Staring across the cage at his opponent, WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber faced a challenger much like himself in Chance Farrar. Both are powerful wrestlers with game plans predicated on overwhelming pressure and a grind’em down style. But Faber’s experience proved the difference as he sunk in a rear naked choke at 3:19 of the opening round after an intense grappling battle that saw the action seesaw back and forth before the champion dug out the victory.
Registering his third defense of the WEC title, Faber took most of the opening minute to adjust to Farrar’s three-inch height advantage and southpaw stance, before the two hit the ground in a fast-paced flurry of reversals, scrambles, and high-level wrestling.
“I figured I’d end up in some weird positions because he’s a high-level wrestler,” Faber said. “Those aren’t unfamiliar positions to me because I do stuff like that every day.”
After ending up on his back seconds after the bout hit the floor with Farrar in side control, Faber eventually worked through several positions with Farrar, who proved very strong in battling the champion’s strength, before lifting him up in the air off a single-leg takedown; with Farrar inverted and Faber holding his ankle, the champion simply dropped straight down, spiking the challenger directly on his head. Faber quickly transitioned, taking Farrar’s back and sinking home a rear naked choke that forced the tap.
Now 19-1 and fresh off a whirlwind three week tour promoting the show’s live television debut, Faber said it didn’t detract from his concentration, because he always stays in shape. And championship pressures aside, it doesn’t matter who he’s fighting or the butgeoning media attention that can go to a guy’s head. In recent months, he’s been featured on an MSNBC special on mixed martial arts, and plenty of mainstream publications in addition to boosting his profile among fans.
“It’s awkward to box a guy who does unorthodox things,” said Faber, who didn’t land any strikes or initiate much standup before the fight hit the floor. “As far as the pressure (to win), it doesn’t matter and the championship doesn’t matter. I’m not gonna get beat up.”
After the match Farrar, 5-1, felt he made a mistake initiating a grappling match with Faber.
“I’m licking my wounds but it was a good fight,” Farrar said. “To be honest, I thought I had him hurt. He backed me into the cage and I made a mental mistake. I should have stayed on my feet. He didn’t hurt me at all. It’s a devastating loss. I’m impressed by what he did, and that’s why he’s the champion. But I didn’t think it would go to the ground unless I did it. As soon as he sunk the choke in, my lights were going out. He’s that strong.”
Coming into the fourth fight of his career, Marine Lt. Brian Stann, winner of the Silver Star for his combat action in Iraq, had considerable pre-fight attention and pressures. Ranging from numerous stories in major media publications – including a May 22 piece in the New York Times – Stann also in charge of a detachment of Marines in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
He squared off against Craig Zellner in a light heavyweight battle that started fast, and was furious until the end, where Stann delivered a ground and pound attack that prompted a referee stoppage at 4:57 of the round.
“He was strong and a lot bigger than me,” said Stann, who weighed in at a light 201 the day previous, but managed to shrug off several of Zellner’s takedown attempts, in between some good standup exchanges between the two. “We knew his heart wasn’t in it and we were gonna break him.” Stann, who walks around at 215, said he may consider dropping down to 185 and testing the middleweights, but would take a shot at WEC 205-lb. champ Doug Marshall if it materializes.
In a showdown of featherweight contenders, Rani Yahira took a slam-bang submission victory via rear naked choke over Mark Hominick in just 1:19. Facing a talented sprawl-and-brawl artist in Hominick, Yahira came out bent on scoring a takedown as soon as the bout started. Missing a lengthy series of takedown attempts, Yahya managed to press Hominick so much that the Canadian simply couldn’t set himself to uncork effective strikes. Finally Yahira secured a leg, took Hominick down, and quickly transitioned to the back, sinking in the choke. It was an exceptionally impressive victory, and showed how dangerous Yahira is on the ground.
Las Vegas’ Alex Karalexis took a unanimous decision over a game Josh Smith. Fighting at 155 pounds after campaigning as a welterweight, Karalexis controlled most of the fight, and battled through a shut left eye that started swelling in the opening round. However, he consistently kept Smith on his back and worked steady punches to the body when he couldn’t posture up to attack the head; Smith showed a lot of heart and didn’t waver despite taking some solid shots both on the ground and in standup exchanges.
Off-TV results
Brock Larson registered an impressive 27-second knockout of Kevin Knabjian in a welterweight match. Larson was originally slated to challenge WEC champ Carlos Condit, who dropped out due to injury. He came out with a big left hand that stunned Knabjian, and pounced on his foe, pinning him against the cage prior to a finishing barrage of rights.
In a welterweight rematch, John Alessio took his second win over Alex Serdyukov with a quick guillotine in the opening round, pulling guard to sink home the finisher. Alessio, who was submitted by Condit in their March 24 match for the WEC belt, said he felt sharper for this bout and wants another chance at the title.
“I over-trained last time and left my fight in the gym,” Alessio said. “I want Carlos again.”
In a rousing showdown between featherweights, Cub Swansen took a hard-nosed victory over Micah Miller, taking a majority decision scored 30-27 by all three judges. The two battled back and forth for top position on the ground, while Swanson landed some good punches on the feet. Each man found himself in bad spots throughout the bout but managed to battle back and hustle out of trouble.
Brian Bowles stayed unbeaten in his four-fight career with an upset submission win over Charlie Valencia in a bantamweight bout. After a close opening round, Bowles sunk in a rear naked choke for the submission in the second. The finisher was preceded by a big right hand and solid flurry from Bowles which put before delivering the submission.
In the opening bout of the night, Jeff Bedard took a clear-cut unanimous decision over Mike French. Bedard had top position increasingly often as the bout progressed, but couldn’t land many effective shots as French covered up effectively.
Source: 15rounds.com
