WEC 53 will not only be the last WEC card of the year, but it will also be the ZUFFA owned promotion's final card ever. It was announced a couple months back that the WEC and almost all of it's fighters would be absorbed into it's parent/sister promotion, the UFC.
This process began back in 2009, when the and Middleweight and welterweight divisions were absorbed by the UFC, leaving the WEC as a stable for the lighter weight classes of lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight fighters. Currently, the UFC plans on adding the BW and FW divisions to it's lineup, which currently features Heavyweight down to Lightweight fighters. This is where things start to get interesting.
Not only does the introduction of the smaller weight classes contribute to more fast paced and exciting bouts, but it also presents new championship belts. Jose Aldo was crowned as the first UFC Featherweight Champion at UFC 123. Tonight will determine who will be dubbed the first ever UFC Bantamweight Champion, as current title holder Dominick Cruz squares off against top contender Scott Jorgensen.
The most interesting aspect of the merger in my opinion lies in the lightweight division. As it stands, the LW division is one of the deepest and most talented divisions in the UFC. Since the WEC only utilized three weight classes, they also had a large depth of fighters at LW. This means we are about to see A LOT of crazy lightweight matchups that not only will be fast paced, but will also have potential for flashy submissions and devastating knock outs.
As for the champions of the lightweight division, it gets even better. Where as the current FW and BW champions of the WEC were basically just handed a new belt that said UFC on it instead, the lightweight division will feature a 4 man tournament, with the UFC LW title on the line.
Tonight, WEC LW Champion Ben "Smooth" Henderson will defend his belt against number 1 lightweight contender Anthony "Showtime" Pettis. On January 1st, just over two weeks from now, current UFC LW Champion Frankie "The Answer" Edgar will defend his title against the only person he's ever lost to, undefeated wrestler Grey "The Bully" Maynard. It has been announced by the UFC that the winners of each of these matchups will square off in 2011 for the Undisputed UFC Light Weight Championship of the Woooooorld!
So needless to say, WEC is not holding back with their last show and really wants to put on a show as they join forces with the UFC. Since many of these guys will be featured in upcoming UFC cards next year, it would be good to tune in now and try to be familiar with a few of them, especially the champions. Without further ado, here are my preview and predictions for WEC 53: Henderson vs Pettis.
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155lbs)
Bart Palaszewski vs Kamal Shalorus
What to Expect: Both of these guys are the type of fighters who don't really mind where the fight goes and feel comfortable fighting pretty much anywhere, though Kamal is a more decorated grappler and wrestler. Whether standing or on their back, each fighter is usually able to keep active and keep the fight interesting. The one difference between them is that "Bartimus" has much more experience than Shalorus. The Polish fighter had a long career in the IFL where he faced UFC contender Jim Miller, and is currently on a four fight win streak with one of those victories coming over Anthony Pettis, who is featured in the night's main event.
My Prediction: Look for these two to trade right of the bat. Both of them are aggressive on the feet and don't mind getting into exchanges. I see Shalorus using his superior grappling to pick up an edge on Palaszewski, grinding him against the fence and taking him down with ease. Shalorus doesn't really have the power to finish, but should be able to take a clean cut one sided decision in an exciting matchup. I'm not say Bart will just fall down and get beat on, as he is one to always put up a fight, but Shalorus seems to just have his number in this one.
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155lbs)
Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone vs Chris Horodecki (pronounced Whore-o-desky, damn Polish bastard).
What to Expect: If you've never seen either of these guys fight, then you're in for a treat. Horodecki is just 23 years old, but has been fighting since he was 18, accruing a 16-2 record over that time. He looks like a small, blond child, but the kid has some hands. Chris dominated the IFL for much of 2006 and 2007, going 8-1, including this little known about gem against Shad Lierley. In my opinion this is one of the most exciting MMA fights you'll ever see. Fuck Forrest Griffin vs Stephan Bonnar, this fight is where it's at.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2krgg_chris-horodecki-vs-shad-lierley_sport
Another bonus, it's commentated by Bas Rutten :).
So anyways, now that you know who Horodecki is, Cerrone is no walk in the park. The Cowboy is one of the more exciting fighters in the WEC. A Greg Jackson disciple, Cerrone has put on some amazing performances in the Octagon, including his bouts against Rob McCullough, Jamie Varner I & II, Krause, Ratcliff and his first bout against Ben Henderson. Cerrone is a tall and lean fighter for this division, but uses his length and power very well.
My Prediction: This fight should be an absolute war on the feet. Horodecki loves to duke it out on the feet, and Cerrone is game wherever the fight goes. Horodecki will need to use his jab to try and get inside of Cerrone's reach. While Cerrone is very exciting, he has been prone to fighting a bit wreckless in attempts at putting on an exciting performance. This is a really tough one to call. I'm going to go with Horodecki via second round knockout in this one, although Cerrone's length may be a little too much for him. I'm just hoping for an all out war from both fighters and look forward to seeing each of them fighting in the UFC.
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION (135lbs)
UFC Bantamweight Champions on the line
Champion Dominick Cruz vs Scott Jorgensen
What to Expect: In the night's first championship bout, the 16-1 Dominick Cruz takes on the 11-3 Scott Jorgensen. Cruz, who formerly fought at featherweight, dropped down to bantam less than two years ago and has found great success in the division, utilizing his length, reach and wrestling against the somewhat smaller fighters. In this fight, he will once again hold an advantage over his opponent in each of those departments. But Jorgensen is no joke. In a division featuring Urijah Faber, Miguel Torres, Mizugaki, Brian Bowles, and others, it's not easy getting a shot the belt. Since the beginning of 2009, Jorgensen has fought seven times, going 6-1, including winning his last five. A hungry fighter, he is determined to get that belt.
My Prediction: While Jorgensen has the desire and will power to win, it still may not be enough. Cruz is a very resilient fighter. He can take a beating and give the licks right back. Due to his size and wrestling background, it is very difficult for fighters to bring the champion down. Fortunately for Jorgensen, he was a collegiate wrestler and accomplished grappler. It isn't too often that we see Cruz on his back, and don't forget that his only loss did come to Urijah Faber via submission. If Cruz is able to fend off the clinch and grappling of Jorgensen, he should have no problem using his punches to control the distance and pace of this fight. Jorgensen either needs to take this fight to the mat or Cruz will walk away with an easy decision. My money is on the latter.
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155lbs)
WEC Lightweight Championship on the line
Ben "Smooth" Henderson vs Anthony "Showtime" Pettis
What to Expect: These guys are not only the two most exciting lightweights in the WEC, but possibly two of the most exciting lightweights in all of MMA. I'm honestly having difficulty finding the words to describe these guys. Here is a highlight of Pettis and what he does best.
Pettis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjrNqYsAMuk - you can mute this one, but just look at the destruction he lays upon people.
Bendo unfortunately doesn't really have many good highlights online, and several of them have been taken down. But he is an incredibly versatile fighter who is quick off his back and has good hands. With most of his wins coming via submission, he is always a threat to his opponents when on the mat. The bottom line is both of these guys love to fight. When you see Pettis, you can almost instantly tell that he's the type of kid who loves to throw down with someone, and is willing to engage literally anywhere the fight goes.
My Prediction: Fight of the Night, Fight of the Year, hell this could be one of the most exciting fights we'll see this decade. This one should be an absolute all out war, and I'm pulling for Pettis in this one because this kid is as exciting as they come. 3rd round TKO for Showtime.
So that about sums it up. The card airs tonite on Versus Network at either 8 or 9pm, check your local listing. While many of my predictions for this event end in decision, each of these fights should be non-stop, back and forth action from bell to bell. Also, in the event that any of the fights do end in the first round or so, there are several very interesting preliminary bouts which may be aired on the main card if there is enough time. Either way it looks to be a very exciting night of fights and a great farewell to a promotion that has been giving us quality MMA for the past 9 years. Farewell WEC, and it will be great to see all of these fighters under the UFC banner.
Hope everyone enjoyed the read, and enjoy the fights.
My Prediction:
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