World Extreme Cagefighting Eliminates Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Divisions

by Luke Thomas on Sep 26, 2008 4:20 PM EDT in News Comment 44 comments

"With every fight, the WEC has proven itself to be a powerful and growing presence in sports, both with our live events and our programming on Versus," said Peter Dropick, WEC Vice President, Operations and Production. "Exciting matchups like Torres vs. Tapia on Dec. 3 and the incredible fights we have planned for 2009 under this new structure will no doubt establish WEC as the home of the best lighter weight fighters in the world."

Industry insiders have speculated for months as to when the move would actually happen and according to officials at the WEC, 2009 will move the focus to the lighter weight classes with the light heavyweight and middleweight classes leaving the promotion.

The WEC made no statement as to what would happen to the fighters currently competing in those weight classes, but it has long been assumed that at least champions like Paulo Filho and Steve Cantwell would make the move along with fighters such as Brian Stann, who has a tremendous fan following.

Current middleweight champion, Paulo Filho, is still slated to defend his WEC title in November against Chael Sonnen, but that may be the last scheduled fight for the weight class.

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Comments

Filho, in spite of how he has recently looked, is really the best challenger out there for Anderson. I would be estatic if that fight is actually made.

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 2:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Silva and Filho will never fight each other.

In fact, Silva wanting to retire quickly may lend itself to Filho making a run through the UFC MW division without encountering Silva – especially if we see Silva taking on more LHW fights.

Cantwell on the other hand will probably end up at around gatekeeper level in the UFC LHWs.

by Flying Gogoplata on Sep 26, 2008 2:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Silva’s stated that if he had to fight Filho, he would. If they put money in front of him, it’ll happen. Besides, Silva is still 4-5 fights from retiring. Its not gonna be “quick”.

Cantwell and Stann can look forward to brutal KO losses.

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Correction,

Silva’s mgr stated that & then Silva came right back and said that he would never fight Paulo. I think that Silva may be looking to move up and then give his old weight class over to Paulo to avoid that possibility.

by dnevil001 on Sep 26, 2008 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A. Silva has stated in the past that LHW belongs to W. Silva and that he (A. Silva) would not look for the title. There are to many Silva’s.

by szucconi on Sep 26, 2008 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Belongs

to Wandy when he is not even a top contender? I do not think we will have to worry about Wandy threatening for that title anytime soon.

by dnevil001 on Sep 26, 2008 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I think A’s point was that the div is W’s division. He said it not me.

by szucconi on Sep 26, 2008 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I understand

that point, but it seems like he is trying to move out of that weight class because his friend Paulo is more than likely coming over & that would ensure they would not be competing head to head. Wandy is in that division for tickets & exciting fights, not to truly challenge for the title.

by dnevil001 on Sep 26, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hasn’t Filho said that he intends at some point to fight at 205? I’m pretty sure he did, but i could be wrong.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 26, 2008 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I believe he actually said that the LHW strap will ultimately belong to Machida, not Wandy, but the point remains that he said he was not interested in pursuing the LHW belt.

by Estrada on Sep 26, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cantwell isn’t even gatekeeper status IMO…I would love to see Filho/Franklin.

http://mma4real.net/

by Tha Realness on Sep 26, 2008 2:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

… would you move Filho up or Franklin down to do that?

by Kierkegaard on Sep 26, 2008 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Filho up as long as Silva is the MW champ…Franklin beats Filho IMO.

http://mma4real.net/

by Tha Realness on Sep 26, 2008 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whats with the hate for Cantwell? Dude is 22, with real skills. I’ll be shocked if he isn’t very successful in the UFC.

by Michaelthebox on Sep 26, 2008 2:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Because Cantwell is at 205 where his “real skills” aren’t worthy of comparison to most in the top 20. I don’t think he can compete with Stephan Bonnar, much less Rampage or Forrest.

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So? He’s 22. He’s still real early in his career. Forrest was just starting out when he was 22. Rampage lost to Sakuraba when he was 23. Bonnar didn’t start fighting until he was 23 or so. And Cantwell is a much better fighter now than any of them were then. Shogun didn’t even break through until he was 24 or so.

If he gets pushed to the top too fast, Cantwell get whipped and fall back. He might stagnate like Belcher. But if he keeps developing, he could easily be an elite fighter. Thats a far cry from writing him off as a gatekeeper.

I mean really, do you expect ANYBODY to hang with Bonnar, Rampage, or Forrrest when they’re 22? Give him a couple years to develop.

by Michaelthebox on Sep 26, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I see from Cantwell is what I see from Rich Franklin, except he does nothing as well and doesn’t have overwhelming size for the division in which he competes as an advantage. I look at that mid range of 205lb fighters in the UFC and they are all tough outs for him. Who does he fight? Red Schafer?

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

“Red Shafer”

Why not? Franklin’s fighting career didn’t even begin until he was 25 years old. Don’t look at Cantwell as a finished product who should already be fighting top competition. Look at him as a prospect who will get eased into the UFC like any other prospect. Hamill didn’t face Franklin right off, he started with Forbes, then Petruzelli, then Holman. After fighting Griffin, Bonnar faced Hogar, then James Irvin. Forrest faced Bonnar, then Mahood, then Sinosic.

There is very little reason to think Cantwell will never be more than a gatekeeper, just because he isn’t an elite fighter right this moment.

by Michaelthebox on Sep 26, 2008 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Red Schafer beats him right now, that’s why. If you want him to improve, the UFC is not the place for that.

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really? I’d take that bet without any hesitation. What does Shafer offer that Cantwell can’t handle?

by Michaelthebox on Sep 26, 2008 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You ever see Cantwell defend submissions from someone who’s both good at BJJ and decently well rounded? I’ve yet to see it.

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You ever seen him submitted?

We don’t know how good his sub defense is, but his overall ground game is probably ok considering half of his wins are via submission.

Its not like Schafer is some miraculous ground magician, that his submission game will overcome Cantwell’s complete and utter superiority on the feet and what appears to be a strong overall game.

Wait a second, you’re saying Schafer is well rounded? Have we watched the same guy?

by Michaelthebox on Sep 27, 2008 3:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

See Nate Diaz for a guy that has improved while moving up the ranks at a young age. It can and does happen in the UFC.

by lbk on Sep 26, 2008 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

For real. Dude showed a lot against Stann. People love to hate on the WEC LHW’s. Nobody is saying Cantwell is going to walk in and compete with the top 10. I douby Chuck Lidell would have been able to beat any of the top 10 at age 22 either.

by lbk on Sep 26, 2008 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When Chuck Liddell was 22, MMA basically didn’t exist in the US.

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if the UFC will pick up Sonnen again? After being famously pretzeled by Babalu, he nearly pounds out one of the top grapplers around – UFC could do with another good MW…I’d hire him over Stann any day (mostly because I think he’s a jackass).

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Sep 26, 2008 3:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sonnen,

if he performs to the level he did against Paulo last time then he will probably get another shot. He seems to be a game opponent & if Paulo did not catch that armbar Sonnen was going to win the decision.

by dnevil001 on Sep 26, 2008 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

How is Stann a jackass? I don’t understand the Stann hate.

by lbk on Sep 26, 2008 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He always came across as extremely cocky, which I wouldn’t mind if he deserved it, but he never did enough to back it up. In his first test against a technical striker he gets TKO’d (though the way he handled his loss was classy). His stint in the Marines is the only major selling point he has – his striking is powerful but sloppy – and he feels that because he’s a marine he’s the best out there. There are many similar guys out there, but he is marketable, so they do it. I like intelligent & strategic fighters, not blockhead brawlers.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Sep 26, 2008 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

While I have no idea if the guy is cocky, this is basically an accurate depiction of Stann talentwise. I mean, he’s about as good as James Irvin, which basically makes him like, not very good (at least as far as “elite” fighters go).

by D.Capitated on Sep 26, 2008 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stann

is very raw so the only thing that we have seen from him is his willingness to stand there & bang with anyone. Just like all other strikers, he is going to have to expand his game because if any midlevel bjj guy gets him down it is over right now. His marketability is what will be compelling for the UFC. A Marine, loves to bang, that spells big money for Dana.

by dnevil001 on Sep 26, 2008 3:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

WEC should merge their welterweight & lightweight divisions into the UFC as well.

And to fill that void they should start a 125 lb division & women’s division (after EliteXC folds)

Keep Swillin',
Bruz

by Bruz on Sep 26, 2008 4:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

How about Stann vs. Cantwell one more time before they shut the division down?

by Chris Nelson on Sep 26, 2008 4:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

like maybe at the “Fight for the troops” event?

by Kierkegaard on Sep 26, 2008 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hah!

Guess I should refresh the front page more often.

by Chris Nelson on Sep 26, 2008 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

;-)

by Kierkegaard on Sep 26, 2008 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They need to get Condit in the UFC Stat.

by lbk on Sep 26, 2008 4:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gone are the days of the WEC LHW champ losing and putting the belt on the new champ.

by szucconi on Sep 26, 2008 4:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

7-minute DOCUMENTARY on UFC Fighter, COLE MILLER

Check it out!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AhbI4IVRDw

by FightFiend1083 on Sep 26, 2008 6:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What are you, his promoter? Are you just going to continue to randomly inject this link into various threads that have absolutely nothing to do with Cole Miller, or what?

by Kierkegaard on Sep 26, 2008 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

just a heads up.

is it ruining your day that I’m posting an MMA related video link that people might wanna check out? not everyone scours every single message board. i figure spreading it out will have more people watching it.

chill.

by FightFiend1083 on Sep 27, 2008 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Make a FanPost or FanShot. Don’t post the link in the comments under posts that are completely unrelated.

Da Blog

by Richard Wade on Sep 27, 2008 3:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It ruined my day, lol.

Seriously, you should do what Richard suggested and make a fanpost and let us all know what it is more specifically and give a little background.

I would watch it then, but i will never follow a link that is so far off topic, for obvious reasons.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 27, 2008 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At the time I responded you had exactly two posts here. They were both begging people to check out this Cole Miller link and both were in topics that had absolutely nothing to do with Cole Miller. You’re right that not everyone scours every single message board, especially looking for Cole Miller videos. What people here do, however, is intelligently discuss topics — usually by talking about stuff that is at least tangentially related to the subject of the post being commented on. It’s not hard to make a fanpost or a fanshot promoting Miller’s video if that’s what you’re trying to accomplish. Otherwise, all you’re doing is randomly injecting Cole Miller propoganda in the midst of discussions about everything except Cole Miller. It comes across like you’re a spammer, just like the people who randomly comment on topics with Viagra or porn advertisements. That’s all.

by Kierkegaard on Sep 27, 2008 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs