(Image: WEC.tv)

The second major MMA event of the weekend has come and gone and it was a very entertaining card.  The main event of Urijah Faber Vs. Jens Pulver was a fantastic battle that should have fans reaching a new level of respect for both fighters.  While it was a rather clear unanimous decision victory for the winner, both fighters made a real fight of it and the back and forth action made for a great match through five solid rounds.

The co-main event was no slouch either with Miguel Torres and Yoshido Maeda putting together another bang up match in the even lighter Bantamweight class.  What other MMA event would feature it’s two main events in the lightweight class, let alone a Feather and Bantamweight line-up.  The recipe worked though and the action was outstanding.

In a reflective sense, after taking in the two major MMA events this weekend, EliteXC certainly put together a big show, but it was nowhere near the entertaining package that the WEC pulled off tonight.  With CBS riding the MMA wave for weekend ratings, many spectators were exposed to Mixed Martial Arts as a sport for the first time this weekend in their living-rooms.  While CBS may have seen favorable ratings, the better service for the sport in general would have been served through a prime-time airing of the WEC event.  Less of the showmanship and more of the show… what more can I say?

Here are the official results from tonight’s WEC “Pulver Vs. Faber”: (Don’t click if you don’t want to see them)

Read the rest of this entry »

 (Image:UFC.com)

WEC will be airing a Faber Vs. Pulver preview show titled “Outside the Cage” that will air next Monday, May 26th on the VERSUS  Network.  The show is a one hour behind he scenes look at both fighters and is reminiscent of the popular UFC promotional spots that air in the week leading up to PPV events.

In a quote from the WEC site,

” The program will give viewers unprecedented access to Urijah Faber, Jens Pulver and Miguel Torres in advance of their showdowns on June 1. The special includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of each fighter in their hometowns, in their training facilities and in their homes as they prepare both physically and mentally for their respective fights.”

This is a huge fight for the WEC as both Pulver and Faber have a huge fan following and it is in many ways the intersection of old school MMA and the new breed of MMA.   The card doesn’t really need much in the way of promotion, but the fans will certainly appreciate the sneak peek at the two fighters leading up to what is destined to be an epic featherweight showdown.
Check the VERSUS site for channel information in your area.

 (Image:WEC.tv)

Ticket sales for the pending Featherweight battle between Jens ” L’il Evil” Pulver and current WEC champion Urijah “California Kid” Faber have been so successful that the WEC has decided to release additional tickets to the event.
WEC management had originally planned to sell only lower bowl tickets to the event that is scheduled to take place June 1st at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA.  In an article on UFC.com, WEC management reports indicate that they opened up the higher level seats to accommodate fans who would not otherwise have been able to attend the event.

With a reported 8,000 tickets sold to date, this will be a huge event for the WEC and a testament to the talent that these two Featherweight fighters possess as well as their respect in among the MMA fan-base.  Honestly, any MMA event that is selling out with a Featherweight main event is doing extremely well.  Like boxing, MMA bouts are usually marketed around the heavier weight classes, primarily for the KO power that the heavier fighters bring to the table.   In this case, Pulver has his own crazy KO power in that wild left hand and this is indeed a fight that the fans want to see.

Only a few more weeks until we see who will walk out of the event as the WEC Featherweight Champion…. this one should be great. Check out the full fight card details below:

Main Event:
Urijah Faber Vs. Jens Pulver

 Main Card:
Yoshiro Maeda Vs. Miguel Torres
Chuck Grigsby Vs. Mark Munoz
Kenneth Alexander Vs. Rob McCullough

Undercard:
Richard Crunkilton Jr. Vs. Donald Cerrone

Jeff Curran Vs. Mike Brown
Chase Beebe Vs. Will Ribeiro
Tim McKenzie Vs. Eric Schambari
Alex Serdyukov Vs. Luis Sapo
Jose Aldo Vs. Alexandre Nogueira
Charlie Valencia Vs. Dominick Cruz