WEC makes Torres, Pulver bouts official for March 6 Columbus show
Jan 18, 2010 | by MattE | No CommentsBy Matt Erickson
cagedin.mma@gmail.com
World Extreme Cagefighting made official on Monday two fights for its WEC 47 show on March 6 in Columbus, Ohio.
Former bantamweight champion Miguel Torres, an East Chicago native, will take on Joseph Benavidez in the co-main event. And former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver, who recently relocated to his native Idaho after years of living and training in Bettendorf, Iowa, with Pat Miletich, will make his return to the cage against Javier Vazquez.
The main event for WEC 47 will be a bantamweight title fight between champion Brian Bowles, who dethroned Torres in August, and Dominick Cruz. The event will take place at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on a weekend that has traditionally been occupied by the UFC. For the last three years, the UFC has timed a Columbus pay-per-view with The Arnold Sports Festival. But this year, the WEC will fill that slot.
WEC general manager Reed Harris said in a release from the promotion that he expects fireworks between Torres (36-2) and Benavidez (11-1).
“Joseph Benavidez and Miguel Torres both want a shot at the winner of the Brian Bowles-Dominick Cruz title fight,” Harris said. “So we expect these two to leave it all in the cage. The same goes for Jens and Javier. Both guys are well-respected in this sport and both guys want to prove that they have what it takes to win the featherweight championship. It’s going to be a tremendous night.”
Torres has moved the bulk of his training away from his own Torres Martial Arts Academy in Hammond for this fight and is training with renowned jiu-jitsu expert Robert Drysdale in Las Vegas and will spend time working with Muay Thai master Mark DellaGrotte in Boston. Torres said he knows if he is to get another shot at the title, he’ll have to work for it.
“I can’t wait to get back in the cage and show what I can do,” Torres said. “Benavidez is probably the top contender at 135 right now and I want to prove that I’m still the best in this division. I want to earn my way back to the belt.”
Benavidez, who knocked out Rani Yahya in the first round at WEC 45 in December, trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento with Urijah Faber. He believes the bout has Fight of the Year potential.
“I have envisioned us fighting for a long time,” Benavidez said. “I think fans are in for one of the best fights of the year. I think I’m capable of beating him. I’m really looking forward to proving myself against someone people have considered a legend and the best in the world.”
Tickets for the card start at $25 and move up in ranges priced at $45, $75 and $125. The event will be the WEC’s first in Ohio (WEC 43 in Youngstown had to be scrapped last September and was rescheduled for San Antonio in October) and first trip to the Midwest since Torres defended his title against Takeya Mizugaki at WEC 40 in Chicago last April. Tickets are available at Nationwide Arena, Ticketmaster locations and online at ticketmaster.com.
The main card will be shown live on the Versus cable network at 9 p.m. Central.
» Posted in: Uncategorized» Tagged: Local MMA, WEC
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