WORLD EXTREME CAGEFIGHTING® ANNOUNCES PAY-PER-VIEW FEATURING #1 AND #2 RANKED FEATHERWEIGHTS IN THE WORLD
JOSE ALDO DEFENDS FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST
TOP CONTENDER URIJAH FABER
AT ARCO ARENA IN SACRAMENTO, CALIF.
PLUS, HENDERSON VS. CERRONE FOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
AND BROWN VS. GAMBURYAN
Saturday, April 24
WEC: Aldo vs. Faber
Tickets on Sale Saturday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. PT
From ARCO ARENA in Sacramento, Calif.
Fight to Air Live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In what will be one of the biggest nights in MMA history, World Extreme Cagefighting® presents its most explosive card ever. On Saturday, April 24, live on Pay-Per-View from the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif., hometown hero “The California Kid” Urijah Faber attempts to capture the featherweight title from feared Brazilian knockout artist and ESPN’s 2009 Fighter of the Year Jose Aldo.
If that wasn’t enough, lightweight champion Ben Henderson collides with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in a rematch of the 2009 Fight of the Year. Their first bout featured five grueling rounds of nonstop action and both promise even more fireworks when they meet again in April. Plus, former featherweight champion Mike Brown locks horns with Armenian judo ace and The Ultimate Fighter™ finalist Manny Gamburyan in one of the most anticipated fights of 2010.
“We are building the most action-packed card we’ve ever done for our first Pay-Per-View,” WEC General Manager Reed Harris said, adding that at least five fights will make the PPV broadcast. “The Jose Aldo-Urijah Faber fight is something fans have been talking about for a long time. When those two step inside the cage, it could be one of the best fights in the history of the sport. With the Cerrone-Henderson rematch and the Brown-Gamburyan fight also scheduled, this guarantees that fans get the most bang for their buck.”
Tickets for WEC: Aldo vs. Faber go on sale Saturday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $185, $135, $75, and $40. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to WEC newsletter subscribers on Friday, Feb. 5 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the WEC newsletter through wec.tv. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting the ARCO Arena Box Office. Tickets also are available online through www.wec.tv or www.ticketmaster.com.
WEC: Aldo vs. Faber will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 ($49.99/Canada) for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
Named ESPN MMA Live’s 2009 Fighter of the Year, featherweight champion Jose Aldo (16-1) has proved to be one of the most devastating fighters to ever grace the WEC cage. After scoring consecutive knockouts in his first five WEC fights, Aldo earned a shot against then-champion Mike Brown last November. Using blazing speed and heavy strikes, the 23-year-old Brazilian upended Brown in two rounds to earn his first world championship. He now makes his first title defense against number one contender Urijah Faber and believes a win could serve as the beginning of one of the most dominant championship reigns in history.
“Urijah is a good fighter, but he’s not taking my belt,” Aldo said. “My dream has been to be the world champion. Now that I have the belt, I am not giving it up.”
Having already completed a two-year run as WEC featherweight champion in his stellar career, Sacramento, California’s Urijah Faber (23-3) is poised to recapture the belt when he takes on Aldo at ARCO Arena. Riding the momentum of his January victory over Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Raphael Assuncao, “The California Kid” believes he can diffuse the champion’s speed by using his top-notch wrestling and slick defense. What’s more, Faber has made it clear that when Aldo brings the belt to Sacramento on April 24, he’s leaving it at ARCO Arena.
“It’s Jose Aldo’s belt right now – but in my mind, that’s my belt,” Faber, who owns wins over Dominick Cruz, Jeff Curran, and Jens Pulver (twice), said. “My belief is that I should have that belt, and I’m gonna go in there and try to get it. I’m out here ready to prove it.”
“I think the guy that poses a threat to Aldo is a guy that’s just as fast as he is,” Faber continued. “That guy also has dangerous strikes, but has the advantage of dictating where the fight goes. That guy might just be me. I’ve got a proven record of submitting and grounding and pounding guys and I’m very difficult to knock out.”
WEC lightweight champion Ben “Smooth” Henderson (11-1) has defeated a Who’s Who of elite lightweights since joining the division in 2009. Owning wins over Anthony Njokuani, Shane Roller, Donald Cerrone, and most recently Jamie Varner, the 26-year-old has relied on his tremendous grappling and precision striking en route to capturing lightweight gold. The Glendale, Ariz. resident now turns his attention to a fight with Cerrone, who he battled for five grueling rounds last October.
“I expect another great fight and hopefully I’ll be able to end it this time, like I do with most of my fights,” Henderson, who unified the lightweight titles with a win over Varner at ARCO Arena in January, said. “Call me crazy, but I’m ready for another five-round war with Cerrone. Let’s have the exact same five-round, hard, all-out war. I love that, I’m not going to lie. But at the end, I want to finish it. I don’t want it to go to a judges’ decision, I don’t want any controversy; I don’t want any ifs, ands or buts. I want to end it.”
Fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is blunt when he speaks of his upcoming rematch with champion Ben Henderson. When the 26-year-old meets Henderson on April 24, he plans to pick up where the two left off last fall. Except this time, Cerrone doesn’t believe the fight will make it to the judges’ scorecards.
“What’s different this time is that I know what he has,” Cerrone, who scored a victory over Ed Ratcliff in his last fight in December, said. “He gave me everything he had last time. I know what I did wrong and what I need to fix. I feel like Ben can be finished and I’m ready to show the world that he can be put away.”
Former featherweight champion Mike Brown (23-5) believes a win over Manny Gamburyan in April will put him first in line for a crack at the winner of the Jose Aldo-Urijah Faber bout. With that said, the 34-year-old, who owns wins over Jeff Curran, Urijah Faber (twice), Leonard Garcia, and Anthony Morrison, plans to make a big statement when he fights the Armenian judo ace.
“It’s the perfect step for me right now to make my way back to the title,” Brown, who returns to scene of his last victory in Sacramento,” said. “We’re both solid takedown guys with solid jiu-jitsu, but I’m the bigger, harder puncher. I just have to crack him hard. If I hit him hard, I think he won’t want any part of it.”
Unbeaten since dropping to featherweight last year, Manny Gamburyan (12-5) considers himself among the best 145-pounders in the sport. Thanks to a dominant performance against Leonard Garcia in his last fight in November, “The Anvil” finds himself facing former champion Brown in a pivotal fight. The significance of the bout is not lost on the 28-year-old, and he believes fans will see the best Gamburyan ever on April 24.
“He’s a former world champion and I give him props,” Gamburyan said. “But I’m going to find his weaknesses and beat him. It’s going to be a good fight. I can’t wait for this fight.”
Remaining bouts for WEC: Aldo vs. Faber will be announced at a later date. 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 TSN 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 Maloof Sports & Entertainment
Maloof Sports & Entertainment includes the Sacramento Kings (NBA) and ARCO Arena. Led by Joe and Gavin Maloof, and owned by the Maloof family with long-term, local partners, the organization is committed to the community in Sacramento and to making a positive, meaningful difference in the lives of families in need in the Sacramento region. Maloof Sports & Entertainment has donated more than $17 million to charities in 10 years of Maloof family ownership. For more information about Maloof Sports & Entertainment, please visit kings.com and arcoarena.com or call 916-928-0000.
TONIGHT’S “INSIDE MMA” ON HDNET BRINGS TOGETHER SOME OF MMA’S HEAVIEST HITTERS
Jon Fitch, Jose Aldo and Ed Soares speak with Kenny and Bas, Friday, January 22 at 9:00 p.m. ET
| WHAT: On tonight’s “Inside MMA,” on HDNet, UFC Welterweight contender Jon Fitch and Brazilian fighter Jose “Junior” Aldo, will sit down on the panel with Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten. The panel will also feature one of the most significant managers in the business – Ed Soares.
Fitch (21-3-0), the UFC Welterweight Contender, has notable wins against Thiago Alves and Brock Larson. Jose “Junior” Aldo, WEC Featherweight Champ has recently beat Mike Brown to win the belt. Aldo will defend his belt against Urijah Faber. Hear from both fighters about one of the most anticipated WEC fights ever! Also joining the panel is Ed Soares, the MMA manager who is considered one of the most influential in the sport and has handled over 20 fighters including Aldo, Anderson Silva and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria. Also, Ron Kruck interviews UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, just before Couture’s headlining fight against Mark Coleman at UFC 109. WHEN: Don’t miss this episode of “Inside MMA,” TONIGHT, January 22 at 9:00 p.m. only on HDNet. |
About HDNet
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HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring five regular season games from the Premiere Season of the United Football League. HDNet also features the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, “HDNet Fights” (www.hdnetfights.com). “HDNet Fights” works with leading MMA promoters including DREAM, Sengoku, XFC, M-1, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC, Adrenaline and more. HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet’s “Inside MMA” is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA.
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Upcoming Sneak Preview films include “District 13: Ultimatum.”
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WEC Quick Quote: Urijah Faber feels he has the ‘edge’ over Jose Aldo
Written By: Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com)
“First off, you have to be able to match his speed, which I know I can do. Just be wary of all his tools. He’s got some really dangerous tools. Stand up, he’s got those low leg kicks that open things up for him. He’s got the knees that seem to reach people’s faces very, very easily, and he’s got really fast, powerful hands. So I’ll be aware of that, have good defense, and be ready to throw my own heavy punches and be able to dictate where the fight goes with takedowns. And I feel like, even though he’s a black belt, I feel like I still have the grappling edge.”
Urijah Faber sat down with Pro MMA Radio this past Monday (Jan. 11) to discuss his upcoming title fight with the young and dangerous WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Faber earned the title shot after his third round submission (rear naked choke) victory against Raphael Assuncao. This bout will be “The California Kid’s” second shot at retrieving his long lost featherweight title; a title he feels still belongs to him. Though the fight won’t take place for several months, Faber already is analyzing what he has to do to win and he feels he is exactly the kind of fighter to beat the champion. Is he?
Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo and the rest of Team Brazil predict outcome for UFC 110 ‘Silva vs Bisping’ fight (Video)
Written By: Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com)
ALDO LOOKING TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SILVA, MACHIDA
BRAZILIAN SEEKS DOMINANT REIGN AS CHAMPION
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Newly-crowned World Extreme Cagefighting® featherweight champion Jose Aldo had dreamed of winning a world title since he was a young boy. Growing up poor in Manaus, Brazil, Aldo didn’t have many material possessions, nor did he always know when his next meal would come.
Simply put, Jose Aldo was hungry. Starving, actually. But what makes this story so unique is that Aldo’s hunger could not be fulfilled by a cheeseburger. Despite his less-than-ideal upbringing, Aldo was craving a taste of success. Aldo wanted to become an elite fighter and escape the life of poverty, leaving championship gold as his only way out.
“My dream has always been to win a world title,” Aldo said. “When I started my career, I set out to be the best. I wanted a better life for my family and for myself.”
In front of a packed house at The Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas last Wednesday, the 23-year-old Aldo realized his dream, scoring a second round TKO victory over Mike Brown to win the WEC Featherweight Championship. In doing so, Aldo knocked off one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport and claimed the title he long had an appetite for. Like his fellow countrymen Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida, Jose Aldo had finally achieved his goal of becoming a world champion.
“You could see how much the title meant to Jose when he was announced as the winner,” WEC GM Reed Harris said. “Behind the devastating strikes and knockout power, Jose is actually a very emotional, humble man. To see him well up with tears was an awe-inspiring moment for me. It was a rare look at one of the most feared athletes in the sport.”
At the post-fight press conference on Nov. 18, Aldo beamed with joy as Harris announced him as the new featherweight champion. However, as Harris told the assembled media that Aldo had the potential to be as dominant as Silva and Machida, Aldo admits that his thoughts drifted back to the days in which he struggled to stay afloat. He reflected on the shortage of food, clothes, and other necessities. While Harris was gushing about his new titleholder, Aldo, at least mentally, was back in Brazil.
“It’s just nice to finally be the world champion,” Aldo said shortly after the press conference concluded. “I am so happy that my dream came true.”
As Aldo left the press conference, he handed the title belt to a member of his team and let out a huge breath of air. When asked by a WEC official how he felt, the young Brazilian offered a humorous response via his translator.
“I’m pretty hungry,” Aldo said. “I think I want a cheeseburger.”
Aldo, to no one’s surprise, is still hungry.
*VERSUS WILL RE-AIR ALDO’S CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY TOMORROW, NOV. 24 AT 8PM ET*
For more information on Jose Aldo, 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 TSN 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 celebrates real competition across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the IndyCar® Series as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Boxing. The network also offers collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12, Mountain West and Ivy League. VERSUS features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events and original programs, such as Sports Soup and The Contender that audiences can’t find elsewhere. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
Jose Aldo post fight video on WEC 44 title win over Mike Brown
By: Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com)
Can anyone at 145 pounds stop him?
Jose Aldo Steamrolls Brown to Become the World’s #1 Featherweight
By: Dallas Winston (TheGarv.com)
My jaw has not yet risen this morning from the spot on the floor where it dropped with a loud thud after witnessing last night’s WEC main event.
Never before have we seen Mike Thomas Brown dominated in a fight, especially in so many varied aspects. Aldo unveiled an amazingly sturdy takedown defense, surprising wrestling proficiency, and startling overall strength to thwart any and all of Brown’s attempts to mount significant offense. This is the same Mike Brown that twice dismantled Urijah Faber, the formerly undisputed landlord of the world’s 145 pound class who was thought to be on a pedestal above everyone else.
For this truly astounding and incredible feat, Jose Aldo has convincingly answered the questions pertaining to how good the Nova Uniao fighter really is, turning in the performance of a lifetime in the biggest fight of his career.
I had erroneously predicted that Aldo would be the fighter forced to tweak his usual modus operandi to deal with Brown’s rock-solid expertise across the board, but Jose Aldo came out with the same gameplan that had carried him up the ranks and earned him a title shot, which is one of pure, technical aggression. He imposed his daunting striking game early, making it clear that Brown would have to institute adjustments quickly or risk decapitation.
Aldo’s speed and power during exchanges on the feet were phenomenal, but heavy credit must be given to his uncanny footwork: not only did Aldo torch Brown with a scathing series of rapid-fire strikes every time they engaged in the pocket, but his graceful advances into and out of striking range caused Brown to find himself swinging at nothing but the empty air that was occupied just split seconds before by a 5′7″ Brazilian.
The palpable and overwhelming sensation that Brown was being outclassed on the feet became evident when Brown began dropping for takedowns to counteract Aldo’s stalking, but even Brown’s bread and butter was no match for Aldo’s strong base and solid sprawl. Aldo became equally predatory on the canvas, finally forcing Brown to give up his back, where he locked a vice-grip back mount and rained haymakers to the defenseless Brown until the referee intervened.
It’s one thing to cut a wide swathe through the nucleus of the WEC featherweight division and rise so impressively to the #1 contender slot, but to duplicate the same dominant and exhilerating performance against a well-rounded veteran like Mike Brown is indeed cause to predict a very long era of dominance for such a young and talented fighter. Congratulations to Jose Aldo, the world’s new #1 featherweight fighter.
The WEC has a new featherweight champion
By: ProMMA.info
Jose Aldo (16-1) took Mike Thomas Brown’s (22-5) WEC Featherweight Title Wednesday night, Nov. 18, at WEC 44, at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. Brown seemed one step behind Aldo through the entire first round as Aldo landed more strikes and Brown could not get him to the ground. Round two started the same way, but Aldo quickly poured on the heat, got his own takedown, and pounded out the win at 1:20 of the second round.
It was Nov. 2008 at WEC 36 when Mike Thomas Brown first knocked out Urijah Faber in the first round to become the WEC Featherweight Champion. For his first title defense, he submitted Leonard Garcia via first round arm triangle at WEC 39. They gave Faber one more chance at WEC 41, but Brown once again proved his dominance by taking home the five round unanimous decision.
Continue reading →
SOFT-SPOKEN BROWN LETS FISTS DO THE TALKING
MAINE NATIVE SEEKS THIRD CONSECUTIVE TITLE DEFENSE
WEC: BROWN vs. ALDO
Live From The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Nov. 18
VERSUS TO CARRY CARD LIVE BEGINNING AT 9PM ET/6PM PT
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – World Extreme Cagefighting® featherweight champion Mike Brown isn’t one to offer predictions. The quiet 34-year-old from Portland, Maine would rather let the fans and media banter about the outcomes of the sport’s top fights. However, as he prepares for his third title defense against feared striker Jose Aldo (15-1) on Nov. 18, Brown (22-4) offered a little insight on how he thinks the clash will play out.
“Someone’s going down in this one, that’s for sure,” Brown, who now trains with the renowned American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL, said. “I don’t normally make predictions; I just go out there and fight to the best of my ability. But it’s a crazy sport and I have a feeling someone is going down on the 18th.”
Take one glance at the numbers behind the Brown-Aldo title fight and it’s clear that the odds favor it ending by way of stoppage. Of Brown’s 22 professional wins, only six have gone the distance. Similarly, the 23-year-old Aldo has scored 10 TKOs and 2 submissions in 15 victories. Since all the statistical signs point toward this fight ending inside five rounds, many believe the Brown-Aldo bout could be one of the finest of the year.
“I’ve had hundreds of people ask me my thoughts on this bout and I tell them the same thing every time,” WEC GM Reed Harris said. “I have no idea how this one is going to play out. Mike Brown is the best featherweight in the game today. He’s got heavy hands, great wrestling, and such a strong desire to win.
“On the other hand, Jose is one of the hottest prospects in our sport,” Harris continued. “We know he can strike, but how will he fare when Mike closes the distance and uses his power wrestling? There are so many variables that make this fight hard to call.”
With the general public hungry to see how the Brown-Aldo title fight plays out, Brown can’t help but to get excited. Having already defeated Jeff Curran, Leonard Garcia and Urijah Faber (twice) in his WEC career, Brown believes he can stake his claim as the best 145-pound fighter ever with a win over Aldo. He thinks fans should expect to see the best Mike Brown ever when the cage door closes at The Palms next week.
“I think that if I fight like I can, I can beat anybody in the world,” Brown, who is riding a 10-fight winning streak, said. “Jose is a really good fighter who poses many challenges. But I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m ready for wherever this fight takes us. There’s only one way to do this and that’s to go out there and throw down on Nov. 18.”
For more information on WEC: Brown vs. Aldo, 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 TSN 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 celebrates real competition across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the IndyCar® Series as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Boxing. The network also offers collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12, Mountain West and Ivy League. VERSUS features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events and original programs, such as Sports Soup and The Contender that audiences can’t find elsewhere. 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 farthest 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.
WEC 44 preview and predictions for ‘Brown vs. Aldo’
By: James Iannotti (MMAmania.com)
World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) is all set for “Brown vs. Aldo” this Wednesday night (Nov. 18) from “The Pearl” at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, beginning at 9 p.m. ET on the Versus network.
WEC 44 will feature featherweight champion Mike Thomas Brown defending his title for the third time against his newest and perhaps most dangerous opponent to date in feared Brazilian striker Jose “Junior” Aldo.
Former UFC lightweight fighters turned WEC 145-pound standouts Manny “The Pitbull” Gamburyan and Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia are also set to mix it up in the night’s co-main event.
And of course there are plenty of other WEC stars who will be in action on the card as well including L.C. Davis, Diego “The Gun” Nunes, John Franchi, Cub Swanson, James Krause, Ricardo Lamas and Frank Gomez, among others.
To help get you better prepared for the festivities, I’ve laid out some quick analysis and predictions for the four main card bouts set to hit the Versus airwaves on Saturday night.
Check it out:
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- Former lightweight champ Spadafora stops Fiorletta in 8th round March 12, 2010Former IBF lightweight champion Paul Spadafora stopped Italy's Ivan Fiorletta in the eighth round Friday night. […]Associated Press
- Junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr. signs with HBO March 12, 2010Junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr., the No. 1-rated 140-pounder in the world since pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao's exit from the division, will switch to HBO. […]Dan Rafael
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- Muhammad Ali visits San Francisco Giants' clubhouse March 9, 2010Muhammad Ali showed up in the San Francisco Giants' clubhouse as part of a campaign for his charity. […]Associated Press
- Judge dismisses felony coercion charge in battery case against Roger Mayweather March 9, 2010A court clerk says a judge dismissed a felony coercion charge against boxing trainer Roger Mayweather, who faces trial June 1 on allegations that he beat and choked a female boxer at a Las Vegas apartment he owned. […]Associated Press
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. associate faces charges in Vegas shooting March 9, 2010Police say an associate of boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been arrested on attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges in an August shooting outside a Las Vegas skating rink. […]Associated Press
- Britain's Amir Khan to defend WBA light welterweight title against American Paulie Malignaggi March 9, 2010Amir Khan of Britain will defend his WBA light-welterweight title against American challenger Paulie Malignaggi on May 15 at New York's Madison Square Garden. […]Associated Press
- Devon Alexander stops Juan Urango to unify WBC, IBF light welterweight titles March 9, 2010Devon Alexander knocked out Juan Urango with a right uppercut at 1:12 of the seventh round to unify the WBC and IBF light welterweight titles on Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena. […]Associated Press
- Festive Cowboys Stadium weighs in Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey March 13, 2010
