WEC 50: Cruz vs. Benavidez Post-Fight Thoughts: Pettis, Roller steal show

WEC 50 was your standard WEC show.

These days, a "standard WEC show" tends to be high on action with several decisions but lots of excitement. "WEC 50: Cruz vs. Benavidez" was certainly no different. Of the five main card fights, only one could be found lacking, while the other four certainly brought a lot of excitement.

To me, the stars on this night weren't main event fighters Dominick Cruz and Joseph Benavidez. It was Anthony Pettis and Shane Roller.

Pettis and Roller put on an absolutely tremendous up-and-down fight. Many thought going in that Roller's takedowns would be too much for Pettis. Instead, it was Pettis who surprised everybody by not only stopping most of Roller's takedowns, but finishing a few of his own. It was clear Pettis greatly benefitted from training with Ben Askren.

If there was a bonus for "move of the night" it would certainly go to Pettis for his flip off the cage to escape Roller's mount. Even though this was in the final minute of the round, it was the first time Roller really had good position on Pettis. Instead, he almost instantly gets out and ends up in side control.

Down two rounds going into the third, Roller knew he would need something big to win the fight. So he went for it. This round was one of the best rounds of the year with both men giving it their all to win the fight. Roller looked like the fresher fighter heading into the round. But that didn't last long as Roller laid it all out on the line in an effort to finish the fight. Once the fight got back to the feet and Pettis had survived the attack, Roller was dog tired, even putting his hands on his knees at point. Still, he had one last hope and tried to lock in a guillotine choke on Pettis, but he spun out and then locked in the fight-ending triangle choke that forced Roller to tap with nine seconds left.

Just absolutely tremendous stuff. That fight is what MMA is about. I loved this fight. I very much look forward to the probable fight between Pettis and lightweight champion Ben Henderson.

I also have to credit "Fight of the Night" winners Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett for their efforts tonight, as well. This was scored 30-27, but it was nowhere near a blowout that a score like that would indicate.

Pickett was in the fight the entire time and there was always drama in the sense that you could see an ending coming at any time with the shots these two were hitting each other with. The highlight of the fight occurred in the first round when Jorgensen knocked Pickett's mouthpiece out. Instead of fighting without it, Pickett just picked it up in the middle of an exchange, put it back in, ate a shot and then as he got pushed up against the cage was smiling and laughing about it. Good stuff.

All said, this show was a solid effort from the WEC. Next month's WEC 51, though, has the potential to be one of the best shows in company history. I'm looking forward to that.

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