PREVIEWING THE WEC 34 PRELIMINARY FIGHTS
By David Tees on 5/29/2008 11:14 AM
WEC Featherweight Division Fight
Charlie Valencia (9-4-0) vs. Dominick Cruz (9-1-0)
Charlie Valencia is already a very experienced fighter in WEC competition, fighting in four of the last eight WEC events. Also, Charlie Valencia has fought current WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber and current WEC Featherweight division prospect Cub Swanson, both fights took place in the King Of The Cage organization. Charlie Valencia must take the fight to the ground to get his next victory, because striking is not this fighters strong suit. In his first and only WEC appearance thus far, Dominick Cruz took on and lost to WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber. Dominick Cruz is primarily a striker who would need to keep the fight standing and avoid submissions to get his tenth career win.
My Prediction: Charlie Valencia
WEC Featherweight Division Fight
Jose Aldo (9-1-0) vs. Alexandre Franca “Pequeno” Nogueira (13-4-2)
In his WEC debut, Jose Aldo is taking on a featherweight fighter from the tough Nogueira family in Alexandre Franca Nogueira. Jose Aldo is coming off a huge victory at the Pancrase 2007 Neo Blood Tournament Finals over Shoji Maruyama. Jose Aldo has also competed in the highly touted Shooto promotion and is a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Alexandre Franca Nogueira has primarily been fighting in the Shooto and K-1 organizations for most of his career. Alexandre Franca Nogueira is a fighter who uses the Luta Livre style of fighting and has won nine career fights by submission. Also thus far in his career, Alexandre Franca Nogueira has yet to be submitted in any fashion in MMA competition.
My Prediction: Alexandre Franca Nogueira
WEC Welterweight Division Fight
Alex Serdyukov (7-4-0) vs. Luis Sapo (9-1-0)
Alex Serdyukov is a fighter who has had only one career fight go the distance thus far, plus has fought current UFC Welterweight Title top contender Jon Fitch. Alex Serdyukov has won four of six WEC fights and is on a two fight win streak, so another win could put him in future contention in the WEC Welterweight division. Alex Serdyukov will look for victory by using his muay tai skills to get his opponent to the ground for a submission. Despite making his WEC debut, Luis Sapo at one point was on a five fight win streak and now is riding a four fight win streak. Luis Sapo is a fighter known for his conditioning, having more than half of his career fights end in decision. Luis Sapo is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert who has the skills to match those of Alex Serdyukov’s in the ground game.
My Prediction: Alex Serdyukov
WEC Middleweight Division Fight
Tim “Wrecking Machine” McKenzie (11-5-0) vs. Jeremy Lang (12-0-0)
Although not on the televised card, this middleweight division fight could determine the next top contender to the WEC Middleweight Title, after the Paulo Filho/Chael Sonnen title fight. Tim McKenzie is a rising middleweight fighter who has fought in such organizations as the WEC, Pancrase and Bodog Fight. Prior to his first career loss, Tim McKenzie went on a seven fight win streak and even fought top international fight Akihiro Gono. Tim McKenzie is primarily a striker who has won seven of eleven career MMA fights via knockout, but his last three fights have ended by submission. Despite being an undefeated fight, this is easily the biggest organization Jeremy Lang has fought for thus far in his career. Of his twelve career victories, seven have ended by knockout and two have ended via submission, with two decision wins. Jeremy Lang last fought on May 3rd of this year, so conditioning could very well be the biggest factor in this fight.
My Prediction: Tim McKenzie
WEC Bantamweight Division Fight
Chase Beebe (11-2-0) vs. Will Ribeiro (8-1-0)
Last time Chase Beebe fought in the WEC, he lost the WEC Bantamweight Title to Miguel Torres in February 2008. In his MMA career, Chase Beebe has gone on separate win streaks of five wins in a row and six wins in a row. Chase Beebe is a well known submission fighter, who has won nine career fights by submission, while competing in the WEC and King Of The Cage organizations. Unlike Chase Beebe, Will Ribeiro is a submission fighter who has won the majority of his fights via submission. Although not known stateside, Will Ribeiro is a rising fighting star in his home country of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to be more exact. Despite being proficient in jiu-jitsu, Will Ribeiro is becoming a knockout artist of sorts, winning his last three fights by knockout.
My Prediction: Chase Beebe
WEC Featherweight Division Fight
“The Big Frog” Jeff Curran (30-9-1) vs. Mike Brown (9-3-0)
Jeff Curran will bring his vast MMA experience back into the WEC, where he last lost a WEC Featherweight Title fight to current champion Urijah Faber. Jeff Curran has fought in nearly every major organization in his decade long MMA career, including the WEC, UFC, Hook N’ Shoot, King Of The Cage, PRIDE and International Fight League. Jeff Curran is a well conditioned submission master who has won nineteen career fights with various submissions. His lack of experience could be the detriment of Mike Brown, who has only fought a fourth of the amount of fights Jeff Curran has. However, Mike Brown is a capable fighter who has already been a champion in the Absolute Fighting and Fightzone organizations. Mike Brown does has submission skills, but his best chance will come his boxing skills and keeping the fight on the feet.
My Prediction: Jeff Curran
WEC Lightweight Division Fight
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (7-0-0-1NC) vs. Danny Castillo (5-0-0)
Originally, Donald Cerrone was scheduled to fight Richard Crunkilton Jr., but an injury to Richard Crunkilton Jr. forced the WEC to replace him with the undefeated Danny Castillo. Prior to coming to the WEC, Donald Cerrone was a mainstay for the Ring Of Fire Promotion, even defeating UFC veteran Nate Mohr in his first career fight. Oddly enough, in his WEC debut, the one no contest of Donald Cerrone’s career came against Kenneth Alexander. Every single victory of Donald Cerrone’s career has thus far come by submission, so we should know what to expect him to go for against Danny Castillo. Danny Castillo has already fought in some top notch organizations like the Palace Fighting Championships and Gladiator Challenge in his young career. Like Donald Cerrone, Danny Castillo has ended the majority of his fights by submission, so expect the majority of the fight to be on the ground.
My Prediction: Donald Cerrone
