a very exciting weight class. I have the opportunity to put it on the map. I think in the past year I have done a lot for the weight class and for the WEC.
“The future is bright for 135. I want to fight here for another two or three years, and once I have solidified myself at 135, I plan on moving up in weight.”
Torres says that his reasons for wanting to move in weight are both competitive and economic.
“I can’t fight forever,” Torres says. “I can dominate 135 for the rest of my career and be comfortable, or I can test myself and be out of my comfort zone and try to make more money. I think fighting at a higher weight class, there will be bigger purses, bigger paydays and more high-profile fights. So, I am looking to do that in the future.”
Surprisingly, the 28-year-old East Chicago, Ind., native is looking to leap over the WEC’s featherweight division, and jump right into the UFC’s lightweight division.
“To go to 145, I wouldn’t get a huge bump (in pay),” Torres explained. “But if I were to go to 155 and get a three-fight deal (in the UFC), I am sure I could get a huge increase in pay. And then (I can) always come down to 135 or 145.”
Despite his plans to move up weight classes, Torres strongly believes that the bantamweight division will soon receive the respect it deserves from fans, promoters and sponsors.
“It’s just exposure and recognition,” Torres says. “The weight class just came out. We haven’t been around for a long time. Even though our fights are exciting and our fan base is huge, we just need the exposure. I know in time people will pick it up. I see myself as a pioneer at 135, and I think in five or ten years, the 135-pound weight class will be one of the most popular weight classes out there along with 145 and 125.”
Stay tuned for our entire conversation with the bantamweight champion. Torres talked openly about how emotional it will be for him to fight in Chicago at WEC 40, his fighting legacy and his growing feud with Jeff Curran.
FIGHTIN’ WORDS
“Fighting in the WEC, fighting in the states, challenging the champion at his hometown, it’s an ultimate ‘away’ fight. I am expecting huge booing from the fans, and on top of that, it’s going to be a five-rounder. Everything about this fight is ‘first time’ for me so I am really looking forward to it. I am just going to look for a knockout just like I did in all my past fights. I want to strike.”
WEC bantamweight contender Takeya Mizugaki talks to WEC.tv about his upcoming title fight against Miguel Torres. (Credit: WEC.tv)
SHOULD CHUCK STAY OR SHOULD HE GO?
Earlier this week, we wrote about Dana White’s message to Chuck Liddell, which was that unless Liddell “dazzles” White at UFC 97 in his fight against Mauricio Rua, the UFC president might have to think twice about booking “The Iceman” in future bouts.
This got me thinking about whether are we about to watch Liddell’s final fight in the UFC. So, I would like to throw the question out there: Should Chuck Liddell hang up his gloves if he losses to Rua next month? And regardless of the outcome at UFC 97, would you still be interested in seeing Liddell fight Anderson Silva at some point in the near future? Ok, technically that’s two questions, but let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
FINAL SECONDS
* Vinicius Magalhaes, not Mike Ciesnolevicz, will face Eliot Marshall at UFC 97 in Montreal. (Credit: Five Ounces of Pain)
* Good news, Michigan MMA fans: the UFC may be coming to your neck of the woods by the end of the year. (Credit: Detroit Free Press)
* Is EA Sports planning its own mixed martial arts video game? (Credit: IGN.com)
* Kimbo Slice’s MMA career may be coming to an end. Hello, boxing! (Credit: The Nassau Guardian)
* And finally, here’s a clip of BJ Penn talking to the Nevada State Athletic Commission yesterday about UFC 94’s “grease-gate” controversy. Am I the only one who is saddened by the way Penn has dealt with this whole situation? Move on, BJ. Lest you forget that while you’re wasting your time and energy on this issue, Kenny Florian is training to take your lightweight title away. If you ask me, Penn’s actions throughout the last few months, dating back to before the showdown against Georges St-Pierre, have rubbed some of the luster off his storied career. (Credit: Cage Writer)
