Rich Hansen's Take
THE MMABLOWTORCH: Instant reaction to WEC-UFC merger news and some questions
Oct 28, 2010 - 1:08:43 PM THE MMABLOWTORCH: Instant reaction to WEC-UFC merger news and some questions

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By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Columnist

So, yet again Dana White teased the MMA world with another major announcement, but this time he actually delivered. After WEC 53 in December, the WEC will cease to exist, and their fighters will be melded into the UFC. Let’s focus on the facts as we know them right now:

1.) Versus will broadcast 4 UFC events per year.

2.) Jose Aldo will come to the UFC as the UFC Featherweight Champion. He will debut at UFC 125 against a still to be named opponent.

3.) The WEC Lightweight Champion (Benson Henderson or Anthony Pettis) will debut in the UFC in a title unification fight against the UFC Lightweight Champion (Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard).

Those are the facts as they stand today.

Four thoughts and questions have come to my mind. I don’t have the answers, these are just my instant reactions.

1.) Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter needs to feature Urijah Faber versus Miguel Torres. It's not enough to just say, "These WEC guys are stars." They need to be exposed to the biggest possible audience, and that audience is 13 weeks of coaching on The Ultimate Fighter, followed by a fight on the June PPV, with the winner getting a UFC Bantamweight Championship title shot.

2.) Who will Jose Aldo defend against? Mark Hominick was the odds on favorite to get the next shot, but that was while the WEC was the brand. Now that Aldo's defense is going to be under the UFC brand, is Hominick a big enough name? Will the winner of Grispi vs. Koch on November 11 get the shot? Neither of those guys has a bigger name than Mark Hominick. Or will it be a current UFC Lightweight fighter who drops down to 145? Can Kenny Florian get down to 145? Guillard? Griffin?

3.) The UFC cage is larger than the WEC cage by five feet in diameter. Which WEC fighters will suffer by that, and which WEC fighters will find the larger cage to their liking? Will anyone ever get leather on Dominick Cruz?

4.) WEC fighters are paid far less than their UFC brethren. Will all WEC fighters who get transferred over to the UFC receive better paying contracts?

5.) Most importantly, and certainly least likely to be discussed over the next several weeks... What does the future hold for WEC ring girl extraordinaire Brittney Palmer? Will she become the hottest UFC ring girl of all-time, or will she be released like the two hottest UFC ring girls before her, Logan Stanton and Natasha Wicks. These are the types of questions which need answers!!!