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WEC 49 Predictions: WEC 49 Fight Previews & Predictions

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Pro Fighting Fans is the home of WEC fans across the world and we now bring you the best place to find the latest WEC preview. WEC 49 is fast approaching and you can find the WEC 49 fight card and preview below.

The next event for WEC will be WEC 49 on June 20, 2010 and the card features a lightweight main event fight between former champion Jaime Varner and up-and-coming Kamal Shalorus. You can also view our review of the WEC 48 results which featured Jose Aldo defeating Urijah Faber and Ben Henderson once again topping Donald Cerrone. Fans can now buy WEC tickets online through Pro Fighting Fans to all of these exciting WEC events.



The WEC is making its own Canadian debut this Saturday June 20 with an event airing live on Versus, hot on the heels of two more Zuffa coups: the WEC’s first pay-per-view and the UFC’s first appearance in Vancouver, BC. Zuffa, of course, owns and promotes both the UFC and the WEC. For the WEC’s own first foray into the great white north, arguably a new mecca for MMA, the WEC has chosen two lightweights to headline, likely for title contention: the American and former champion Jamie Varner versus rapidly rising Iranian Kamal Shalorus.

Naysayers point out the lack of a sold-out arena, the questionability of the WEC brand, and the recent decision by the WEC not to hold another card in Canada this year. On the flip side, Rexall Place ( Edmonton’s premier stadium) holds more than 16 000 people in a metropolitan area of a little over a million people. It’s huge. Next, folding the WEC brand into the UFC is more a sign of its success – they’re both owned by Zuffa, and Zuffa is carefully integrating the WEC brand. (Plus my WEC t-shirt automatically gains in value - better shrink wrap it now). Finally, the decision not to return to Canada is more a testament to the marketability of the WEC in the hundreds of venues it still has yet to visit in the United States.

With a depth of talent featuring penultimately exciting fighters like Ben Henderson, Jose Aldo, Mike Brown, Dominick Cruz and fan-favorite Urijah Faber, and the success of former WEC fighters like Chael Sonnen and Carlos Condit in the UFC, you should fully expect to see the WEC expand – and by expansion, I mean integration. Zuffa’s strategy is obviously to unify the brands across a spectrum of free and pay-per-view coverage in multiple markets.

Following the departure of former WEC ring announcer Joe Martinez, Bruce Buffer will serve as announcer for WEC 49. Kenny Florian, notable UFC lightweight, will serve as color commentator alongside WEC play-by-play stalwart Todd Harris. The originally scheduled fight between Chris Horodecki and Ed Ratcliff is now off as Ratcliff recently pulled out without explanation.

That said, there is a card this weekend, it’s free, and it’s a barn-burner.

 

WEC 49: The Main Card

  • Kamal Shalorus versus Jamie Varner (lightweight/155lbs)
  • L.C. Davis versus Josh Grispi (featherweight/145lbs)
  • Mark Hominick versus Yves Jabouin (featherweight/145lbs)
  • Will Campuzano versus Eddie Wineland (bantamweight/135lbs)
  • Chris Horodecki versus Danny Downes (lightweight/155lbs)

Full Preliminary WEC 49 Card

  • Karen Darabedyan versus Will Kerr (lightweight)
  • Wagnney Fabiano versus Frank Gomez (bantamweight)
  • Bendy Casimir versus Erik Koch (featherweight)
  • Rafael Assuncao versus Diego Nunes (featherweight)
  • Chris Cariaso versus Rafael Rebello (bantamweight)
  • Renan Barao versus Anthony Leone (bantamweight)

 

 

Notable Preliminary WEC 49 Fights

There is one fight to cross your fingers for. Rafael Assuncao versus Diego Nunes has disappointingly been relegated to the undercard, although with luck it might show in the main event. Assuncao is a purist Brazilian Jiu Jitsu stylist with a black belt in the art, while Nunes lacks a black belt but trains in the more functional, MMA-oriented jiu jitsu style espoused by the Nogueira brothers, with whom he trains. Nunes is also a decent striker. Both fighters are coming off of losses; Assuncao to Urijah Faber and Nunes to L.C. Davis. As disgruntled as they would be, having been knocked a rung lower from contendership, this is going to be a phenomenal fight. If no replacement is found for Ed Ratcliff, expect to see this fight on the main card.

Also, Darabdyan versus Kerr is a stylistic classic, where the Armenian (Darabdyan) and former professional boxer is pitted against an American grappler.

 

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Will Campuzano (7-1) versus Eddie Wineland (16-6-1)

Wineland was scheduled to fight Charlie Valencia, but Valencia was injured in training. Campuzano graduated from the preliminary card to take his place. Acapulco-born Campuzano is 1-1 in the WEC but has a fight of the night victory under his belt, when he pounded Coty Wheeler for three rounds at WEC 46. Campuzano is a tough, all-or-nothing fighter and he can afford to be. At just 24, he has barely begun his career. Wineland, the WEC veteran and original bantamweight champion, currently boasts back to back decision wins over George Roop and Manny Tapia. Can’t wait for this fight, as both men are furious stand-up duelers, but the edge goes to Campuzano, who will rise to the occasion.

Prediction: Campuzano by KO

 



 

Mark Hominick (17-8) versus Yves Jabouin (14-5)

Canadian Mark Hominick is a former champion of TKO, the now-defunct Canadian MMA promotion. Canadian Yves Jabouin is a similar fighter, at first glance. Just three years older, identical in height, and both are noted strikers. The main difference is that Hominick is far more restless, having competed pretty much everywhere (TKO, Affliction, UFC...), and he is coming off of back to back submission victories in the WEC and Affliction (where he dipped his toe for a single fight following his loss to Josh Grispi at WEC 32). Jabouin is a force to be reckoned with, and even though he is coming off of a loss to Rafael Assuncao (no slouch himself), it was a split decision. Nevertheless, Hominick has the clear momentum in this fight and is the more well-rounded fighter.

Prediction: Hominick by submission

 

 

L.C. Davis (16-2) versus Josh Grispi (13-1)

In a likely bid for fight of the night honors, two outstanding featherweights are slated to decide the next belt contender. Granted, that belt is held by Jose Aldo, so it’s a dubious honor. Anyway, Grispi is clearly a talented striker and grappler: with the exception of one decision, he has six submissions and six KO/TKO finishes. And, of course, he virtually catapulted into contender zone with his most recent win over Jens Pulver via guillotine. On the other hand, he has had a one-year layoff due to a long-delayed surgery on his nearly crippled right ankle.

L.C. Davis won’t be looking past Grispi, but he has probably had the rockier road coming into the WEC, with stints in the IFL and Affliction. Davis is a gritty wrestler with solid cardio, while Grispi has rarely made it out of the first round. Davis’ last victory was over Deividas Taurosevicius, but he made a bigger name for himself when he marred the 13-0 record of Diego Nunes at WEC 44. Davis’ dependence upon decision victories may not have garnered him as many fans, but styles make wins, and Davis is the perfect stalemate for a heavy-handed striker with untested cardio coming off of a layoff.

Prediction: Davis by decision

 

> After the fights are complete, find the WEC 49 results & recap online at ProFighting-fans.com and look forward to the WEC 50 fight card & rumors for the first ever PPV World Extreme Cagefighting event and check out Urijah Faber's Form Athletics MMA clothing!

 

WEC 49 Main Event:

Kamal Shalorus (6-0-1) versus Jamie Varner (16-3)

Shalorus, undefeated, is appearing in his third fight in the WEC after tarnishing Dave Jensen’s perfect record at WEC 46 with a unanimous decision victory. Although 32 (approximately, he actually does not know his birthday), he has only been competing in MMA since 2008. Nevertheless, a polished wrestling base and crisp standup ensures he is a force to be reckoned with – likely a belt contender if he wins.

Jamie Varner, on the other hand, was the WEC lightweight champ. Having defended the belt twice, battling Marcus Hicks and Donald Cerrone, he lost to Ben Henderson in the headline bout via Henderson’s signature special, the guillotine. In stark contrast to Shalorus, Varner is younger with a lot more experience, including a win and a loss in the UFC. Varner has competed as a wrestler and a boxer, training out of Arizona Combat Sports with Ryan Bader et al. Will Varner’s wrestling neutralize Shalorus? Can he overcome the criticism leveled by disappointed fans who were skeptical of his lengthy return to the ring following the TKO over Cerrone (the fight was stopped after Varner couldn’t continue following an illegal kick to the head)? In short, yes.

Prediction: Varner by TKO

 

 

By Roy Kok
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer

 

Past WEC Previews, Predictions & Recaps: