The War Is Over: DirecTV and Versus finally come to an agreement

Don’t you just love it when multi-billion organizations fight and you are the one left on the outside looking in? The pissing match between DirecTV and Versus Network finally came to an end Monday after seven months as the two announced a deal that will put the fledgling sports network back on the air – perfect timing considering that UFC debuts there this Sunday.

Now 14 million more can see their WEC action – and now UFC – once again. All is right with the world.

Roger Huerta to return to action with Bellator Fighting Championships

The young Bellator Fighting Championships continues to add some interesting names, signing their biggest free agent to date Monday in former UFC veteran Roger Huerta. Huerta will begin work in their 155-pound tournament to kick off their second “season”.

Huerta joins Toby Imada, Ferrid Kheder, Mike Ricci, Janne Tulirinta, Chad Hinton and Carey Vanier. The tourney kicks off April 8th on Fox Sports Net. If he can win the tourney, he’ll get a shot at Lightweight World Champion Eddie Alvarez sometime in the fall.

Is it a game changer? No, but it’s a solid signing that shows Bellator wants to be a player in MMA. The signing is risky for Huerta if he doesn’t manage to win the tourney, but given that BFC is still growing, it won’t be a widely-seen career killer. The biggest question for this writer? Why didn’t Strikeforce sign Huerta?

Go to the movies and meet a UFC star

Think the UFC’s debut in movie theatres for UFC 11 isn’t a big deal? Think again. The group released a full list of where their talent will be dispatched for the March 27th event today. They will act as “hosts” for the night, doing a Q/A, signing autographs and more. Not every theatre is covered, but this is still a very cool idea.

Some weekend leftovers

- North American Fighting Championship will debut on Saturday, April 3rd, at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, WI.. The event will feature Jason Dent, Nick Agallar, Sherman Pendergarst and Joe Pearson. This is the organization co-owned by Duke Roufus, Scott Joffe and former Green Bay Packers defensive mountain Gilbert Brown. Look for smoe more coverage on the NAFC here on the Madness soon. (Thanks to www.NAFC.tv)

Here’s a commercial the group is running right now:

- Shine Fights announced Nick Thomson vs. Eduardo Pamplona for their big May 15th show at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC. The event will feature former pro boxer Ricardo Mayorga vs. veteran Din Thomas as the headliner. (Thanks to shinefights.com)

Prior to his bout last Saturday night at WEC 47, Anthony Pettis spoke with MMA Madness, telling us not to expect the usual “Showtime” in the cage against Danny Castillo.

“I’ve got a game plan for this fight. I’m gonna stick to it and get the win,” said Pettis, detailing his plan to do whatever it took to get the win, including toning down his tactics. “The next fight, I can come out and be “Showtime” again.”

While giving his fans a highlight they’ll never forget may not have been on the list of things to do heading into Saturday night, Pettis earned himself an extra $10,000 courtesy of a first round head kick that instantly won Knockout of the Night. So much for keeping “Showtime” under wraps.

“The game plan was to keep it basic,” laughs Pettis at the insinuation that he may have been putting up a front. “I just saw the opening every time I was throwing punches. If the hands can’t reach him, the foot can, and that’s what happened.”

Happened it did. Just 2:17 into the first round, Pettis connected with a perfectly-timed head kick, catching Castillo mid-punch and sending the Team Alpha Male member to the canvas and a second-straight loss. The victory put Pettis back in the win column…and the gym.

“I spoke with (WEC matchmaker) Sean Shelby,” Pettis begins, “and he said stay ready and you’re going to be called back soon.” While no specifics were given, the message was enough to send Pettis to the gym Monday morning. Does the Milwaukee, WI,  native have anyone in mind for his next fight?

“You know, I’d love to get that Bart fight,” suggests Pettis, referring to a rematch with the only man to beat him, fellow WEC 47 winner Bart Palaszewski. “But right now, I’m in the situation where I have to take whoever they put in front of me.”

One opponent the WEC could potentially put in front of the up-and-comer is former Lightweight champion Jamie Varner.

Originally scheduled to face Kamal Shalorus on the brand’s first pay-per-view event next month, the former Olympian was forced to withdraw due to injury, leaving Varner without a challenger.

“I didn’t know [Kamal Shalorlus] got hurt,” a surprised Pettis offers, before answering “Hell yes” to whether he would be interested in meeting the former champion from Arizona Combat Sports. While Varner would be a serious jump in competition for a fighter with less than ten professional bouts on his resume, Pettis knows the benefits a win would bring.

“A win against Varner would put me right in the tippy-top,” Pettis begins, thinking about the possibility of becoming a part of the pay-per-view portion of the WEC 48 broadcast.

Regardless of whether he appears on the card or not, Pettis will be making the trip to Sacramento for the company’s next event. Whether in the stands or in the dressing room, “Showtime” will get a chance to see some of the fighters ahead of him in the lightweight rankings put in work, including a battle between Anthony Njoukani and Shane Roller.

“I actually met [Njokuani] this weekend in Ohio,” mentions Pettis. “He’s a really cool dude. I definitely see Roller trying to shoot and take him down, but I’m predicting Njokuani by KO or TKO, man.” It’s hard to argue with the prediction, as Njokuani is coming off a victory over IFL veteran Chris Horodecki and has won three straight.

“I think Horodecki just forgot you can’t break and turn away in MMA,” Pettis adds, recalling the head kick that followed from “The Assassin,” ending the young Canadian’s night.

After Saturday night, Njokuani isn’t the only Anthony WEC lightweights need to watch for head kick finishers from any more.

Set your DVR. “Showtime” is back on the air.

Last Saturday’s loss to Javier Vazquez at WEC 47 may very well be the end of an era, signaling the last time Jens Pulver puts the gloves on and competes in a mixed martial arts bout. Even if Pulver never fights again, he has plenty of battles he wants to wage outside of the cage. With a new gym and a new clothing line just getting its feet on the ground, Pulver has plenty to keep him busy.

But that will not be enough for him. He needs to do more.

After a talk with Pulver, one has the feeling of wanting to go out and volunteer somewhere. He has a unique and amazing perspective on his career, his life and the sport, but after suffering his fifth defeat in a row and seventh in his last eight fights, what is his emotional state of mind?

How are things right now and where are you at in your life/career?

I am feeling kind of torn right now. It hurts to have lost seven of my last eight fights and that makes me feel bad. Then I think about the way I fought and it makes me think if I did things just a bit differently, the outcome could have been different. It is what it is. I felt great. I had started lifting again. I had three months in my new gym and got to train with Tony Fryklund again after about five years of training by myself.

Everyone is worried about my legacy, but I look at it like I’m in a slump right now. Baseball players go into slumps and they bounce back I feel like I could bounce back. I love to train, I love the sport and I love to fight. I’m in a tough position. I don’t want to keep putting my fans through this, so I am feeling kind of stuck.

Even though I have been losing, I am gaining so much in life. I try so hard to be the opposite of my dad and my brother, who is serving 55 years in prison. I’m learning how to run a gym and be a coach so it’s difficult to dedicate 100% to fighting. I feel like I’m on the right path at 34 years old. I felt like my aggression was there and I was going after it, but I got caught in an armbar by a great grappler.

Any regrets or concerns about not leaving the sport when it’s the right time?

The only thing I’m afraid of is leaving too early, only because I really enjoy competing. The sport has evolved so much and all of these skilled athletes have shot right by me. I remember Josh Grispi telling me he remembers watching me when he was in the sixth grade. I may have been the guy who motivated him to even pick up a pair of gloves. I feel like if I leave, I feel like I’ll be leaving incomplete.

I’m not worried about tarnishing a legacy. My legacy is this, me, the emotional kid, the kid that pioneered this sport. I was the first guy to win the UFC lightweight championship. I beat the top guys when I was 25-28. If I leave now, I will be leaving earlier than I really want to, but at the same token, I’m fighting the elite guys continuously and I’m just not an elite athlete anymore. The questions is can I get back to that level.

Those are the issues I’m hanging my hat on right now, because at 34, I don’t feel like I’m putting myself at risk. I am not getting knocked out. I have never had a trainer break out the smelling salts. I’m usually standing when the ref is calling the fight off. Now that I am training at this new place, I feel like I’ve got that fire back. All it takes is one little mistake when you are fighting the elite fighters of today.

I believe my health is perfectly fine. When I first started fighting, if you were stand-up, you were stand-up. If you were a ground fighter, that’s where you fought. Today’s fighters do it all and they excel at it. I am learning as I go and I am really enjoying it.

I interviewed WEC lightweight Jamie Varner not too long ago and he said that you have done more for this sport than just about anyone else, and no one has the right to tell you that you shouldn’t fight anymore. Thoughts on the admiration that you’ve got from so many people in the industry?

When I first started, I was out there starting a weight class that let them know that, “Hey, maybe this guy’s not too small to be competing in MMA.” Look at where the sport is now. The smaller guys are just as important than the bigger guys. I was told many times that I was too small, but I kept lighting people up and made my case. So if another fighter is grateful, then that makes it all worth it.

I love the Zuffa family, I love Dana White, I love being with this organization, but they may hang it up for me. What can I do? The fans make it worth it as well as they gave me a bigger ovation than any other fighter on Saturday night…that really blew my mind. When I walked back to the locker room, the crowd went wild, then when the guys did an impromptu thank you, it made me tear up. I am very appreciative and I have never for one minute taken that for granted.

I have always loved what I’ve done and I feel like a proud papa. I love these guys and I love the sport. I will always be a part of it. I want to help these fighters at the next stage, because we have a lot of life to live after fighting. I want to keep pioneering, I want to help these guys survive when their careers are over. I tell people to enjoy themselves and create a good story. I don’t sit back and think about the admiration. I think about all the traveling I’ve done. I think about all the people I’ve met. I feel like I’m right where I need to be. I’m extremely happy. If I could, I’d fight once a month. I’d tear it up.

Your gym is off to a good start and so is your t-shirt company. What should we know?

If you look at the clothing, we are not fight gear. We’re not knuckle-up fighting. We’re life gear. We have a military and civil servants line for all of the police, fire and military personnel. We feel that anger is a gift. It’s about taking that anger and proving all the naysayers wrong. I’m gonna prove to myself that I can change my scars and that I’m not a loser. It’s about what drives you everyday. That’s why the gym is called Driven. Hopefully we can grow and spread the message more.

If your fighting career is done, what do you think you would do? What other interests do you have?

I’d love to get into motivational speaking, but I don’t know how. I just spoke at a local high school to an entire assembly. I had a great time talking to all the kids. I spoke about my life and I signed autographs. Then faculty asked me to sit with them and talk to them. They asked me to show them how to get the kids to respect them. When I talk to anyone about my career, I don’t talk about fighting. I talk about the sport, I talk about training and I try and promote a healthy lifestyle because it leads to healthy living and being able to go after your dreams.

I have issues. I have problems, but I still keep pushing. Who knows where we will be in a year? I tell people to never close any doors…who knows what tomorrow will bring. Now that I am a coach, I let these kids know that I am here for whatever they need. I want them to always have a place to go to. It’s my turn to help people out.

Is commentating with the WEC something you’d like to keep doing or would it be too close to the action?

I would love to, but again, I have to wait for that call. I just sit here. I’ve been managed by Monte Cox my whole life. I got to learn how to figure this part out. My hats off to Tito Ortiz…he’s a businessman. I wish I had grabbed some business sense, but I’m learning. I would love to commentate again. I would never say no, but I hope they bring me back. I’d rock the sweater vest again and do it proudly. I like to commentate like I am with my friends.

I don’t need to know every jiu-jitsu move out there. I don’t have to put on a shirt and tie. That’s not me. At the end of the day, I would love to speak publicly, I would love to commentate. I’m not sure what anyone wants from me, I guess I’ll have to figure it out for myself.

In case you didn’t hear, the ratings came out for Saturday’s WEC 47 event and they weren’t necessarily great. The event had a total of 373,000 viewers which equals to a 42% drop from their last event, January’s WEC 46.

Before you start freaking out and preparing for the end of the WEC or placing bets on when the UFC absorbs them whole, stop and breath a minute. Here are five things to consider when looking at the rating:

1) It was on a Saturday night.

The UFC is a great draw on Saturday nights, but the WEC isn’t ready for that yet. There’s a major difference in that UFC is not just a sporting event, but an event that people plan around and make parties of. The WEC? Ehhhh, not so much. Fridays and Saturdays are a tough draw for regular TV anyway as people are traditionally out and about. WEC isn’t a ‘go to the bar and watch’ spectacle, so the rating was undoubtedly going to be down.

A better option? Stick to Sundays. It’s a great capper for the weekend and you’re not going to have a competition from other MMA organizations. Other than an occasional WWE pay-per-view to battle or something like the Oscars, the WEC would be in the clear. It worked so well before, so why change now?

2) Comparing it to WEC 46 isn’t fair.

WEC 46 was on (surprise!) a Sunday in mid-January and featured Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson vs. Jamie Varner and Urijah Freakin’ Faber in the co-main event. It may not feel like it at times, but Faber is well-known to the mainstream MMA fan – some of who watch WEC just for him alone. The card also had Mike Brown and was well-promoted as a whole thanks to the hype and push at UFC 108.

The WEC 47 event didn’t have anywhere close to that much star power, which leads to our third point.

3) The WEC doesn’t have a ton of star power.

Without a doubt, Faber is the organization’s biggest star. After that? It’s a tight race between Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo, Jens Pulver and Miguel Torres with Henderson and Donald Cerrone starting to enter into the mix.

You might be asking how Pulver is a star (hear that reaction Sunday?) or screaming that Aldo is dominant (he’s on the path, but not there yet) or thinking that I’m completely wrong on this in general and everything is fine.

But let’s face facts: the WEC doesn’t draw as much interest as the UFC. They’re on a network that is still growing. They have younger stars who aren’t that established outside the hardcore community. That doesn’t mean they eventually can’t be, but they’re not right now.

It’s not a bad thing. It’s just fact.

People don’t know Brian Bowles. They sure as hell don’t know Dominick Cruz. A title match isn’t enough to draw viewers, which is why having Torres and Pulver on the card helped…even if both of them lost badly.  Of course there was going to be a drop off in ratings. How could you expect otherwise?

4) This doesn’t spell doom for the WEC PPV.

This is simply a dumb thought. They are not even related because you have STAR POWER with Faber/Aldo and Henderson/Cerrone II. The hardcores will buy the show on that alone and honestly, you’re not going to get a ton of new viewers anyway.

I’ve read that if WEC gets 60,000 buys for the event, they’ll be ecstatic. Quick math: that would be 16% of what they got Saturday night. I think they’re safe with that, don’t you?

It’s not wrestling where they have complete creative control and can really pull the strings with ratings if all the pieces come together. Every MMA event can be different and with those two fights heading up the PPV, that’s a great foundation to build on.

If there’s anything to be concerned about with the WEC PPV, it’s the price but that ship has sailed a long time ago.

5) Versus will be fine with the rating.

Given all of the above, Versus Network will be A-OK. Who cares if its the 2nd lowest rated event in WEC history? What else was Versus going to put there? Bullriding? Another airing of Bloodsport? It’s Saturday night at 10 pm EST, not primetime on Monday on ABC. I start to wonder if people even think of things like this before they freak out.

Feel free to come off the ledge at anytime. Versus isn’t dropping WEC and the promotion is fine. (Interestingly, the 8345 in the crowd was the WEC’s fifth largest attendance in history.)They just had a bad viewing night on a Saturday in early-March with two guys main eventing that aren’t household names.

Ratings-wise, this was the equivalent of that LC Davis/Deividas Taurosevičius snoozefest: not enough to take down the promotion but something you don’t want to see again.

While I know that to be true, it doesn’t change the sting of a heartbreaking defeat or a bad night of predictions.

Any way you slice it, losing stinks…even when you’re resigned to the fact that it’s bound to happen from time-to-time. I do understand getting back on the horse every time you fall off, however. We fall so we can learn to pick ourselves up again. UFC 110 was my fall. WEC 47 is my chance to pick myself up again.

These are the Punch Drunk Predictions.

Brian Bowles (8-0-0) vs. Dominick Cruz (14-1-0)

The lone loss on the record of Cruz came in a WEC Featherweight title fight to Urijah Faber back in 2007. Unfortunately, he’s back in a title fight against a Faber-like opponent in Bowles. Like “The California Kid,” Bowles keeps his opponents off balance by blending in strong wrestling and dangerous striking while pushing a ridiculous pace. If it gets to the ground, five of the eight wins on the Bantamweight champion’s resume came by way of submission.

Prediction: Brian Bowles – TKO, Round 1

Miguel Angel Torres (36-2-0) vs. Joseph Benavidez (11-1-0)

Torres has something to prove in this fight after Bowles simultaneously stopped his title reign and winning streak last August. Already a dynamic striker with an impressive arsenal, Torres has hooked up with Mark DellaGrotte and Team Sityodtong in preparation for this fight, so expect his Muay Thai and boxing to be even better.

Benavidez is a tough kid and has a bright future, but the five-inch height and ten-inch reach advantages enjoyed by Torres will be too much for the Team Alpha Male member to handle.

Prediction: Miguel Angel Torres, Unanimous Decision

Jens Pulver (22-12-1) vs. Javier Vazquez (13-3-0)

“Lil Evil” is 1-6 over his last seven fights and many believe he should have remained on the outside of the cage. Instead, the first UFC Lightweight champion moved to Idaho, set up the Driven Training Center and enters his bout in the best shape he’s been in in years, both mentally and physically.

The tools are still there, but Vazquez is a grinder who doesn’t fold easily. While I know better than to follow my heart when making predictions, I’m so eager to see Jens put on a great show and get all choked up on the mic that I’m putting my faith in Pulver one more time.

Prediction: Jens Pulver, Unanimous Decision

Deividas Taurosevicius (12-3-0) vs. L.C. Davis (15-2-0)

My money is on this one going to the scorecards after 15 minutes of serious battling for dominant position. Both Taurosevicius and Davis are strong wrestlers and neither has shown a real propensity for putting their opponents away as of late.

With that in mind, I’m going with Taurosevicius in this battle of former IFL competitors. He looked great in beating Mackens Semerzier at WEC 46 and is a tougher test than the last two opponents Davis has faced in Diego Nunes and Javier Vazquez.

Prediction: Deividas Taurosevicius, Unanimous Decision

Bart Palaszewski (32-12-0) vs. Karen Darabedyan (9-1-0)

The former IFL stalwart Palaszewski was a great interview, is tough as nails and will fight anywhere, anytime, until his body tells him to stop. Unfortunately for “Bartimus,” Karen Darabedyan looks to be too much to handle.

What makes the young Armenian judoka impressive (at least to me) is that in addition to being a black belt in judo (as well as karate and tae kwon do), Darabedyan doesn’t just look to fight in the clinch like training partner Karo Parisyan. He likes to stand and trade, as shown in his bout with “Razor” Rob McCullough. He’s one to watch at 155.

Prediction: Karen Darabedyan, TKO, Round 2

Scott Jorgensen (8-3-0) vs. Chad George (11-4-0)

Jorgensen is too experienced and too hungry to let Chad George stop him from continuing to show the WEC that he’s deserving of a title shot. He used just about the exact same words when he spoke to MMA Madness last weekend. Besides, “The Warhawk” will be back in action, and I don’t pick against guys with fire-red Mohawks… unless they’re fighting GSP in New Jersey.

Prediction: Scott Jorgensen, TKO, Round 1

Chad Mendes (5-0-0) vs. Erik Koch (9-0-0)

In a battle of unbeaten youngsters, I’m inclined to side with the guy coming out of Team Alpha Male with the collegiate wrestling pedigree. Mendes is on many people’s Top Prospects list and he’ll show why in his WEC debut.

Prediction: Chad Mendes, TKO, Round 1

Danny Castillo (8-2-0) vs. Anthony Pettis (7-1-0)

Picking Pettis has nothing to do with having written a feature on him earlier in the week. He lost a tough split decision to Palaszewski last time around, but has shown the more complete game of the two. While Castillo can end your night with a single punch, Pettis has more than one weapon in his arsenal.

Prediction: Anthony Pettis, Submission, Round 3

Leonard Garcia (13-5-0) vs. George Roop (10-6-0)

Roop comes in on short notice and it’s not too often that the last minute replacement comes away victorious (unless they’re facing Rolles Gracie). Roop is not – he’s facing a heavy-handed Greg Jackson product who wants to get back into the title picture at 145, and start putting together a string of victories, instead of alternating between wins and loses.

Kudos to Roop for taking the fight on short notice. At the very least, he’ll get another opportunity out of the deal.

Prediction: Leonard Garcia, TKO, Round 1

Fredson Paixao (8-3-0) vs. Courtney Buck (6-2-0)

Paixao is a decorated grappler who brings this fight to the ground and submits his less-experienced opponent. Simple as that… I hope.

Prediction: Fredson Paixao, Submission, Round 1

Ricardo Lamas (7-1-0) vs. Bendy Casimir (19-5-2)

Lamas has been lost in a swarm of emerging talents since getting knocked out by Danny Castillo back in August. Before that, he was an undefeated rising prospect and he’s since gotten back in the win column. Casimir is a tough French veteran whose passport has been put to good use. Remove coin from pocket, flip, act accordingly.

Prediction: Ricardo Lamas, Split Decision

Overall PDP Record: 4-5-0

“I’ve just gotta show up, pour my sweat and blood and tears on the mat,” begins the IFL and WEC veteran. “Get in the cage and put on a good show. That’s my job.”

It’s easy to forget the simple fact that for the athletes we cover and cheer on, fighting is a job. Just as some of us have to get up and sit behind a keyboard (read: me) or fill produce orders in a cold warehouse every weekday afternoon (still me), the man known as “Bartimus” enters the words “professional fighter” on his tax return.

At some point, everyone gets a little disenchanted with their current occupation – even fighters.

“It became too much of a job,” Palaszewski said. The talkative native of Wonder Lake, Illinois, has shifted his focus back to having fun, setting aside thoughts of the WEC Lightweight title for the time being.

“I’m not going to chase the gold. I kind of did that when I first signed – put the WEC belt in my mind – and had a great start with TKO over (Alex) Karalexis,” says Palaszewski. “I think I got ahead of myself too much. Right now, it’s just training and fighting, and try to start enjoying it again.”

Getting ahead of himself lead to a pair of losses in fights taken at the 11th Hour. “I dropped a couple of tough fights, both last minute replacements. (Ricardo) Lamas was a last minute replacement and (Anthony) Njokuani I was the replacement there,” Palaszewski recalled. “Not making any excuses, but it doesn’t help when you [don't have as much time to] prepare for a fight.”

The 26-year-old fighter with 46 career bouts on his resume chuckles his way through that last statement. Making excuses had become a bit of a theme for the interview.

For example, when asked how he feels this weekend’s main card match-up with Karen Darabedyan will go, he deadpanned, “If I lose, I’ll probably just make up some excuses, you know.”

The cause for the passive-aggressive attack on excuses was a quote from the last man “Bartimus” beat in the WEC, fellow WEC 47 competitor Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. In an interview with Natalia Baage of Five Knuckles, Pettis stated, “That was a 50% Anthony Pettis versus a 100% Bart Palaszewski and it went three rounds.”

Needless to say, playing the injury card didn’t sit well with Palaszewski.

“C’mon man,” an increasingly annoyed Palaszewski stated. “Everybody has got injuries. I don’t think I’ve ever fought a fight at 100% even when I’ve said I feel great there is always something.” Our back-and-forth on the injury front continued before the heavily-tattooed redhead laid the subject to rest with one final flurry.

“It’s only when people lose that they bring up their injuries. When you win, they keep it to themselves. Why is that?” Accepting that we both knew the answer, silence remained until Palaszewski jumped back in. “Did I have injuries for the Pettis fight? Yeah, I did, but I’m not even going to say what I had and how it affected my camp.

[Pettis] is a very talented kid and I thank him that he didn’t pull out of the fight because of his injuries. But that’s how it works. We’re not playing chess or anything. It’s a contact sport.”

Saturday night, Palaszewski goes back to work against Karen Darabedyan, a young Armenian judoka who earned a split decision victory over former WEC Lightweight champ “Razor” Rob McCullough in his debut. According to Palaszewski, the two match up well, though he hasn’t done much in the way of research.

“I’m sure my coaches have done their homework – watching footage and adjusted things in my training – but I don’t ever really notice it. I just get in, do my thing and get out. They tell me to change things, I change them.”

Get in, do as you’re told and get out. Sounds like work to me.

WEC 47 is this Saturday, March 6 on Versus at 10 pm EST and also features Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz and the return of Jens Pulver. Look for WEC coverage all week on long on MMAMadness.com.

Former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner was all set to begin his trek back towards the championship at WEC 48 against Kamal Shalorus, but he will either have to wait until a different date or fight another opponent as Shalorus is unavailable due to an injury. Varner released the disappointing information last night and I was able to confirm with today via text.

If the WEC does hold him out, he could be an alternate option in case either Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson or Donald Cerrone get injured and are unable to fight in their rematch for Henderson’s title.

WEC Heading North

Top MMA News says it has been able to confirm that the WEC will be making its way up to the great white north and that Calgary. Alberta, Canada will play host to the first WEC event on June 20 at the Stampede Corral. The website is basing this information on a conversation they had with Shirley Stunzi who is the Calgary Combative Sports Commission chairperson.

No bouts have been rumored at this point. The WEC will look to replicate the success the UFC has had during their trips to Montreal at UFC 83 and UFC 97.

Ibarra Speaks Out

In an interview with Erik Fontanez of Bleacher Report, Juanito Ibarra, who will be training new UFC mixed martial artist James Toney, said they have plans on shocking the world. Ibarra, who hasn’t been seen since a much-publicized falling out with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, said Kimbo Slice would make for a perfect first opponent, followed up by a bout with UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell.

Ibarra also said that Toney will be competing in the light heavyweight division. At this time no opponent or date has been announced, but according to Ibarra, Toney is looking to have his first fight in June.

UFC Rematch In The Works?

MMA Mania is reporting that The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale may play host to a rematch between Stephan Bonnar and Krzysztof Soszynski. The two met just a few weeks ago at UFC 110 in Australia, ending prematurely when an accidental headbutt in the third round opened up a giant cut on Bonnar’s forehead. Referee John Sharp called a halt to the bout and awarded the TKO victory to “The Polish Experiment”.  Bonnar has recently indicated that he intends on filing a protest to have the bout ruled a technical draw.

Bonnar will also handle color commentating duties for this Saturday’s WEC 47 as Frank Mir is training for his UFC interim Heavyweight Title tilt against Shane Carwin in just a few weeks.

Strikeforce Stars On MTV2

Strikeforce’s Mayhem Miller, Josh Thomson, Lavar Johnson and Scott Smith will be part of MTV2’s Rock N’Jock on MTV2 this Saturday and next Saturday. This isn’t the Rock’N'Jock basketball like we remember from the past, but a show with clips and music videos. The show runs at 11 am EST.

Sign Right Here

Feel strongly that MMA should be legal in Toronto? Sign this online petition that MMA Connected host Joe Ferraro will hand deliver to Premier Dalton McGuinty…if the amount of signatures is significant. You don’t have to live in Ontario to sign.

Mike Brown plans to return to action as soon as the WEC will let him.

While Jose Aldo and Urijah Faber are unavailable for a January fight, former champ Mike Brown has been begging the WEC to let him back in before his expected March return.

According to Mike Thomas Brown’s website:

“Brown is anxious to get back inside the cage and wants to fight as soon as January for WEC 46 and is willing to beg for it in the process.”

MMAMADNESS.com has learned that a match up between Anthony Morrison and Brown is in the works for WEC  46.

The WEC has plans to sign “CheeseSteak” Morrison in the near future, though has yet to announce an official signing.

Morrison has beat top WEC prospects, Jeff Lentz and Alvin Robinson, in the past three weeks. With a record of 16-6 professionally Morrison would be a welcomed addition to the already stacked 145 division.

Calls out to Brown and Morrison’s representation have not been returned.

Keep checking MMAMADNESS.com for all the updates regarding this story.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @MMA_MADNESS

Chris Horodecki is ready to show the WEC what he is about. (Photo by Scott Radliff)

“That’s ideal,” quipped Horodecki. “I’m looking for that KO, but I’ll take whatever I can get. I’m there to put on a show so I’m going to make sure the fans get their money’s worth.”

With experience and knowledge well beyond his years, Horodecki knows that to succeed you need more than wins. “The Polish Hammer” has been training with stand up coach Shawn Tompkins since the age of thirteen. He’s become what some call Tompkins’ “protégé” and his 13-1 record only stand to prove that.  Hailing from London, Ontario, Canada, Horodecki doesn’t let the distance between him and his coach cause any problems during training camp.

“I come down 6-8 weeks ago,” said Horodecki. “This time has been a long camp; I’ve been here almost two months now. It’s good, I’m really happy I’m fighting in Las Vegas for the first time. I’ve never fought here before but I’ve been coming here for training camps for the last four years.”

Horodecki is glad he can finally fight in the town he’s begun to call a second home. For the past four years, Horodecki has been back and forth between Ontario and Las Vegas, training and running the Canadian branch of Tompkins’ gym along with close friends –and fellow professional fighters- Mark Hominick and Sam Stout.

“I’ve been training with my head trainer Shawn Tompkins at the Tapout Traning Center,” said Horodecki. “It’s a brand new facility, one of the most equiped, best facilities I’ve ever worked at…I love it. A lot of the fighters came over here with Shawn [Tompkins].”

Horodecki is constantly surrounded by top tier training partners.  Whether he is in Las Vegas or Ontario there is never a shortage of talent to push the pace and keep him in shape. This camp he’s worked with assistant coach Johnny Nunez to strengthen his ground game and prepare for Njokuani.

“Between fights I’m just trying to improve my weaknesses,” said Horodecki. “That’s what you have to keep doing. You can’t get comfortable with what you’ve got. You have to keep strengthening all your tools and that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been working hard on my ground; I got my first submission win in my last fight. I think it’s just going to keep going on from there.”

With so many fighters jumping up or down weight classes lately, one wonders if Horodecki would be among them. WEC GM, Reed Harris, recently squashed fellow light weight Donald Cerrone’s hopes to drop to 145 and “challenge” himself, citing the number of talented light weights for Cerrone to face as the reason. Horodecki is one of the few fighters who is happy with his natural weight class though.

“Lightweight is my home,” said Horodecki. “I’ve always been here [at 155]. I don’t think I’m going anywhere right now.”

Joseph Benavidez wants to make sure another loss does NOT happen again.

Often times in mixed martial arts, it takes a loss to catapult a fighter to the next level.

After winning his first 10 professional fights, Joseph Benavidez tasted defeat for the first time at WEC 42, losing a unanimous decision to Dominick Cruz.

It’s a taste that Benavidez is determined not to experience again anytime soon.

“I never felt a loss before. I didn’t like it,” Benavidez told MMAMadness.com. “All this has done is re-focused me and inspired me a ton since the loss. My mind feels totally different, my hunger is totally different.”

Benavidez will look to get back to his winning ways at WEC 45, when he will face dangerous submission artist Rani Yahya, a world jiu-jitsu champion who has won 14 of his 15 victories by submission.

While most fighters would avoid going to the ground with Yahya at all costs, Benavidez believes that he has the advantage no matter where the fight goes.

“Where he’s strong in his grappling, I’m strong also,” Benavidez said. “I feel good just grappling him, and in a fight I get to punch him, I can be physical, I can stand up, run around, whatever. And then where his weaknesses are, I’m strong also.”

One area that Benavidez does not want to be is on his back with Yahya on top.

“I really don’t want him to be on top of me, so I’ve been working my takedown defense and I’ve always been good at getting up off my back. I have a bigger advantage on the feet,” Benavidez said.

In a situation where Yahya is not able to take Benavidez down, it is possible that he could pull guard and try to utilize his submissions skills off of the back. Benavidez cautions that that would not be a good strategy.

“He pulls guard, he’s going to get hit a few times,” Benavidez said. “His takedowns are alright, he’s taken down some good guys, because he’s so almost desperate for them. He doesn’t have great conventional wrestling, but he’ll get you to the ground. I’m definitely expecting to defend a few of those and have him pull guard, and when he pulls guard I’m just going to try to unload on him.”

Eventually, Benavidez expects to outlast Yahya. And while he credits his opponent for being the type of fighter that will, “fight to the death,” Benavidez sees some clear cut advantages that will work in his favor.

“Some of my better strengths are my pace and my cardio, and he’s not known for having a great pace or a great cardio,” Benavidez said. “He’s the type of guy that has to get a hold of you, and I just see him not being able to get a hold of me at all and not being able to touch me and me scrambling out of all his attempts and just hurting him when he puts himself in bad positions and eventually getting a stoppage in the second or third round.”

Part of Benavidez’s confidence can be attributed to his training camp. As he explains it, working with guys like Urijah Faber on a day-to-day basis is what brought Benavidez to a different level.

“Who you train with every day, that’s who’s getting you ready for these big fights when you go in there,” Benavidez said. “I catapulted to another level just being able to train with Urijah.”

“Getting pushed every day in practice really makes the fight easy,” Benavidez said.

At WEC 45, Benavidez will put his re-focused energy to the test. In doing so, he can get back on the road to a WEC fighter, and he can continue to cement himself as one of the top up-and-comers in the sport today.