Falling Action: Best and Worst of WEC 52

Filed under: WECWhen the WEC disappears from the series of tubes and dishes that comprise cable TV at the end of this year, there’s some stuff I certainly won’t miss. The local news quality graphics, the budget-saver production values, the pint-sized p…

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When the WEC disappears from the series of tubes and dishes that comprise cable TV at the end of this year, there’s some stuff I certainly won’t miss. The local news quality graphics, the budget-saver production values, the pint-sized paychecks – all that can be easily forgotten.

But, as WEC 52 showed on Thursday night, the loss of this guaranteed night of action-packed fights on free TV is something that’s going to leave a void in our lives. Once again the little fighters delivered, bringing us several entertaining scraps for 145 pounds or less. For consistent quality of performances over the years, no organization has delivered like the WEC.

Getting the call to move up to the big show is good for the fighters and their bank accounts, as well as the sport in general, but it’s still bittersweet for those of us who are only now realizing how much we took for granted over the years.

But enough brooding, on to the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between from WEC 52.

WEC 52 Live Blog: Joseph Benavidez vs. Wagnney Fabiano Updates

Filed under: WECThis is the WEC 52 live blog for Joseph Benavidez vs. Wagnney Fabiano, a bantamweight bout on tonight’s WEC on Versus event from The Pearl in Las Vegas.

Joseph Benavidez (12-2) stepped in for Brian Bowles to fight Wagnney Fabiano (14-2…

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This is the WEC 52 live blog for Joseph Benavidez vs. Wagnney Fabiano, a bantamweight bout on tonight’s WEC on Versus event from The Pearl in Las Vegas.

Joseph Benavidez (12-2) stepped in for Brian Bowles to fight Wagnney Fabiano (14-2). Benavidez fell short August in his attempt to capture the WEC title from Dominick Cruz. Fabiano is 2-0 ever since moving down to bantamweight.

The live blog is below.

Reminder: Urijah Faber Makes His 135-Pound Debut Tonight

(Photos courtesy of the WEC 52 Weigh In Pics gallery on CombatLifestyle)
Urijah Faber made his public 135-pound debut yesterday at the weigh-ins for tonight’s WEC 52 event — and didn’t look a whole lot different than he did at featherweight. …

Urijah Faber WEC 52
Urijah Faber Takeya Mizugaki WEC 52
(Photos courtesy of the WEC 52 Weigh In Pics gallery on CombatLifestyle)

Urijah Faber made his public 135-pound debut yesterday at the weigh-ins for tonight’s WEC 52 event — and didn’t look a whole lot different than he did at featherweight. That’s an encouraging sign for his career rebirth at bantamweight, and it’s more than we can say for Wagnney Fabiano, who’s also on tonight’s card in his second bantamweight appearance, and is pretty freaking gross from certain angles these days. (As for Faber, he had already put on 18 pounds by last night.) WEC 52 will be broadcast live on Versus starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Pre-fight coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. ET, and post-fight coverage is slated for 11:30 p.m. ET.

The complete WEC 52 lineup is after the jump…

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WEC 52: Preview and Predictions

Filed under: UFC, WECWe’re down to two World Extreme Cagefighting events remaining until the promotion is permanently folded into the UFC, and on Thursday night we’ll get our last chance to see the WEC’s biggest star, Urijah Faber, fighting with blue g…

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We’re down to two World Extreme Cagefighting events remaining until the promotion is permanently folded into the UFC, and on Thursday night we’ll get our last chance to see the WEC’s biggest star, Urijah Faber, fighting with blue gloves in the blue cage. If he beats Takeya Mizugaki on Thursday night, Faber’s first UFC fight could be the first fight for the UFC bantamweight title, so the stakes are high. We’ve got the full preview and predictions here.

State of the UFC Bantamweights

Filed under: UFC, WECNovember is a month without any title fights, which makes it a good time to take a long view of the future title picture in each weight class. Today we look at the bantamweight division.

The decision to fold World Extreme Cagefigh…

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November is a month without any title fights, which makes it a good time to take a long view of the future title picture in each weight class. Today we look at the bantamweight division.

The decision to fold World Extreme Cagefighting into the UFC will have a big impact on the smallest fighters, and the talent-rich 135-pound division might soon be considered one of the deepest in the UFC. Our look at the state of the UFC bantamweights is below.

Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club

(Where’s a loaded musket when you need one? Props: Fighters Only)
Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…
– Josh Koscheck, George…

Michael Bisping redcoat MMA UFC Fighters Only magazine cover
(Where’s a loaded musket when you need one? Props: Fighters Only)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– Josh Koscheck, Georges St-Pierre Get UFC 124 Hype Officially Underway at Press Conference in Montreal (MMA Fighting)

– Diaz, Thomson Top 211K Fighter Payroll For Diaz vs. Noons II (Heavy.com/MMA)

– SB Nation Exclusive: UFC 120’s Mike Pyle Reflects on His Career in MMA (Watch Kalib Run)

– Why Dan Hardy vs Carlos Condit Should Be the Headline Fight at UFC 120 (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Joseph Benavidez vs. Wagnney Fabiano Booked for WEC 52 (Versus MMA Beat)

– Nick Diaz: How Do These Guys Expect to Beat Me? [VIDEO](FightMagazine)

– Comeback "Gracie Style": Exclusive interview with Daniel Gracie (LowKick)

– Antonio Silva vs. Valentijn Overeem Official For Strikeforce ‘Henderson vs. Babalu’ (MMA Convert)

– Classic Fight: Royler Gracie vs. Genki Sudo @ K-1 MMA Romanex 2004 (MMA Scraps)

– Marloes Coenen Gets a Hero’s Welcome in Amsterdam (MiddleEasy)