Comments on: WEC moving closer towards elimination of middleweight and light heavyweight divisions http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/ Your Destination for Insider MMA News and Opinion Sat, 26 May 2012 15:31:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Steve http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-50355 Steve Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:59:28 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-50355 The WEC should add a 125lb division, there are plenty of great wrestlers, boxers, BJJ practitioners who would make great mma fighters at that weight. Everyone knows the WEC 185 and 205 divisions are the minor leagues compared to the UFC. 80% of the guys in the WEC at those weight classes are guys who previously fought in the UFC but needed more experience. Same could be said for alot of the 170 and 155 lb fighters as well. Bottom line is except for the 145 and 135 lb divisions which the UFC doesn't feature, the WEC is the developmental league for the UFC. To prove my point, Zuffa should do a UFC/WEC superfight card, Champion vs Champion. Penn vs Varner, GSP vs Condit, Silva vs Filho, Griffen vs Cantwell. The smart $$$ would be on the UFC champions. The WEC champs are good fighters but their UFC counterparts are a level or 2 up. The WEC should add a 125lb division, there are plenty of great wrestlers, boxers, BJJ practitioners who would make great mma fighters at that weight. Everyone knows the WEC 185 and 205 divisions are the minor leagues compared to the UFC. 80% of the guys in the WEC at those weight classes are guys who previously fought in the UFC but needed more experience. Same could be said for alot of the 170 and 155 lb fighters as well. Bottom line is except for the 145 and 135 lb divisions which the UFC doesn’t feature, the WEC is the developmental league for the UFC.

To prove my point, Zuffa should do a UFC/WEC superfight card, Champion vs Champion. Penn vs Varner, GSP vs Condit, Silva vs Filho, Griffen vs Cantwell. The smart $$$ would be on the UFC champions. The WEC champs are good fighters but their UFC counterparts are a level or 2 up.

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]]> By: JBAR http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-47399 JBAR Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:56:03 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-47399 This can't be good for the UFC 185 and 205 divisions in the long term. The divisions are stacked with talent now but they are losing a proving ground for young fighters to gain valuable experience and develop their skills which will lead to a smaller group of good fighters in the future. This can’t be good for the UFC 185 and 205 divisions in the long term. The divisions are stacked with talent now but they are losing a proving ground for young fighters to gain valuable experience and develop their skills which will lead to a smaller group of good fighters in the future.

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]]> By: flassassin http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-46798 flassassin Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:17:01 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-46798 I gotta think that with this merger coupled with the influx of IFL-refugee signings and other foreign fighters, it would be a good opportunity for the UFC to ramp up the amount of events they hold in a year. If there are more cards, crowded divisions won't be a problem. I gotta think that with this merger coupled with the influx of IFL-refugee signings and other foreign fighters, it would be a good opportunity for the UFC to ramp up the amount of events they hold in a year. If there are more cards, crowded divisions won’t be a problem.

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]]> By: Numba1Stunna http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-46771 Numba1Stunna Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:44:53 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-46771 What is going to happen to Steve Cantwell? Kind of a bum deal, he wins the title and now he won't get to defend it in the promotion he fights for. Not too mention, he wouldn't last 2 fights in the UFC. LHW in the UFC is a who's who of the division and before Cantwell beat Stann, nobody knew much about him. It seemed he was just another fight to build Stann into a star. Stann with some more training at I think it was Team Quest? Will be able in my opinion to hang in the UFC against the Mid-Level guys. (Boestch, Bonnar, H. Alexander, Schafer, A. Mendes). As for the MW's, I think Brian Baker, Filho and Sonnen could all hang ib the UFC. It seems that only a small number of fighters will actually come over from the WEC. What gets me though is they are bringing the heavier guys over but the 1 person everybody really wants to see in the UFC, Carlos Condit will be stuck fighting Brock Larson when he should be fighting Thiago Alves, GSP, Koscheck, Diego Sanchez.... What is going to happen to Steve Cantwell? Kind of a bum deal, he wins the title and now he won’t get to defend it in the promotion he fights for. Not too mention, he wouldn’t last 2 fights in the UFC. LHW in the UFC is a who’s who of the division and before Cantwell beat Stann, nobody knew much about him. It seemed he was just another fight to build Stann into a star. Stann with some more training at I think it was Team Quest? Will be able in my opinion to hang in the UFC against the Mid-Level guys. (Boestch, Bonnar, H. Alexander, Schafer, A. Mendes). As for the MW’s, I think Brian Baker, Filho and Sonnen could all hang ib the UFC. It seems that only a small number of fighters will actually come over from the WEC. What gets me though is they are bringing the heavier guys over but the 1 person everybody really wants to see in the UFC, Carlos Condit will be stuck fighting Brock Larson when he should be fighting Thiago Alves, GSP, Koscheck, Diego Sanchez….

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]]> By: Fightlinker http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-46761 Fightlinker Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:45:23 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-46761 Good call on women in the WEC. I agree 100% Good call on women in the WEC. I agree 100%

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]]> By: fightfan http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-46731 fightfan Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:11:13 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-46731 I got nothiing but respect and gratitude for all that have served in the armed forces. But I am about sick of hearing "all-american" Brian Stann and how he seen death , etc, etc an dfighting is nothing compared to it. The above article mentions taht he will most likely be folded over to the UFC. But, NOT EVEN mentioned is the PRESENT LH WEC champ Cantwell. The "former" champ is mentioned, but nothing of the "present" champ????? I got nothiing but respect and gratitude for all that have served in the armed forces. But I am about sick of hearing “all-american” Brian Stann and how he seen death , etc, etc an dfighting is nothing compared to it.

The above article mentions taht he will most likely be folded over to the UFC. But, NOT EVEN mentioned is the PRESENT LH WEC champ Cantwell. The “former” champ is mentioned, but nothing of the “present” champ?????

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]]> By: ttt http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-46730 ttt Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:06:10 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-46730 maybe they can add women into the mix maybe they can add women into the mix

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]]> By: matt http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-46724 matt Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:46:35 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-46724 The only issue I have with a division merger is that I don't feel like Munoz/Stann/Rosholt are ready for the big time. And unless the UFC starts sending fighters for the WW and LW divisions, it doesn't seem like those will be the spearheaded and commercial divisions. Besides Faber and Torres, and to a lesser extent Condit, the WEC doesn't have the headliners for this. The only issue I have with a division merger is that I don’t feel like Munoz/Stann/Rosholt are ready for the big time. And unless the UFC starts sending fighters for the WW and LW divisions, it doesn’t seem like those will be the spearheaded and commercial divisions. Besides Faber and Torres, and to a lesser extent Condit, the WEC doesn’t have the headliners for this.

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]]> By: dpk http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/08/30/wec-moving-closer-towards-elimination-of-middleweight-and-light-heavyweight-divisions/comment-page-1/#comment-46708 dpk Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:40:48 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=5924#comment-46708 125lb division would be great. WEC has already proved that the lighter weights usually put on the most exciting shows. Anyone who was a boxing fan in the late 90's or early 2000's knows that guys at 126-140lbs had the most entertaining fights out there as well. Another note to that is that 21 y/o Henry Cejudo was the only American freestyle wrestler to win Gold in the Olympics, and he did it at 121lbs. A potential star right off the bat for the division if WEC could get him to make a move to MMA. 125lb division would be great. WEC has already proved that the lighter weights usually put on the most exciting shows. Anyone who was a boxing fan in the late 90′s or early 2000′s knows that guys at 126-140lbs had the most entertaining fights out there as well.

Another note to that is that 21 y/o Henry Cejudo was the only American freestyle wrestler to win Gold in the Olympics, and he did it at 121lbs. A potential star right off the bat for the division if WEC could get him to make a move to MMA.

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