Jeff Curran speaks with MMAWeekly:

The object of this sport is to do damage and try to finish your opponent. Mizugaki was saved by the bell at the end of the second round and the third. The entire fight was me out-striking him from my back after he scored one takedown early in each round.  Judges need to open their eyes and see who is really controlling the fight," stated Curran on Tuesday. Something needs to change because this is happening with poor judging all over the sport.

What needs to be done? Who knows, maybe judges should have better qualification courses that are ran and conducted by people that really understand our sport.

Until then, I will be training harder than ever and I will not stop. I want a rematch with Mizugaki.

I don't disagree that MMA judging overall needs to improve and become more consistent, but I don't think Jeff Curran was 'robbed'.  The fight was VERY close.  I actually had Mizugaki winning 29-28, but said in the open thread that the fight probably could have gone either way.  Curran saying he was out-striking Mizugaki from his back may have some truth to it, but Mizugaki landed the more meaningful shots from top position.  It's not often that strikes from the bottom do much damage when compared to strikes from the top.  However, I understand Curran's frustration being that it was his fourth loss in a row, albeit all of them are against top tier competition.

Former WEC Bantamweight Champ Miguel Torres

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To Wit:

"I start from the beginning again, it's going to be fun," Torres said. "I was on top for a long time. Brian's a strong guy, he hits real hard – as you can tell. It's going to be a fun road back. I don't look at this as a setback at all. It's a new challenge in my career, and it's going to be fun to beat him up the next time I fight him."  "Now I have something to look forward to, something to train for," Torres said." When you're on top for a long time, it's hard to keep pushing yourself cause you're always on top. Now that I get back on the bottom and he has the belt I have something to work for now. It's going to be a good challenge for me."

Torres seems to be implying that it was complacency at the top that was a factor in his loss to Brian Bowles.  Bowles will probably make his first defense against Dominick Cruz.  I'd imagine that Torres will be right back in the mix after a win or two.  It'll be interesting to see who they decide to match Torres up with next.  There is Joseph Benavidez who lost at WEC 42 as well that was in line for a probably title shot with a win, Damacio Page, and  Rani Yahya.  As a matter of fact let me ask who you would like for Torres to fight next?

WEC 42 coverage

I watched WEC 42 last night just like all the other hardcore MMA fans out there, and I thought the event was very good as usual.  We got to see the #1 and #2 fighters in the bantamweight division go at it, a potential #1 contender fight, and a couple of other fights that featured non-stop action.  There have been confirmed talks that the UFC and WEC are discussing a possible merger with the WEC being absorbed into the UFC.  The question one has to ask themselves is where was the promotion for this event?  It seemed as if this event got swallowed up and forgotten about with all of the Fedor/Strikeforce/UFC banter within the last couple of weeks.  The WEC is owned and operated by Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, but it doesn't receive anywhere near the same promotion as its larger brother.  Did Zuffa expect fans that watched UFC 101 to tune into the WEC event the next night or something?  I guess the ratings will tell the tale on that one, and they are usually no where near what the UFC does on Spike.  I know the Versus channel doesn't reach as many homes as Spike TV, but shouldn't there be more crossover in regards to MMA fans if the WEC were promoted properly?

This weekend was a great of example of why the WEC will probably never escape the shadow of the UFC.  It'll never have the same name brand recognition that the UFC enjoys.  The WEC has grown since Zuffa acquired it, but it hasn't grown at the rate it should have in my opinion.  Those top tier lightweight WEC fighters will probably never enjoy the same limelight as say BJ Penn or even Kenny Florian for that matter.  That is, not until they are featured on a UFC event.  Did this weekend give support to why a UFC/WEC merger is good?  Build with me and I'd like to read your thoughts.        

WEC 42 coverage

New WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles

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The fight starts and they feel one another out.  Both fighters are really cautious right now.  Torres with a couple of leg kicks.  Bowles lands a big right hand that stuns Torres.  Torres responds and tags Bowles a couple of times.  They clinch and Bowles gets the take down.  Good elbow from Bowles from Torres full guard.  Torres with two upkicks that land.  Torres back to his feet.  Bowles with left hook that partially lands.  Torres presses the action and lands several punches that stun Bowles.  Bowles retreats and throws a right hand that hits Torres behind the ear.  Torres goes down.  Bowles pounces and lands several shots, Torres trying to defend.  BIG left lands and Torres is out but takes several shots before the referee stops the fight.  Bowles defeats Miguel Torres via TKO round 1 and is the new WEC Bantamweight champion.

WEC 42 coverage

Dominick Cruz

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The fight starts and they trade leg kicks.  Good leg kick from Benavidez.  Benavidez lands a good combo.  Cruz takes Benavidez down off a kick, but Benavidez springs back to his feet and they clinch.  Cruz with a good jab and Benavidez answers.  Benavidez flurries but doesn't land anything significant.  Cruz takes Benavidez down and is in his half guard.  Benavidez goes for a guillotine and gets back up to his feet.  Cruz with a head kick that is blocked.  Benavidez with a good left hook.  Cruz with a jab.  Benavidez with a good leg kick.  Big scramble but nothing significant lands for either fighter.  They clinch and Cruz takes Benavidez down...takes his back and Benavidez scrambles back to his feet.  They clinch against the cage and they seperate.  Good body kick from Cruz.  Benavidez answers with one of his own as the bell sounds.

The second round starts and they flurry but nothing lands.  Good right for Benavidez and he flurries.  Cruz answers and lands several shots.  Benavidez clinches and lands a short elbow.  He lands a left hook.  Another combo lands.  Cruz throws a lazy head kick that's blocked.  They flurry and Cruz lands and take Benavidez down.  Benavidez gets back to his feet and throws a spinning back fist that misses.  He shoots for a single and Cruz defends.  Cruz with a left hook.  Benavidez answers.  Cruz lands another punch.  Benavidez with a wild spinning something that misses.  Cruz with a nice take down after slipping a Benavidez punch.  The round ends with Cruz in Benavidez's guard.

The third round starts and Benavidez with a wild kick that misses.  Cruz lands a nice combo.  Cruz slips and Benavidez lands a couple of shots.  Benavidez with a good left hook.  Cruz with a leg kick.  They clinch and Cruz lands a take down.  Cruz in side control, but Benavidez stands back up.  Cruz counters and lands a left.  Benavidez with another spinning backfist that misses.  They flurry with both landing big shots.  Benavidez with another spinning backfist that misses.  Cruz with a left hook and he takes Benavidez down.  Cruz takes Benavidez's back and flattens him out and throws punches as the bell sounds.  Dominick Cruz defeats Joseph Benavidez via Unanimous Decision

WEC 42 coverage

Danny Castillo

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The first round starts and they start out cautious with feints.  Castillo with a nice combo that paritially lands.  Lamas with a nice jab.  Another jab.  A big right partially lands for Castillo and a wild head kick from Lamas.  Good leg kick from Lamas.  Good leg kick from Castillo...another and Lamas returns one.  Castillo wings a wild left hook and misses.  Lamas with a combo and head kick that partially lands.  Castillo with a nice combo that lands.  Good leg kick from Lamas.  Nice left right combo from Castillo.  They clinch and Castillo with knees with Lamas against the cage.  They seperate.  Lamas with a jab and a leg kick.  Another leg kick lands for Lamas as the bell sounds.

The second round starts and Castillo opens with a wild left and lands a leg kick.  Another leg kick.  A wild exchange and Lamas wins the exhange.  Castillo feints the take down...then shoots half heartedly unsuccessfully.  Lamas with a stiff jab.  Good leg kick lands for Castillo.  Lamas answers.  Lamas with a good right hand.  Castillo shoots and Lamas defends.  Castillo with a good right.  Lamas with a good leg kick.  Good right hand lands for Castillo.  Leg kick lands for Lamas.  Good combo for Castillo and Lamas answers with a punch.  Castillo with another combo that partially lands.  Good right lands for Castillo.  They trade punches.  Castillo lands a BIG right hand that drops Lamas.  Castillo follows up with punches and the referee stops the fight.  Castillo wins via TKO in Rd. 2.


WEC 42 coverage

Takeya Mizugaki

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The round starts and Mizugaki with a good leg kick.  Another good leg kick that's caught by Curran and Curran presses Mizugaki up against the cage.  Mizugaki defending the take down well.  Very good take down defense from Mizugaki as Curran tries for another take down.  Mizugaki with elbows to the body of Curran.  The action slows against the cage as Curran is still going for the take down unsuccessfully.  Curran with a good knee in the clinch as they stand back up against the cage.  Mizugaki reverses Curran on the take down attempt and lands in Curran's full guard.  Mizugaki postures up and unleashes some GnP.  Curran rolls for an arm bar and misses it but sweeps Mizugaki and takes his back for a split second.  Mizugaki quickly reverses though and winds up in Currans half guard.  Curran with butterfly guard now and that's where the action ends in the first round.

The second round starts and Curran lands a big right hand.  Mizugaki with a nice leg kick.  Curran with a nice leg kick.  Curran with a side kick that partially lands.  Curran with a head kick that partially lands.  They trade punches evenly.  Mizugaki clinchs and puts Curran against the cage.  Mizugaki with double underhooks and takes Curran down to the ground.  Mizugaki postures and lands some nice GnP.  Curran controlling Mizugaki's head now.  Mizugaki with more GnP and Curran is active from the bottom.  Mizugaki passes to half guard, but Curran resorts to butterfly guard and now back in Curran's full guard.  Curran with a guillotine attempt.  Mizugaki looks to be ok at the moment.  Curran is cranking on the choke as the bell sounds.

The third and final round starts and they trade punches.  Curran shoots for a take down but it's stuffed.  They trade knees in the clinch.  Mizugaki with a take down as he had double underhooks.  Curran is throwing up his legs for a triangle and Mizugaki defends.  Curran lands some shots from his back.  Curran with elbows from the bottom.  Good elbows from Mizugaki.  Curran attempts to sweep Mizugaki but is unsuccessful.  Curran is striking from the bottom.  Curran with a triangle and an armbar.  Mizugaki defends...Curran is mounted on Mizugaki with the triangle locked in.  Mizugaki defends and rolls with the triangle still locked in.  Mizugaki is defending as the bell sounds.  Takeya Mizugaki defeats Jeff Curran via Split Decision.

WEC 42 coverage

Leonard Garcia

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The fight starts and they trade jabs but both seem to be very cautious.  Massouh with a good leg kick but Garcia lands a big right.  Massouh with another good leg kick and Garcia throws a jab.  Another leg kick from Massouh, and Garcia is trying to counter those with big overhand rights.  Garcia lands a HUGE right hand and drops Massouh.  Garcia hesitates but pounces on Massouh...Massouh in survival mode.  Massouh is gathering himself and gets back to his feet.  Garcia is winging haymakers and Massouh clinches.  Massouh with a takedown and moves into Garcia's half guard.  Massouh is dropping good elbows on Garcia from half guard and Garcia gets full guard back.  Massouh is staying busy from the top but not doing much damage as the bell sounds.

The second round starts and Massouh throws and misses a leg kick.  He lands a hard one and Garcia lands a big right.  Garcia with a guillotine attempt, but Massouh defends nicely.   Garcia rolling for an armbar and Massouh defends.  Massouh in Garcia's half guard staying busy and Garcia is active from the bottom.  Massouh is rolling for a Darce choke, but Garcia gets back to his feet but the choke is still locked in.  Massouh lets the choke go and goes to take Garcia's back.  They seperate and take the center of the cage, Garcia looks winded.  Good body kick from Garcia.  A big right glances off Massouh's chin and Massouh throws a leg kick.  They clinch against the cage..good knee from Massouh.  The finish the round clinched against the cage.

The third round starts and Garcia throws a head kick that is partially blocked.  Garcia throwing big punches but comes up empty and Massouh with a leg kick.  Good body kick from Massouh.  Good leg kick from Garcia.  Garcia wings a big right hand that lands partially.  Superman punch from Massouh lands and he immediately clinches with Garcia.  They seperate.  Garcia with another big right and a left that lands partially.  Another left/right combo.  A spinning side kick partially lands for Garcia.  Leg kick from Massouh lands.  A left hook from Garcia lands and he missed a big overhand right.  A body kick lands for Massouh.  The clinch against the cage.  Good knee from Garcia lands.  A nice combo lands for Massouh.  Garcia with a mortal kombat uppercut that misses.  A good left right combo lands twice for Garcia.  Massouh doubles up on the leg kick and they swing wildly as the bell sounds.  Leonard Garcia defeats Jameel Massouh via Split Decision. 

WEC 42 coverage

WEC Bantamweight #1 Contender Brian Bowles

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 Brian Bowles speaks to cbssports:

I think my punching power is something that has just come natural to me.  I've always enjoyed the stand-up. It's not something that I've really worked on. It's just something that has come to me naturally.

Here lately, the hardest hitter I've seen him go up against was Takeya Mizugaki. Other than that I haven't really seen [anyone] he's been in there with that hits like I do.  I think my wrestling is going to allow me to dictate where the fight ends up. 

I definitely don't see him shooting on me and taking me down. I think the wrestling will definitely play to my advantage, but I think the overall skills, and the fact that I'm really well-rounded is going to give him some problems.

Brian Bowles and Miguel Torres will be the main event of WEC 42, be sure to join us here on Sunday night for the open thread and discussion.  The event will air LIVE on the Versus channel at 9pm EST.  This should be a war, so how do you see this fight going?  Will Bowles be able to dethrone the champ, or will the dominance of Torres continue?

WEC 42 coverage

WEC 42 coverage