What a night of WEC fights... Most of which seemed to over rather quickly, except of course for the one we all were wishing would mercifully end, but just wouldn't.
We'll recap three fights for you. First, Leonard Garia VS Jens Pulver:
The fighters come out, Garcia looking like the bigger fighter. They exchange a few punches and Garvia throws a few kicks while the fighters feel each other out. Once or twice Garcia retreats quickly as Pulver is looking for his shots. Garcia lands a right hand, and then another one that rocks Pulver. Pulver moves back, shakes his head, wobbles a bit and wipes his nose to check for blood... once he did that, you could feel the end was near, and apparently Garcia felt it too. He moved in with more devastating strikes as Pulver was backed up against the cage. Pulver collapses one leg down and Garcia continues to tee off on him until the ref steps in to stop the fight.
Dominating win for Garcia who states that he wants and deserves a title shot in his post-fight interview.
Next up, Paulo Filho VS Chael Sonnen:
The first round sees Sonnen looking to repeat his game plan from the previous fight. Using his reach, keeping it standing, and stuffing the takedown. Filho attempts the takedown, but Sonnen stuffs it. Filho rolls to his back inviting Sonnen into his guard and the ground game. Sonnen actually considers it, holding the ankles and looking to land strikes. The crowd does not like it as it's not only boring, but everyone has to be wondering what the hell Sonnen is thinking after the ending of the last fight. Round one ends in an uneventful manner, but with Sonnen winning through superior striking as well as controlling the pace.
Round 2 sees more of the same, only this time Sonnen has clearly listened to his corner and backs out each time Filho tries to get him to enter his guard. Another boring round of Sonnen using his reach and superior striking, and Filho using his... well... his... using his... NOTHING.
Round 3, and guess what... more of the same. Only this time, Sonnen actually considers entering Filho's guard at one point, probably more out of pure boredom than anything else. Frank Mir actually states that if Sonnen goes to the ground and gets caught in an armbar, he will attack Sonnen at the gate. Sonnen thinks better of it and continues to keep the fight standing, using his reach and combinations to win the round. The only thing Filho did was make a few lazy attempts at a shot, throw a total of about 4 overhand rights, and talk to an imaginary friend in the cage (no seriously... he kept looking at something and talking to "someone", even Frank Mir asked "who is he talking too? Did you see that? Who is he looking at?").
The funniest moment of the fight came right after the bell at the end of the third round. Sonnen put his hand up to high-five Filho, and when he realized that Filho was completely out of it and had a look as though he didn't even know where he was or what was going on, Sonnen actually ducked and backed away clearly thinking Filho might punch him.
Sonnen wins the fight. It was boring, but not Sonnen's fault. Sonnen followed the game plan to win, and Filho made little to no attempt to engage, win, or even make it respectable. All in all I feel bad for Sonnen who clearly prepared for a 5 round battle for the belt, and had his dream and opportunity stolen away through no fault of his own.
On to the main event, the featherweight title bout... Mike Brown VS Urijah Faber:
The fighters come out and feel each other out. Faber lands a fefw quick shots... he really is quick, with very quick hands. Brown however stays in the pocket and looks for combos. Brown looks to take Faber down with double underhooks but Faber gets away and they end up against the cage. Faber gets a thai clinch and lands a knee while Brown retaliates with a few upper cuts. Brown back Faber up agains the fence, drops to double and gets Faber down. However, Faber pops right back up and fights away. Brown lands a right hand that wobble Faber up agains the fence. Brown approaches and Faber attempts to land a backside elbow, but Brown steps in with a hard right hook that lands right on the money. Faber goes down on his back and Brown follows him down, Faber rolls to his knees, clearly still rocked. Brown lands right hands from underneath, and when Faber doesn't attempt to improve position the ref jumps in and stops the fight.
Mike Brown is your new WEC Featherweight champion.
