Dominick Cruz Not Surprised to Be Facing Joseph Benavidez Again

The next couple of weeks are looking pretty, pretty, pretty sweet for MMA fans; first we have this Wednesday’s WEC, Saturday night will feature Strikeforce’s “King Mo vs. Feijao” card, as well as, Sengoku 14 (that’s a promotion in Japan for you MMA-lite fans), and then next Saturday of course is UFC 118. Not too […]

Dominick_Cruz

The next couple of weeks are looking pretty, pretty, pretty sweet for MMA fans; first we have this Wednesday’s WEC, Saturday night will feature Strikeforce’s “King Mo vs. Feijao” card, as well as, Sengoku 14 (that’s a promotion in Japan for you MMA-lite fans), and then next Saturday of course is UFC 118. Not too shabby.

First things first is Wednesday’s WEC, which will feature a rematch between bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and Joseph Benavidez, and if you’ve seen these guys throw down before you know that there’s a damn good chance you’re going to be entertained. Cruz earned a UD win over Benavidez last September, and based off that experience, it doesn’t sound like he was too surprised when Benavidez took out Rani Yahya and Miguel Torres. Speaking to MMA Weekly about his upcoming title defense Cruz said:

“I always knew he had the potential to do what he did for those fights,” Cruz told MMAWeekly Radio. “Everything about fights comes down to style match-up, and if you stand in front of Joseph and let him punch you, you’re going to get punched. The key is fighting him a specific way, making sure he can’t unload on you.”… “You’ve got to be able to change your style up, and unfortunately those guys weren’t quite able to figure it out.”

It’s also interesting to note that Cruz took the belt from Brian Bowles, who ended the long reign of Torres, who in turn was taken out by Benavidez. Well, we think that makes the fight interesting at least.

To bet on Wednesday’s action head here.

‘Smart Fighter’ Scott Jorgensen Ready for Brad Pickett

Filed under: WEC, FanHouse ExclusiveIf things go to plan, Scott Jorgensen might want to think about changing his nickname Thursday morning.

They call him “Young Guns,” which probably has more to do with his tendency to get in the pocket and throw hand…

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Scott JorgensenIf things go to plan, Scott Jorgensen might want to think about changing his nickname Thursday morning.

They call him “Young Guns,” which probably has more to do with his tendency to get in the pocket and throw hands with another willing slinger than it does any love for the Emilio Estevez movie.

But Jorgensen says his opponent on Wednesday’s WEC 50 card in Las Vegas is expecting a shootout – and if that’s the case, Brad Pickett might have to work to find one.

“He wants to stand and bang,” Jorgensen told MMA Fighting on Sunday. “Am I going to oblige him? Why? I’m smarter than that, man. I’m definitely not one to shy away from a good gun fight, but I’m a smart fighter now.”

Road to WEC: Cruz vs Benavidez – Benavidez Ep. 1

WEC 50: Cruz vs. Benavidez 2 is scheduled to take place on August 18, 2010 at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada and will feature a main event match between Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and number one contender Joseph Benavidez. Originally Urijah Faber was supposed to fight Takeya Mizugaki on this […]

Click here to view the embedded video.

WEC 50: Cruz vs. Benavidez 2 is scheduled to take place on August 18, 2010 at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada and will feature a main event match between Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and number one contender Joseph Benavidez. Originally Urijah Faber was supposed to fight Takeya Mizugaki on this card but an injury to Faber has moved the match to a later date.

Here’s the card:

Dominick Cruz vs. Joseph Benavidez
Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis
Cub Swanson vs. Chad Mendes
Scott Jorgensen vs. Brad Pickett
Bart Palaszewski vs. Zach Micklewright

Preliminary Card

Anthony Njokuani vs. Maciej Jewtuszko
Javier Vazquez vs. Mackens Semerzier
Ricardo Lamas vs. Dave Jansen
Fredson Paixão vs. Bryan Caraway
Danny Castillo vs. Dustin Poirier

“Shirt Off” Urijah Faber And Kenny Powers Talking ‘Bout Shoes

Following the recent video featuring Kenny Powers (actor Danny McBride) tearing the head off of Urijah Faber, we found another K-Swiss commercial featuring both men. It’s petty short and no body parts go flying but the “shirt off” comment is gold.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Following the recent video featuring Kenny Powers (actor Danny McBride) tearing the head off of Urijah Faber, we found another K-Swiss commercial featuring both men. It’s petty short and no body parts go flying but the “shirt off” comment is gold.

‘Kenny Powers’ Puts The Beatdown On Urijah Faber

Kenny Powers Gets Signed By K-Swiss – watch more funny videos
Check out this video clip named ‘Kenny Powers Gets Signed By K-Swiss’, Eastbound and Down (comedy series on HBO) character Kenny Powers, played by Danny McBride, has a colorful meeting with the K-Swiss company execs. His plan, stick him and Urijah Faber in the […]

Check out this video clip named ‘Kenny Powers Gets Signed By K-Swiss’, Eastbound and Down (comedy series on HBO) character Kenny Powers, played by Danny McBride, has a colorful meeting with the K-Swiss company execs. His plan, stick him and Urijah Faber in the cage and have him rip the former WEC featherweight champs head off in order to sell shoes.

Well he’s got a couple more ideas, but you’ll have to watch the video to see them. The second season of ‘Eastbound and Down’ is set to debut on Sept. 26 on HBO.

WEC Confirms Bouts For Cruz Vs. Benavidez On August 18.

In what is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the summer, World Extreme Cagefighting® has confirmed nine remaining bouts for its Aug. 18 card at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
WEC General Manager Reed Harris announced today the following bouts: Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis, Chad […]

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In what is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the summer, World Extreme Cagefighting® has confirmed nine remaining bouts for its Aug. 18 card at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.

WEC General Manager Reed Harris announced today the following bouts: Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis, Chad Mendes vs. Cub Swanson, Brad Pickett vs. Scott Jorgensen, Bart Palaszewski vs. Zack Mickleweight, Anthony Njokuani vs. Maciej Jewtuszko, Mackens Semerzier vs. Javier Vazquez, Dave Jansen vs. Ricardo Lamas, Fredson Paixao vs. Bryan Caraway, and Danny Castillo vs. Dustin Poirier.

“We are really excited to bring the best lighter weight fighters in the world back to the Palms,” Harris said. “All 10 fights on this card are dynamic and we expect to put on another one of the year’s most memorable events.”

Tickets for WEC: Cruz vs. Benavidez are on sale now and priced at $250, $175, and $100. Tickets are available at The Pearl box office, online at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices do not include service charges.

Cruz vs. Benavidez will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

Two of the world’s best lightweights collide with a potential title shot on the line when Shane Roller (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Anthony Pettis (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.). A three-time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, the 30-year-old Roller has used his top-level grappling to fuel a three-fight win streak. Owning victories over Marcus Hicks, Danny Castillo, and Anthony Njokuani, the Marc Laimon-trained fighter believes a win over Pettis on Aug. 18 will propel him to a shot at WEC gold. Eager to earn a crack at the belt himself, the 23-year-old Pettis (9-1) plans to use electric striking and high-level jiu jitsu to diffuse Roller at The Palms. Perhaps the most dynamic fighter in the 155-pound division, “Showtime” Pettis looks to win his third straight when he meets Roller in Las Vegas.

The featherweight division’s hottest prospect faces the toughest test of his young career on Aug. 18 at the Palms. Unbeaten Chad Mendes (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.), a training partner of main event stars Joseph Benavidez and Urijah Faber, takes on seasoned veteran Cub Swanson (training out of Palms Springs, Calif.) in a hotly-anticipated 145-pound contest. Since joining WEC earlier this year, Mendes (7-0) has earned solid victories over Erik Koch and Anthony Morrison. His third fight in the organization pits him against Swanson, a phenomenal grappler and crafty striker. Boasting an impressive record of 14-3, Swanson trains alongside WEC stars Donald Cerrone and Leonard Garcia, as well as UFC contender Joe Stevenson. Fresh off a Fight of the Night performance against John Franchi in November, the 26-year-old looks to derail Mendes in their summer showdown.

Four consecutive victories have left Scott Jorgensen (fighting out of Boise, Idaho) knocking on the door step of a shot at the bantamweight crown. Before earning the coveted shot, the former Boise State University wrestler faces his toughest test to date, Englishman Brad Pickett (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.). No stranger to tough fights, the 31-year-old Pickett owns 20 professional wins and is unbeaten at 2-0 in WEC. A slick submission ace who trains with former featherweight champion Mike Brown, “One Punch” hopes to leapfrog Jorgensen (10-3) on Aug. 18 and move one stop closer to becoming WEC’s first English-born world champion.

Expect a barnburner when Bart Palaszewski (fighting out of Wonder Lake, Ill.) trades leather with Zack Micklewright (fighting out of Davenport, Iowa) in lightweight action. After defeating Karen Darabedyan and Anthony Pettis in consecutive fights, the 27-year-old Palaszewski (33-13) has emerged as an immediate title contender. He hopes that a win over his 23-year-old opponent at The Palms will push him closer to a date with lightweight champion Ben Henderson. A solid striker with knockout power, Micklewright made his debut in December with an impressive victory over Muhsin Corbbrey. The Iowan hopes to continue his ascent in the WEC with a win over “Bartimus” in August.

Heavy-hitter Anthony Njokuani (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces a stern test on Aug. 18 when he collides with unbeaten Polish newcomer Maciej Jewtuszko (fighting out of Szczecin, Poland). Having earned “Knockout of the Night” honors in three out of his last four fights, the 30-year-old Njokuani believes he is the best fighter in the lightweight division. Standing in his way on the road to the title is the versatile Jewtuszko (7-0). With all of his wins coming by way of stoppage, the dangerous Polish fighter hopes an impressive win in his WEC debut can propel him into the 155-pound elite.

Recognized as one of the sport’s premier grapplers, Javier Vazquez (fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) returns to WEC after defeating Jens Pulver by first round submission in March. The 34-year-old looks to keep the momentum rolling when he locks horns with once-beaten featherweight Mackens Semerzier (fighting out of Virginia Beach, Va.). An aggressive, well-rounded fighter owning a record of 7-1, Semerzier boasts explosive athleticism and a knack for finishing fights. He’ll try to match wits with the Carlson Gracie black belt Vazquez (14-3) when the two enter the cage on Aug. 18.

An intriguing lightweight fight pits two of the division’s dominant wrestlers against one another when Dave Jansen (fighting out of Troutdale, Ore.) takes on Ricardo Lamas (fighting out of Chicago, Ill.). Training out of the same gym that has produced UFC middleweight star Chael Sonnen, the 29-year-old Jansen enters his third fight in the WEC determined to make a statement. Thus, the 11-1 Oregonian has knockout on the mind when he battles Lamas at The Palms. Having scored one of the year’s most devastating finishes in his last fight in March, the once-beaten Lamas (8-1) plans to beat Jansen to the punch on Aug. 18. The former Division III All-American wrestler looks to extend his winning streak to three with a dominant performance in Las Vegas.

Four-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion Fredson Paixao (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) scored an impressive submission victory over Courtney Buck in his last fight in March. He’ll look to make it two in a row on Aug. 18 when he takes on Bryan Caraway (fighting out of Yakima, Wash.). A polished striker with a solid ground game, the 25-year-old Caraway (14-4) believes his well-rounded game will guide him to victory next month. Aware of the submission skills possessed by Paixao (9-3, 1 NC), expect the Washington native to test the Brazilian on the feet when the two collide at The Palms.

A member of Urijah Faber’s “Alpha Male” training team, Danny Castillo (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) is an explosive athlete boasting both power and finesse. As he prepares for his seventh fight in the WEC, the 30-year-old Castillo (8-3) hopes to rudely welcome newcomer Dustin Poirier (fighting out of Lafayette, La.). An exciting lightweight with a perfect record of 7-0, Poirier believes he can be the next big thing in the WEC’s lightweight division. With all seven of his victories coming by way of stoppage, you can be sure that the Louisiana native will come out swinging on Aug. 18.

For more information, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.

About World Extreme Cagefighting®
The WEC brand is recognized as one of the premier mixed martial arts organizations in the United States. WEC, founded in 2001, is the sister organization of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and today features the most prominent light weight fighters in the world. Owned and operated by WEC Holdings LLC., and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the WEC produces live and taped events annually that are distributed through the Versus network.WEC programming is also available on Fox Sports en Espanol. In addition to its U.S distribution, WEC programming is shown on The Score network in Canada, Setanta Sports in Australia, Globosat in Brazil, and Cadena Tres in Mexico. For more information and current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. World Extreme Cagefighting® and WEC® are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by WEC Holdings, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions and are licensed to WEC Productions, LLC.

About VERSUS
VERSUS, the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR). VERSUS also airs NASCAR, NBA, UFC, college football and college basketball programming. The network is home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else, including The Daily Line, Sports Soup and Sports Jobs with Junior Seau. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About The Pearl:
The Pearl is Las Vegas’ premier concert theater boasting accommodations for up to 2,500 ticket holders. Featuring a stage just four feet from the floor and the furthest seating area being a mere 120 feet from the stage, The Pearl offers the utmost in intimate viewing of your favorite acts. Private and semi-private skyboxes are located on each side of the venue offering private bars, lounges and restrooms. The Pearl is a marvel of modern technology using only top quality sound and video equipment throughout. Hard wired to The Studio at The Palms, The Pearl allows artists to create a cost-effective live album with efficiency and without additional venue set-up. For more information, please visit www.palms.com.