Event Title: World Extreme Cagefighting 25
Event Date: 20 January 2007
Event Venue: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Event Location: Las Vegas
Date submitted: 23 January 2007
Submitted by: WEC.tv
Kit Cope and “Razor” Rob McCullough squared off for the vacant WEC lightweight title Saturday night in Las Vegas, with a war of words fuelling the pre-flight build-up. Though both are talented stand-up artists, McCullough provided too effective with strikes on the ground, pounding his way through two submission attempts en route to a stoppage at 2:53 of the opening round.
The card was held in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, with an attendance of 900.
On a scale of 1 to 10, McCullough rated his performance and 8, and said he’s ready for the challengers who’ll be vying for his WEC 155-lb. belt.
“That’s my whole life. People have always been gunning for me,” said McCullough, who fought off a shoulder lock followed by Cope’s attempt at a toe hold. The first attempt seemed potentially more serious, but McCullough simply stayed cool and worked his way out. The second proved Cope’s undoing, as McCullough exploited openings and simply popped away, finishing the fight with a crunching right elbow 2:53 into the opening stanza. Cope laid on the canvas for about 5 minutes before getting back to his feet.
So what’s a new champ to do with the shiny belt?
“I’m probably going to go to a strip club and get some free lap dances,” quipped McCullough.
In the semi-main event WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber successfully defended his title with an impressive stoppage of Joe Pearson at 2:31 of the first round. Pearson, a Team Miletich product, had vowed before the bout to beat Faber wherever “The California Kid” wanted to take the fight.
But Faber simply proved too strong, coming out with his trademark aggression, quickly securing the takedowns. After two thumping body slams of Pearson, Faber worked inside the challenger’s tight guard. After a few short strikes that didn’t really generate too much power or land clean, Faber suddenly postured into a good angle, delivering a clean right elbow that stunned Pearson. He then blasted a right hand flush on the chin, prompting a referee stoppage as Pearson was in no shape to continue.
Faber’s win raises his record to 17-1, and with the WEC clearly intending to showcase lighter-weight fighters, he said he’s ready to take on all comers.
“I think wherever (the fight goes) it’s to my advantage,” Faber said. “I go for the kill when I’m in there.”
In a match between veteran welterweights, John Alessio took an impressive submission win in the first round over Brian Gassaway via rear naked choke. After some tentative stand-up followed by some clinching against the cage, Alessio took Gassaway down, secured mount, and took Gassaway’s back as the Chicagoan took some solid punches. Alessio secured a tight choke and finished the match with ten seconds left in the round.
“I wanted to finish the fight in the first. I couldn’t be happier,” Alessio said. “It was veteran versus veteran.” The win should boost Alessio’s chances of getting a shot at the vacant WEC 170-lb. belt.
In a spirited battle between unbeaten middleweights, Logan Clark grounded out a hard-nosed third round stoppage of a very game Blas Avena. The action was back and forth from the opening round. While neither fighter was in serious trouble before finish, neither guy would let the other hold the momentum for too long, as each battled back.
However, Clark had better of the takedown battle, showing superior strength and better ability to obtain top position, whether from the clinch or in countering strikes.
As the second round was in its last minute, Clark secured a tight arm bar from the bottom and nearly finished Avena, who gutted out the submission for about 10 seconds, his arm taut, and the bell saving him.
By the third, both seemed tired, with Avena visibly fading. Clark finally forced him down against the cage and pounded him out at 4:23 of the final round.
Clark goes to 9-1, while Avena drops to 3-1; however, Avena showed some sharp standup in spots and it may be that Clark’s greater experience helped him pull out the win. Plus, his conditioning proved critical down the stretch.
In other bouts:
Brendan Seguin took a one-sided unanimous decision over Fernando Gonzalez. Gonzalez found himself on the receiving end of several takedowns and couldn’t seem to dictate the action on the ground, often resorting to guard while Seguin occasionally worked effective strikes, or avoided submission setups by Gonzalez. However, Gonzalez did let his hands go at times and was game throughout, as Seguin would simply counter strikes with quick takedowns.
Carlos Condit continued his impressive streak of late, sinking home a rear naked choke two minutes and ten seconds into the first round to defeat Kyle Jensen. Condit got top position, and passed into side control and then mount before landing some hard ground and ground, prompting Jensen to give up his back, and then the choke.
Alex Karalexis pounded out a very game Olaf Alonso with a second round stoppage due to a cut. The welterweight match was very one-sided as Karalexis obtained top position and thumped the tough Alonso with a string of punches and elbows in the opening round, and Alonso showed his trademark gameness. However, Alonso, a natural 155-pounder, simply couldn’t hold off Karalexis’ attacks in the second. Bleeding from a cut on his eye, he absorbed more punishment in the second round, The fight was stopped due to bleeding and Alonso’s inability to see.
Antonio Banuelos took a workmanlike unanimous duke over Mike French. After a tentative opening minute, where both circled without letting anything go, Banuelos went to work. He used some good body lock takedowns and more aggressive stand-up to notch the victory.
Rich Crunkilton took a decision over Mike Joy in a lightweight tilt. Crunkilton proved superior, consistently obtaining top position, though Joy showed some quickness on the feet, occasionally landing a solid shot. However, Crunkilton, though nailed hard on a couple of occasions and dropped, would either scramble back up or shoot in and take Joy down.
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