The WEC returns to Versus tonight for their final event of 2009, and a lightweight bout between Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff is set as the night's main event. Check back tonight for this live blog with my thoughts on the event as it airs, beginning at 10PM ET, and then later tonight for Torch Editor Jamie Penick's full round by round report on the fights.
After a two-hour "WEC Best of 2009" special, and what a great year it was for the little promotion that could, we're live at the Pearl at the Palms in Vegas for WEC 45. Its a card relatively devoid of big names and a title fight, but this main card looks sneaky good, and Cerrone has become absolutely must-see tv in the last year+.
FIGHT 1 - TAKEYA MIZUGAKI VS. SCOTT JORGENSEN
I'm a big Jorgensen fan, but I think this might be one of those "different levels" fights. I don't think he can stand with Mizugaki and I think he's gonna have a lot of trouble getting it to the mat. Preliminary prediction: Mizugaki by decision.
Round 1 - Sometimes I like being wrong. Great first round goes to Jorgensen. He dropped Mizugaki with a big shot in the first ten seconds, did so again later in the round, and in between scored a takedown. Mizugaki landed some nice shots too, but nothing that did the damage of Jorgensen's punches.
Pelkey's scorecard: 10-9 Jorgensen
Round 2 - Another good round for Jorgensen. The paced slowed after a fairly blistering first, but Jorgensen scored three takedowns, won the exchanges in the clinch and continued to land the heavier shots when they were trading. It might be "don't do anything stupid" mode for Jorgensen in the third. The takedowns are scoring points, but Mizugaki has proven impossible to hold down and he started to get in a groove on the feet towards the end of the round. Still, he needs a finish in the last round to pull out the win.
Pelkey's scorecard: 10-9 Jorgensen
Round 3 - Mizugaki finally takes a round, but barring some seriously questionable judging it should be too little, too late. Even exchanges on the feet, but Mizugaki was able to take down a tired Jorgensen twice and actually hold him there, something Jorgensen was unable to do to Mizugaki throughout the fight. Good fight.
Pelkey's scorecard: 10-9 Mizugaki
Winner: Scott Jorgensen by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Star Rating: (***-) Really good first round, followed by consecutively not-as-good rounds. Two bantamweights showing off the full range of skills.
Ramifications: Biggest win of Jorgensen's career, but that third http://mmatorch.com/artman2/admin.cgi?action=articleEdit&num=3968round will give him some things to work on. Mizugaki is no joke, so Jorgensen shouldn't be any more than two wins from a title shot. The winner of tonight's Benavidez/Yahya tilt makes sense as his next opponent.
We get an interview with Ben Henderson and Urijah Faber to promote WEC 46. Conspicuous by his absense? WEC lightweight champ Jamie Varner. Did they finally figure out he gets booed every time he's on camera?
FIGHT 2 - JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ VS. RANI YAHYA
Yahya is painfully one-dimensional, but he so good at what he does it doesn't matter most of the time. If you can drag him deep into the fight he tends to lose a bit of zeal. Still, I think Benavidez is too inexperienced to avoid Yahya grabbing a hold of him. Prediction: Yahya by submission in round 1.
Round 1 - Well that didn't take long. With a week chin and rudimentary stand-up, Yahya employs the brilliant gameplan of...standing with Benavidez. He never attempted a takedown, ended up getting dropped with a big punch, and eat several more on the ground before Kim Winslow stopped it. He popped right up after the stoppage, but he was done. Good call by Winslow and it occurs to me I've probably seen 10 fights that she's reffed now and I can't remember a single instance where I thought, "wow, she really blew that one". I think that's a good sign.
Winner: Benavidez by TKO at 1:35 of round 1
Star rating: (*+) Impressive, decisive victory for Benavidez, but not much to it other than that.
Ramifications: Benavidez is back on track after the blip against Dominick Cruz. They asked him in the post-fight interview about fighting Miguel Torres, so I'm guessing that's what's next. The fight will be in March and considering Benavidez doesn't have a scratch on him from this fight, that should be plenty of time to get ready. Yahya needs to fight smarter if he's going to continue to be so one-dimensional.
And with a first round finish, we get our first prelim on the broadcast.
PRELIMINARY FIGHT A - BRANDON VISHER VS. COURTNEY BUCK
I'm not familiar with either fighter so I won't even embarrass myself with a prediction.
Round 1 - Crazy start to this one as both guys come out winging haymakers for the first thirty seconds. Both guys gave everything they had, but after the adrenaline dump of the first thirty seconds, the story became Visher's ability to control Buck on the mat. Towards the end of the first, Visher landed a series of hammer fists that put Buck's lights out.
Winner: Brandon Visher by TKO at 4:45 in round 1
Star rating: (***) Very exciting one round fight with both fighters going balls to the wall. If Buck had any wrestling/grappling ability at all this could've been a classic.
Ramifications: Buck should earn himself another fight with that effort. Visher is undefeated, but until we see him against some of the better featherweights we won't really know what he has.
FIGHT 3 - CHRIS HORODECKI VS. ANTHONY NJOKUANI
I have a feeling Horodecki isn't quite as good as people think, and Njokuani is a little better than people realize. That makes this one a coin flip for me. Prediction: Njokuani by TKO in round 1.
Round 1 - Well I nailed that prediction. Njokuani came out supremely confident from the outset, and with good reason. Horodecki's only hope was to win a kick-boxing match and thirty seconds in it became clear that wasn't gonna happen. Njokuani won the early exchanges, took Horodecki down with a beautiful throw, and then let him up. Horodecki basically turned his back and tried to run away to reset himself, but Njokuani followed him and leveled him with a high kick. He followed with some ground and pound, but this one could've been stopped after the high kick and I wouldn't have argued.
Winner: Anthony Njokuani by TKO at 3:33 in round 1
Star rating: (**+) Spectacular display by Njokuani. This was basically a 3 minute beatdown, but that high kick was highlight reel material.
Ramifications: Njokuani should fight the winner of tonight's main event next. And yes, that means I think Cerrone should have to win two more to get back in the title picture. If Cerrone can get through tonight relatively unscathed, they could really load up the March card and have a #1 contender fight between Njokuani and Cerrone. Horodecki needs to drop to 145. He was way to small against Njokuani. Oh, and someone might also want to tell him never to turn your back and run away from your opponent.
Another quick finish gives us another prelim.
PRELIMINARY FIGHT B - BRAD PICKETT VS. KYLE DIETZ
Round 1 - Basically the whole round was Pickett on top, Dietz on his back, and not much damage either way. Pickett almost had a triangle locked up but the buzzer went off. I'm expecting something spectacular in the second round, because right now I'm not sure why this made the broadcast.
Pelkey's scorecard: 10-9 Pickett
Round 2 - Well the second round started great and ended better, but the middle was a carbon copy of the first. The two came out swinging like crazy, but eventually Pickett caught a body kick and took Dietz down. He stayed on top until about thirty seconds left in the round. Dietz tried to get back to his feet using the fence, and Pickett transitioned into a gorgeous Peruvian Neck-Tie for the tap.
Winner: Brad Pickett by submission at 4:36 in round 2
Star Rating: (**+) Not a bad fight, just not a terribly exciting one. It gets a little bump up for the start of the second round and the fantastic submission. Tony DeSouza would be proud.
Ramifications: I immediately liked Pickett better when I found out he was English and heard his thick accent. Is that some sort of reverse-xenophobia? Anyway, the impressive finish will get him another crack. He's plenty experienced so you might as well throw him to the wolves.
Time for the main event.
FIGHT 4 - DONALD CERRONE VS. ED RATCLIFF
I don't like fights where one fighter is better in every aspect. It makes me wonder what the point is. Cerrone will have some fun on the feet, but this one eventually hits the mat and that's where it ends. Prediction: Cerrone by submission in round 2.
Round 1 - Good first round marred by two knees to Ratcliff's groin. Herb Dean took a point away from Cerrone on the second one. Tough round to score. Ratcliff was clearly getting the better of the exchanges early, wobbling Cerrone at one point, but Cerrone really started to take over late in the round. A takedown by Cerrone towards the end sealed the round for him for me. The deducted point still leaves this as an even round, and if the judges saw if for Ratcliff, this would be a 10-8. If it goes the distance, this first round is gonna be the key.
Pelkey's scorecard: 9-9
Round 2 - Huge round for Cerrone, but he had another point taken away for a knee to the groin. He really found his rhythm in the second, and was picking Ratcliff apart. Ratcliff landed a couple shots but they were few and far between and he looked to be slowing waaay down. Again the point taken away was huge, but I think that was a 10-8 round. Cerrone almost locked up a few submissions in the last few seconds to really seal it.
Pelkey's scorecard: 9-8 Cerrone
Round 3 - This fight has gone steadily downhill for Ed Ratcliff. He was a game opponent, but Cerrone absolutely out-classed him here. He really turned it on in the third, completely dominating from bell to tap. He eventually took Ratcliff down, took his back, locked up a reverse triangle/knee bar combo. Ratcliff was able to get out of that, but he succumbed to a rear naked choke not long after. Great fight, great performance by Cerrone.
Winner: Donald Cerrone by submission at 3:47 of round 3
Star rating: (****-) The groin shots and one-sidedness of the last two rounds take it down a hair, but that was a blast to watch. Cerrone may be the most exciting fighter in the game right now.
Ramifications: Cerrone should have to win one more fight before getting another title shot. His only losses have been to the champ and interim champ, but you can't keep giving him title shots just because you like him. He needs to earn it. Match him up with Njokuani for the shot at the winner of Varner/Henderson.
Well that's another WEC in the books. Another great event, but that seems to be becoming ho-hum for them. Big time thumbs up.
Watch WEC 45 “Cerrone vs Ratcliff”: Live Results and Round by Round
updates here. The top lightweight contenders Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff
will come face to face in the main event of WEC 45 on the 18th December at
The Palm Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
