Tag: WEC+53

Former Champs Urijah Faber, Eddie Wineland Targeted for UFC 128 Bout

Filed under: UFC, WEC, FanHouse Exclusive, NewsAfter delivering one of the year’s most thunderous knockouts at WEC 53 earlier this month, Eddie Wineland said he was ready for a step up in competition – that his ultimate goal was to recapture the bantam…

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Urijah Faber will fight Eddie Wineland at UFC 128.After delivering one of the year’s most thunderous knockouts at WEC 53 earlier this month, Eddie Wineland said he was ready for a step up in competition – that his ultimate goal was to recapture the bantamweight title he held four years ago.

Now that the first 135-pound champion in WEC history is a UFC fighter following the promotions’ merger, it appears his new bosses have answered that call.

MMA Fighting has learned from sources close to the situation that the UFC is targeting a bout between Wineland and former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber at UFC 128 on March 19 in Newark, N.J. Though contracts have not yet been signed, verbal agreements are in place for the fight, which would likely hold a prime spot on the event’s pay-per-view card.

Former WEC Lightweight Champ Jamie Varner Released by Zuffa

Filed under: UFC, WEC, NewsBefore his first hometown fight in nearly five years earlier this month, Jamie Varner told MMA Fighting he was fighting for his life – that a loss to Shane Roller would likely lead to a pink slip from Zuffa.

“I know if I lo…

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Before his first hometown fight in nearly five years earlier this month, Jamie Varner told MMA Fighting he was fighting for his life – that a loss to Shane Roller would likely lead to a pink slip from Zuffa.

“I know if I lose this fight, I’m probably going to get cut,” Varner said. “I’m fighting for my life, dude. So there’s a lot of pressure. But I’ve got the home-court advantage, so that’s one thing I’ve got working in my favor.”

But as Varner was afraid of, after a submission loss to Roller at WEC 53 in his native Phoenix, the former WEC lightweight champion has been released by Zuffa. The news was first reported by the MMA and video game website PunchDrunkGamer, where Varner put out an official statement. A spokesperson at Knock Out Representation, Varner’s agency, confirmed his release to MMA Fighting on Tuesday, but declined comment.

WEC 53 Bonuses Go to Pettis, Henderson, Wineland, Roller

Filed under: UFC, WEC, NewsGLENDALE, ARIZ. – The WEC handed out bonus awards for the final time Thursday night at WEC 53 at Jobing.com Arena outside of Phoenix.

Hosting its final event before merging into fellow Zuffa promotion UFC, the WEC gave out …

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GLENDALE, ARIZ. – The WEC handed out bonus awards for the final time Thursday night at WEC 53 at Jobing.com Arena outside of Phoenix.

Hosting its final event before merging into fellow Zuffa promotion UFC, the WEC gave out its customary $10,000 bonus awards to four fighters following the event. And all four came from the event’s preliminary card, which saw five of seven fights end with first-round knockouts or submissions.

WEC co-founder and general manager Reed Harris announced at the post-fight press conference that the bonus awards went to Eddie Wineland, Shane Roller, Anthony Pettis and Ben Henderson.

WEC Draws 6,000-Plus in Phoenix for Final Event

Filed under: WEC, NewsGLENDALE, Ariz. – In its final event, the WEC brought in an estimated attendance of 6,384 to the Jobing.com Arena outside Phoenix on Thursday night. Gate information was not yet available late Thursday night.

After Thursday’s WEC…

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GLENDALE, Ariz. – In its final event, the WEC brought in an estimated attendance of 6,384 to the Jobing.com Arena outside Phoenix on Thursday night. Gate information was not yet available late Thursday night.

After Thursday’s WEC 53 card, the promotion will merge with its Zuffa LLC sibling promotion, the UFC, starting in January, though there have already been several lighter-weight fights over the last two UFC cards.

Eddie Wineland Credits Composure for Four-Fight Streak

Filed under: UFC, WECGLENDALE, Ariz. – Eddie Wineland downplayed it, but it would be hard to argue against saying he’s experiencing a career transformation.

The Indiana-based fighter, who lives and trains in the shadow of Chicago while holding down a…

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Eddie WinelandGLENDALE, Ariz. – Eddie Wineland downplayed it, but it would be hard to argue against saying he’s experiencing a career transformation.

The Indiana-based fighter, who lives and trains in the shadow of Chicago while holding down a full-time gig as a firefighter is not that far removed from grinding out wins in local promotions just to get back to the WEC. But suddenly, and seemingly under many people’s radars, the first bantamweight champion in WEC history is on a four-fight winning streak.

Jamie Varner: ‘I Can Win a World Title Again’

Filed under: UFC, WEC, FanHouse ExclusiveJamie Varner is over Donald Cerrone.

Kinda. Sorta. OK, not really.

The former WEC lightweight champ has been defined the last two years by his feud with “Cowboy.” And even though Varner is 10 weeks removed f…

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Jamie Varner is over Donald Cerrone.

Kinda. Sorta. OK, not really.

The former WEC lightweight champ has been defined the last two years by his feud with “Cowboy.” And even though Varner is 10 weeks removed from his last fight with his nemesis, a unanimous decision loss at WEC 51, and even though it could be years before the world sees a rubber match between the two, and even though Shane Roller is waiting on Thursday night, Cerrone never seems to be far from his mind.

“He’s just the most disrespectful person that I’ve ever met,” Varner told MMA Fighting last week. “He shows no class in the ring, he shows no class out of the ring. I mean, he got into a fight at some amateur show with a guy – over a girl. The guy has no class. Whether I win or I lose my fights, at least I can hold my head up high. I’ve got dignity and integrity, and that guy has nothing. He’s just a lonely, uneducated hillbilly that will go nowhere in his life after fighting.”