Mike Brown vs. Jose Aldo? Hold Your Horses

by Luke Thomas on Jun 10, 2009 2:09 PM EDT in News Comment 25 comments

Greg Savage explains the conflicts, both with scheduling and fighter prioritization:

WEC has guaranteed Versus Network eight events this year. Two still need main events. One headliner should be a 135-pound title fight between the winner of Miguel Torres vs. Brian Bowles and the winner of Joseph Benavidez vs. Dominick Cruz. Brown’s next defense and lightweight champion Jamie Varner’s return should round out the schedule, but it’s a matter of fitting the pieces of the puzzle together.

A Jamie Varner-Donald Cerrone rematch for the lightweight strap is one roadblock to Brown-Aldo happening in September. Varner’s availability is still not known for the late summer date, but if he is ready to go, it would be very unfair to everyone involved -- Varner, Cerrone and the fans -- if the lightweight fight wasn’t made.

Another potential barrier to a Brown-Aldo title fight could come from within Aldo’s camp. Wagnney Fabiano is higher ranked than Aldo, his younger teammate, in most polls and could find himself blocked if Aldo were to snatch the title away from Brown.

I'm not so sure you can't double dip with two title fights on one night, although the television scheduling of that can get dicey if both fights go into championships rounds or a decision. Savage suggests skipping the fight altogether with Aldo dropping to 135lbs and eventually taking on Miguel Torres. That wouldn't be my first choice as the WEC featherweight division is really starting to grow some teeth, but given the constraints of the situation it may be all they have.

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The big problem I see is that the WEC will likely want to push Aldo into the matchup due to his exciting finishes. Wagnney, while very good, is probably more boring to casual fans.

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by Leland Roling on Jun 10, 2009 11:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The real question is

could Aldo really make 135? The guy is pretty shredded/ lanky as it is.

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'09 is the year of the FW's.

by ElliotMatheny on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes, he can make 135lbs and has said as much.

by Luke Thomas on Jun 10, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Aldo has fought in 5 recent WEC shows – 34, 36, 38, 39, 41 with 5 KOs.
Fabiano has fought in 2 – 37(dec), 40 (sub).

There is nobody hotter in the WEC or FW division right now – Aldo’s matches have been getting shorter and more one-sided each time out – 16:45, 4:15, 1:39, 0:08. There’s not much more Aldo could have done over the last year to get himself a title shot.

You have to respect that dominance and activity level, though it may upset the hierarchy within Nova.

by bigweeze on Jun 10, 2009 12:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wagnney still has defeated better opponents. I say give Wagnney first shot then see where it goes from there.

by gunranger on Jun 10, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

if aldo drops to 135, who’s “next in line”?

by woooburn on Jun 10, 2009 12:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

In a perfet world….

1. Aldo would drop to 135 and fight the winner of Bowles vs. Torres.
2. Fabiano would fight Brown next.
3. Assucano or Grispi would fight the winner.
4. Faber drops down to 135 and eventually fights for the title.
5. Benvendiz drops to 125 and fights for that title.

by AlwaysRelaxing on Jun 10, 2009 12:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Aldo is the shit

Every fight of his I’ve seen has been amazing and badass and [insert several more superlatives of choice here]

http://www.mma-collective.com/

by schizosmurf on Jun 10, 2009 12:14 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

hasn’t the wec done multiple title fights on their cards a number of times? can’t see why they couldn’t do it again.

by woooburn on Jun 10, 2009 12:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Then that forces them to find another title fight for the last card of 09.

by bigweeze on Jun 10, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

good point.

though maybe faber could be back in action by then? maybe him and aldo at 135?

by woooburn on Jun 10, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yep, several times

WEC 35 – LW, WW, LHW
WEC 34 – BW, FW
WEC 32 – BW, LW, WW
WEC 31 – FW, MW, LHW
WEC 30 – BW, LW

and I didn’t bother looking back any further than that

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by schizosmurf on Jun 10, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s hardly unprecedented.

by subo on Jun 10, 2009 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But they have had time issues as of late with title fights going the distance. And with only 4 titles (with the addition of fly soon) I think they want to spread it around.

by szucconi on Jun 10, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aldo at 135??

That would be scaryyyyy.. It would be a very interesting matchup for torres..

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by Anton Tabuena on Jun 10, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Back to back defenses

Faber defended at WEC 25 and 26, it could be done again

http://www.mma-collective.com/

by schizosmurf on Jun 10, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They’ll double dip on Varner’s next fight. He’s not a draw. He was in the main event spot in San Diego but Faber-Pulver 2 was the real draw. His other title matches if I recall correctly were underneath Condit fights. Unless they do something in his hometown Varner just isn’t a main event draw, title or no.

by andherewego on Jun 10, 2009 1:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

There will be no holding fo horses. Brown vs Aldo NAAOO!

Kuwabara Kuwabara

by J. B. Maddox on Jun 10, 2009 1:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

this is a great problem for the WEC to have

dealing with a TV contract
having exciting fights that people want to see
an anticipated rematch
plus a challenger who finishes fights, (Aldo)

It’s a good time to be a WEC fan

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by polevaultking on Jun 10, 2009 1:38 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

truth

by woooburn on Jun 10, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's a problem you wanna have (I hope someone else watches this show)

by subo on Jun 10, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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uhhh thats a dildo, strap-on dildo

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by schizosmurf on Jun 10, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

WEC

aside from the UFC, the WEC is the only promotion that when you watch, you feel the excitement and you feel like you are watching a promotion on the up and up. The WEC has exciting fights and exciting fighters in weight classes that don’t get the respect they deserve, so watching them get better and better each fight card is definitely exciting for the common, less hardcore fight fan. I can’t wait to see how this year and next unfold for the WEC.

With Strikeforce, Affliction, etc., you just get the feeling that its a novelty that you get front seats to watch die on your TV. No offense to the fighters in SF or Affliction, many of whom are of fine quality, but the WEC is starting to develop that “promotion where big things and new fighter development are happening now” feel. It’s about time, because the smaller weight classes bring the bacon when it comes to action and passion.

by bubblescreen on Jun 10, 2009 3:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs