BROOMFIELD, Colo. – Another WEC title defense, another outmatched and easily defeated opponent.
Further solidifying his standing as one of the world’s pound-for-pound kingpins, WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo made quick work of challenger Manny Gamburyan and posted an early-second-round knockout victory.
The title fight headlined WEC 51 and took place Thursday at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo. The night’s main card aired on Versus.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. – World Extreme Cagefighting officials – and
approximately 1.3 billion Chinese – can breathe a sigh of relief;
newcomer Tiequan Zhang’s debut in American mixed martial arts was a
successful one.
Zuffa LLC’s first-ever Chinese fighter – an undefeated lightweight who officials hope can help the UFC and WEC’s expansion into the world’s most populous country – secured a quick first-round submission victory over late replacement Pablo Garza.
The bout was the featured attraction on the unaired preliminary card of “WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan,” which took place Thursday at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. – Following tonight’s Versus-televised WEC 51 event, officials host a post-event press conference, and you can watch a live video stream of the proceedings here on MMAjunkie.com at approximately 12:15 a.m. ET (10:15 p.m. MT local time).
The event and post-fight presser take place at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo.
Scheduled to appear at the press conference are WEC General Manager Reed Harris, headliners Jose Aldo and Manny Gamburyan, and winning fighters from the night’s main card.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. – MMAjunkie.com is on scene and reporting live from tonight’s “WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan” event.
Tonight’s show takes place at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo. The main card
airs on Versus.
Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results
beginning at approximately 6:10 p.m. ET (4:10 p.m. MT local time) for the
preliminary card and 9 p.m. ET for the main card.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. – MMAjunkie.com is on scene and reporting live from tonight’s WEC 51 event at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo.
Be sure to follow along with the latest card updates in our WEC 51 live results post, and then discuss the event in the comments section below.
We’ll provide live round-by-round coverage and official results from the night’s preliminary card beginning at approximately 6:10 p.m. ET (4:10 p.m. MT local time) and the night’s main card at 9 p.m. ET.
At Bellator 31, one undefeated prospect punched his way into the promotion’s season-four welterweight tourney, and the finals of a women’s 115-pound tournament were set.
Bellator 31 took place Thursday at the L’Auberge du Lac Casino and Resort in Lake Charles, La., and aired live on Fox Sports.
Bellator newcomers Chris Lozano and Yoshiyuki Yoshida kicked off the televised card with an entertaining battle of wills.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. – World Extreme Cagefighting officials – and
approximately 1.3 billion Chinese – can breathe a sigh of relief;
newcomer Tiequan Zhang’s debut in American mixed martial arts was a
successful one.
Zuffa LLC’s first-ever Chinese fighter – an undefeated lightweight who officials hope can help the UFC and WEC’s expansion into the world’s most populous country – secured a quick first-round submission victory over late replacement Pablo Garza.
The bout was the featured attraction on the unaired preliminary card of “WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan,” which took place Wednesday at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo.
As expected, UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva will defend his title against Vitor Belfort during the biggest football weekend of the year. The challenger confirmed the February 5th date on his Twitter account Thursday afternoon.
“Hey guys look like I will be fighting on [feb] on superbowl week,” Belfort posted.
Belfort was scheduled for a top contender scrap with Yushin Okami at UFC 122, but was presented with an unexpected opportunity courtesy of Chael Sonnen’s failed UFC 117 drug test. The alleged PED abuser was awarded an immediate rematch with Silva, however his tainted performance quickly put that chatter to bed.
UFC president Dana White confirmed Belfort would be granted his shot at the crown last week, however wasn’t certain when Silva and his banged up ribs would be ready to go. Octagon brass were hoping for either UFC 125 on New Year’s Day or during Super Bowl weekend, but Ed Soares, Silva’s manager, hinted last week it might be closer to pigskin time because his client’s side was “still very tender.”
Belfort knocked out former middleweight champ Rich Franklin in a 195-pound catchweight bout in his last outing. Since his September 2009 return to the Octagon, he had his shoulder surgically repaired and cautiously went about his rehab. Now that the former UFC light heavyweight champ is fully healed, he’ll be looking to viciously dethrone the division’s king.
Speaking of royalty, there aren’t many fighters that warrant G.O.A.T. status more than “The Spider.” Up until his miraculous come-from-behind victory over Sonnen – and it appears we now know why the champ was pushed to those depths – nobody legitimately threatened his reign.
The planet’s deadliest assassin is prefect through his last 13 contests.
The Las Vegas Strip is expected to host the shootout, but no word on whether it will be at the Mandalay Bay Event Center or larger MGM Grand Garden Arena.
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After UFC officials initially pitched a New Year’s Day meeting between UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort, they have now set their sights on Super Bowl weekend.
Belfort today put out the word via Twitter account that he’s likely to meet Silva on the eve of football’s biggest day. It’s the third occasion Belfort has been targeted to fight the champ after two potential bookings were scratched due to injury.
Although not officially announced, the event is expected to take place Feb. 5 in Las Vegas, likely as UFC 127.
It has been a whirlwind week for Anthony Pettis. Not only did the 23-year-old have his face plastered on 2 million television screens across America courtesy of his appearance on MTV’s “World of Jenks,” but he was also rewarded with a title scrap against WEC lightweight champ Ben Henderson just hours before Monday’s debut.
Ironically, Pettis can credit this fortuitous streak to the worst day of his life, as well as the most dreadful night of his career.
“The WEC recommended a couple of fighters to MTV,” Pettis told Pro MMA Radio (transcribed by MMAMania). “[They] had a couple guys send in tapes and they chose me out of I think four other guys. I know Urijah Faber was one of them, I forget who else.”
Faber has served as the WEC’s poster boy since the dawn of time, so MTV execs must have known they had something special with “Showtime” by passing on that opportunity.
“[My dad] was killed in a house robbery and he was stabbed four or five times in the chest,” Pettis shared in the documentary. “When I have nightmares, that’s the image I have in my head.”
In one fatal swoop, the youngster was abruptly forced to become the family’s breadwinner. Ironically, he must violently go about his business in order to do so – the same way his father’s assailants did when they inexplicably took his life.
Compounding to the drama was the fact Pettis was coming off his first professional loss. A devastating win parlayed with MTV’s footage could easily propel him into superstardom, while back-to-back losses could have him searching for another means to help his mom make ends meet.
“Jenks said my show was one of the best they did. They followed me for about 12 days. One of my closest friends, Pat Barry, and I were talking about the show and what would happen if I got knocked out in the WEC and then it aired on MTV,” he said.
“Luckily, it didn’t end up that way. I haven’t had a better knockout than that my whole career. It couldn’t have gone better.”
Please click the media player below if you missed Pettis’ unforgettable appearance on “World of Jenks”:
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