WEC 47 ‘Bowles vs. Cruz’ was the organization’s debut in Columbus, Ohio, and featured several important matchups in the bantamweight division: Champion Brian Bowles was set to defend his title against Dominick Cruz, former champion Miguel Torres took on Joseph Benavidez in a #1 contender bout, and a rising prospect Scott Jorgensen looked to break into the title picture. As usual, the card was rounded out by a smattering of lightweight and featherweight bouts.
Bart Palaszewski vs. Karen Darabedyan (155 lbs)
Round 1: The fighters circle each other tentatively. Karen lands the first significant punch. Bart answers with leg kicks. Karen advances with a flurry, backing Bart into the cage, then goes for a takedown. Palaszewski grabs on to a guillotine but gets slammed as Darabedyan breaks free and lands elbows to the head. Bart tries for an omoplata and uses it to regain guard. Bart attempts and armbar and a triangle but Karen evades danger and finds openings for elbows and punches. Karen stands over Bart and eats an upkick then dives back into Palaszewski’s guard. Palaszewski keeps looking for an armbar and finally secures one, straightening out Karen’s arm. Darabedyan tries to roll out of it but he is trapped and forced to tap out.
Fight Grade: 4/5
Deividas Taurosevicius vs. LC Davis (145 lbs)
Round 1: The fighters quickly clinch. They exchange short strikes against the fence and jockey for position, spinning each other around. Deividas attempts a takedown several times but Davis has excellent defense. Davis barely edges out an uneventful round. Round 10-9 Davis
Round 2: A brief exchange and Deividas shoots for a takedown. He finally gets through LC’s defense but Davis uses the fence to scramble back to his feet. They clinch and Deividas lands a knee to the groin of Davis. Davis groans but the referee doesn’t stop the action. More knees exchanged from clinch and another one lands low; Davis complains but the ref claims he did not see it. Davis breaks free of the clinch and lands a combination but Taurosevicius closes the distance and looks for another takedown as the round ends. Round 10-9 Taurosevicius
Round 3: Some even exchanges in the beginning of the final round and then back to clinch they go. Deividas works hard to take Davis down, but LC’s defense is impeccable. At one point Deividas actually lifts Davis off his feet, but LC still manages to somehow remain standing, and then scores a takedown of his own. Taurosevicius threatens an omoplata from the bottom, falling short but neutralizing Davis while landing some light punches. Referee stands them up much to Taurosevius’ chagrin, and the round ends as it began, clinched against the fence. Round 10-9 Davis
LC Davis win the majority decision, with the scores of 29-29, 29-28, 29-28. Boring fight that sucked all the life out of the broadcast.
Fight Grade: 2/5
Jens Pulver vs. Javier Vasquez (145 lbs)
Round 1: Jens Pulver is looking to strike. Vasquez catches a kick and takes Pulver down but gets caught in a guillotine. He escapes but Pulver ends up in the top position and stands up. Vasquez goes for another takedown, and Pulver tries the guillotine again but Vasquez takes his back. Vasquez looks for a choke. Pulver escapes and stands over Vasquez, kicking his legs. Vasquez trips Jens and puts him on his back. Vasquez passes guard into side mount then traps Pulver in the crucifix position and pounds away on Pulver’s head. Pulver escapes the bad position but Vasquez now has his back. Vasquez transitions into mount and grabs an armbar, and Pulver is forced to tap out. Pulver is grimacing in pain holding his arm after the break.
In a tearful post-fight interview, former UFC champion Jens Pulver, in so many words, announces his retirement from the Mixed Martial Arts competition.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Scott Jorgensen vs. Chad George (135 lbs)
Round 1: George shoots in for an early takedown but Jorgensen sprawls and locks onto George’s neck with a guillotine. George tries to back out of it but is trapped against the fence, and frantically taps out as Jorgensen lifts him off his feet by his neck.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Miguel Torres vs. Joseph Benavidez (135 lbs)
Round 1: Torres circles while Benavidez advances. Low strike output from both fighters. They trade leg kicks. Benavidez lands a couple of punches. Benavidez catches a leg kick and tosses Torres to the mat, then back off to let him stand up. They clinch and Benavidez takes Torres down. Torres looks for an armbar but there’s nothing there. Benavidez attempts to lock in a guillotine from the top. It’s a stalemate on the ground and Benavidez stands up just as the round ends. Round 10-9 Benavidez
Round 2: Both fighters are throwing kicks in the second round. Not seeing the usual aggression from Torres. Benavidez is getting the best of standing exchanges then takes Torres down and lands a series of elbows that open a huge gushing cut on Miguel’s forehead. Torres escapes; he’s visibly affected by the cut, wiping the blood out of his eyes. Torres shoots for a takedown and gets caught in a guillotine. Benavidez rolls over and Torres is tapping out with both hands.
This was the second loss (and finish) in a row for once thought to be unstoppable Miguel Torres. Looks like his days at the top of the division are over for now, and Joseph Benavidez is a lock for the next title shot.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Danny Castillo vs. Anthony Pettis (155 lbs)
Round 1: An uneventful start to the fight. Light exchanges then Castillo scores a takedown. Castillo lands a few shots and Pettis scrambles to his feet. They clinch and Castillo lands a knee to the groin of Pettis. They restart after a brief break, then Pettis lays Castillo out cold with a head kick. Pettis lands five more strikes to the unconscious Castillo as the referee is a bit slow to stop the fight.
Fight Grade: 4/5
Champion Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz (135 lbs title bout)
Round 1: Cruz is very light on his feet, bouncing around his opponent while Bowles is firmly planted and swinging for the fences. Both fighters miss with some wild shots. Cruz connects a solid punch; Bowles answers with a flurry. Cruz lands another big one and Bowles backs up. Cruz gets a takedown but can’t do much with it. Bowles escapes and the round is over. Round 10-9 Cruz
Round 2: Cruz is quicker than Bowles, beating him to the punch and landing leg kicks. Cruz lands a punch combination then ends with a leg kick that knocks Bowles down. Bowles is right back up and flurries on Cruz but eats counters. Bowles’ nose is bleeding. Cruz is controlling the stand-up, then gets another takedown near the end of the round. Round 10-9 Cruz
Brian Bowles does not answer the bell for the third round. Apparently he broke his hand in the first round and feels he is not able to continue. Not very champion-like to quit between rounds because of a hand injury. No title defenses for Bowles, and Dominick Cruz is the new WEC bantamweight champion.
A rematch between Cruz and Benavidez for the title seems inevitable. An unexciting prospect as they have fought recently and the first fight was fairly one-sided in Dominick’s favor. Bowles should rematch Miguel Torres, after his hand heals up.
Fight Grade: 2/5
We saw a big shakeup in the bantamweight division, the retirement of a legend, and several slick submissions. But between the Taurosevicius-Davis fight and the ending of the main event, I was left somewhat disappointed with WEC 47.