WEC 33 recap: All American dethrones the Rhino
by Chris Cosme on Mar 27, 2008 1:04 AM EDT
27 comments
In a fight that was destined to be a stand up war, all it took was a perfect left hook by Brian Stann to drop Doug Marshall for good in the main event of tonight's WEC 33 to capture the 205-pound title.
The result came in 1:35 of the very first round via technical knockout in a fight that began with both men looking to find their range in the early going. Stann -- using his three inch reach advantage -- kept Marshall at bay until the two met in the clinch.
It was in the clinch where it was the beginning of the end for Marshall.
Both men were trading big shots back and forth at the break until Stann caught Marshall with the left hook. It was from there with Marshall on the ground, Stann would deliver two more big shots until referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.
From there it was a sign of emotion as Stann would go on one knee and was in tears after the victory. The future is bright for Stann who is just six fights deep into his professional mixed martial arts career and he is already a champion.
As for Marshall, look for him to get back up and climb the ladder for another shot at Stann. Marshall showed the class of a former champion by helping wrap the strap around the new titleholder.
Pure class from the former champion, but tonight was a good night to be a Marine.
With everything to lose, including a title shot, Chael Sonnen put on a clinic against up and comer Brian Baker. From the first minute of the fight and on, Sonnen took control with relentless takedowns and brutal ground and pound. Sonnen would deliver devastating elbows and punches from the guard of Baker to end the first round.
In the second, it was much as the same as Sonnen once again took the fight to the ground. Even toward the middle of the second Sonnen delivered an exciting suplex while transitioning into Baker's guard. It was from there that Sonnen continued to pull away with textbook ground and pound.
In the final stanza Sonnen did not relent as he continued to takedown Baker and overwhelm him en route to a dominating decision win. The scores tallied 30-26, 30-25, 30-25 and now Sonnen looks to redeem himself in a rematch with current WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho sometime later this year.
Give credit for Baker to withstand the barrage of Sonnen to be there until the final bell. The future is bright for Baker and it will be a learning experience for him. With this win, Sonnen can make a case of being one of the most underrated middleweights in the world and will certainly give Filho problems in the rematch like he did in their first encounter before getting caught.
In lightweight action, Marcus Hicks solidified his place as possibly next in line for a title shot. Being the aggressor for most of the fight, Hicks delivered haymakers that landed on the chin of Ed "9 MM" Ratcliff. Hicks dropped Ratcliff with overhand lefts and right, almost ending the fight on two occasions with the guillotine choke.
Hicks then landed one more left hand haymaker that dropped Ratcliff to the canvas as and sunk in a guillotine choke to end the fight at 1:42 left in the first round. Hicks ends the undefeated streak of Ratcliff and preserves his own undefeated record.
Look out for the "Wrecking Ball," Jamie Varner.
Also on the card, Sergio Gomez and Richard Crunkilton engaged in a lightweight war that ended with a unanimous decision win for Crunkilton. It was a night for takedowns, as Crunkilton would takedown Gomez with ease and was in dominant positions for most of the fight. He would also deliever a big elbow in one of those exchanges on the ground, opening a big gash on the back of Gomez' head.
Gomez' best opportunity to win the fight was on the feet where he was getting the better of those exchanges. But it was Crunkilton who would weather the storm and dropped Gomez to the ground once again on both occasions.
Gomez showed a lot of heart but it wasn't enough on this night.
The night started off with a bang as Steve Cantwell and Tim McKenzie went toe-to-toe standing. Cantwell was stalking McKenzie from the opening bell and was looking to bang. Cantwell then threw left head kick that forced McKenzie to shoot for a takedown. But Cantwell was having none of it as he sprawled back to his feet where he felt comfortable.
Cantwell then threw another high kick that rocked McKenzie and it was textbook from there. Cantwell would clinch with McKenzie and deliver knees that knocked McKenzie to the ground. Cantwell would then pounce on McKenzie and gained full mount. With no where to go and getting peppered with shots by Cantwell, McKenzie gave up his back.
Cantwell then applied the rear naked choke for a submission victory in the first round. The light heavyweight division is very thin when it comes to contenders, and Cantwell could very well be in the mix.
All in all, a great night of fights that saw only two of the five fights going to decision. Marcus Hicks and Chael Sonnen are now at the front of the contender line in their respective divisions. And Steve Cantwell and Brian Baker showed that they are the future of the WEC even though both men had mixed results tonight.
Brian Stann and Doug Marshall gave the fans what they came to see. Yet in the end, the former Marine pulled through once again like he did for his country and is now champion.
The sky's the limit for Stann, and only time will tell how far he can go. With one hell of a chin and a determination that cannot be measured; Stann is one fighter to watch out for in the WEC.
For complete results of all the WEC 33 action this evening, including the under card bouts, click here.
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Great fights! The WEC is on the rise.
Doug Marshall looks more like a 185lb fighter, but I’m not sure he would do better at that weight class, maybe in the future if he doesn’t have success at regaining his title
by THORAZINE on Mar 27, 2008 1:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Stann is a monster. I doubt he’ll lose the belt any time soon. I see him leaving the WEC before he loses the belt. Easily my favorite fighter in the WEC and has been since his first fight.
by Custom Blog Design on Mar 27, 2008 1:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
“Look out for the “Wrecking Ball,” Jamie Varner"
Hell yeah! Varner’s standup looked very good in his last fight, and he’s good on the ground, but I see him being at a disadvantage in both categories against Hicks. Wish that shit was happening tomorrow!
by skatanicus on Mar 27, 2008 2:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That whole card was impressive, great fights
Chael Sonnan looked amazing I hope he beats fihlo to become the champ he deserves it for sure. That main event was pure entertainment Im happy to see Stann the marine officer win the title
March 26, Great night of fights and in seven more days it will be April 2cnd UFN gatta love it
by dia mette on Mar 27, 2008 3:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
What impressed me so much about Stann’s win was that his left hook came in the middle of a barrage of strikes from Marshall. Marshall was flurrying one second and the next he was on his back. Stann put together that punch in record time. Way to go Brian! Way to show a lot of class Doug! You’ll get another chance.
by GangOfOne on Mar 27, 2008 5:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
All the fights were fixed!!! It was so obvious.
by NewGuyTheMagnificent on Mar 27, 2008 6:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I wanna see Sonnan get beat up by Anderson! He looks like anther great wrestler from team quest that Silva could make an example of.
I couldn’t decide if Sonnan had no KO power. or if Brian Baker had an awesome chin.
by mattchupichu on Mar 27, 2008 6:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That beating that Sonnen dished out isn’t going to make Filho want to get back in there anytime soon. And congrats to Dallas native Marcus Hicks for another big win.
by PW on Mar 27, 2008 6:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was very impressed with Marcus Hicks, Even with the height disadvantage he was still able to control the stand up exchanges against an opponent who had all the hype surrounded his own stand up skills.
Most impressed with Sergio Gomez. He still has a way to go as far as technique goes, but he definately has heart and no quit in him and to me that quality in a fighter can’t be taught. You either have it or you don’t. Great fight and a loss that has probably helped him more than hurt him.
Stann is the man! I was a non-believer. I really thought the Rhino was going to blow right through him, but he proved me wrong. What I want to see though is if he’s not just another Houston Alexander, because eventually he is going to fight someone who isn’t willing to trade blows with him and instead take him down. I’m curious to see where his ground game is at.
Bryan Baker. Touted as a very dangerous opponent being undefeated and all, but undefeated in WEC is not the same as undefeated in the UFC. Most of the WEC guys are coming from these small shows where they might have whooped less talented fighters, and now they meet fighters who skill level lets them know just how far behind they really are. I also think this is a good loss for him, because I think he will now know that he is not complete yet and still has a long way to go to being an A list fighter. Tough kid though because he took a beating for three rounds and didn’t look too damaged at the end. I’d say another two to three years before we see the best from him. That is if he really commits himself to getting improving.
by Getrawbc on Mar 27, 2008 7:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
All the fights were fixed!!! It was so obvious.
muppet lol
by MrAngry on Mar 27, 2008 7:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I thought for sure Stann was going to get KD’d after that clinch. Rhino wailed on him but damn what a chin.
Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva! Who’s with me? Yea1
Marcus Hicks looked great.
by hbdale309 on Mar 27, 2008 8:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I missed the event! I fell asleep at like 8 pm last night… Like Tim Sylvia…I was Pooped!lol
I honestly didnt think that this would be a good event, but from many of your posts, it looks like I will have to catch the replay!
by john on Mar 27, 2008 8:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
this was one of the better WEC cards. there wasn’t really a single boring fight on the entire card, honestly. i had to catch the Stann vs Rhino fight at like midnight because the cable guide had the show as beign 2 hours, followed by Tapout, so my DVR didn’t record the last hour and it cut off right before the main event. i wasn’t happy.
by kitsunex on Mar 27, 2008 9:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I actually thought the stoppage in the championship fight was a little quick. I’m not saying Stann didn’t beat him, I just think that in a championship bout the ref can let things go maybe just a few seconds longer to make sure a fighter isn’t recovering.
I do hope Stann gets some exciting matches while he’s champ.
by Fidel Cashflow on Mar 27, 2008 9:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i dunno, man. stann gave rhino a sec thinking the fight was over and Rhino just layed there. he was obviously out of it. even after Stann stood there for a few seconds like a deer caught in headlights, then went in for some ground and pound, Rhino didn’t even attempt to defend himself. i’d call it a good stoppage.
by kitsunex on Mar 27, 2008 9:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I Love Vs. That’s why I’ve been telling people not to rag on cards without a lot of big names. Many times, the cards without marquee names in each bout end up being the most exciting. And this one was free! Thank you WEC! I’m starting to feel like my guilty-pleasure is turning legit. I really wonder how many of these guys will jump to UFC. Both companies are owned by Zuffa. As mentioned before, I wouldn’t mind seeing Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva. Or Brian Stann vs. any of UFC’s elite 205ers. Urijah Faber vs. BJ Penn or Sherk (if he can get past Jens). Many others. On a side note, WTF is up with that WEC intro song? Illuminati?
by wAyNe on Mar 27, 2008 9:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Can someone please kill Herb Dean!! He stood so close to the fighters without stopping it that Stann stopped and put his hands up…and then Dean waved it off. He’s such an idiot.
In all the fights he refs, he puts his crotch in the fighters faces and waves his arms in the air as if his directing a 747. What happened to ripping the winner off the loser (ala Big John)? Everytime Herb stops a fight, a few extra punches are thrown because the winner doesnt know.
by stryker on Mar 27, 2008 2:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
this was one of the better WEC cards. there wasn’t really a single boring fight on the entire card, honestly. i had to catch the Stann vs Rhino fight at like midnight because the cable guide had the show as beign 2 hours, followed by Tapout, so my DVR didn’t record the last hour and it cut off right before the main event. i wasn’t happy.
I used to have that problem too, but it doesnt matter what the guide says whenever you record a fight night or wec event record the program immediatelly following it as well so you know the main event doesnt get cut off have way through
by dia mette on Mar 27, 2008 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Can someone please kill Herb Dean!! He stood so close to the fighters without stopping it that Stann stopped and put his hands up…and then Dean waved it off. He’s such an idiot.
In all the fights he refs, he puts his crotch in the fighters faces and waves his arms in the air as if his directing a 747. What happened to ripping the winner off the loser (ala Big John)? Everytime Herb stops a fight, a few extra punches are thrown because the winner doesnt know.
I have to agree with you herb dean is not what hes cracked up to be. The best Ref by far right now is Ives Lavine with out a doubt He never stops the bout to early but he protects the fighters hes great. A fight that immediately comes to mind is paul taylor vs Marcus davis 95 % of mma refs would have stoped that fight prematurally giving taylor the win
And another thing that drives me crazy is his lack of enthusiasm even for the silva vs hendo showdown he asked the fighters if thier ready and then says in a monotone voice lets do it. DO WHAT are f***king kidding me how about Fight like the pride refs used to do. The fight should start off like a bang.
His body language lastnight was saying i really dont feel like getting dirty or even being here when do I get my check. Wake the hell up Herb or do something else
by dia mette on Mar 27, 2008 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah herb dean isn’t the best by far, but isn’t the worst either. he’s much better than Mazagatti. i can’t remember the one ref’s name.. but i hate seeing him officiate a fight between good ground guys because he stands people up way too quickly. its like if they aren’t throwing punches then he figures they aren’t doing anything and stands them up.
by kitsunex on Mar 27, 2008 3:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah herb dean isn’t the best by far, but isn’t the worst either. he’s much better than Mazagatti. i can’t remember the one ref’s name.. but i hate seeing him officiate a fight between good ground guys because he stands people up way too quickly. its like if they aren’t throwing punches then he figures they aren’t doing anything and stands them up.
anyone is better than Yves Lavigne.
by Sephora MMA fans on Mar 27, 2008 3:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I have to agree with you herb dean is not what hes cracked up to be. The best Ref by far right now is Ives Lavine with out a doubt He never stops the bout to early but he protects the fighters hes great. A fight that immediately comes to mind is paul taylor vs Marcus davis 95 % of mma refs would have stoped that fight prematurally giving taylor the win
And another thing that drives me crazy is his lack of enthusiasm even for the silva vs hendo showdown he asked the fighters if thier ready and then says in a monotone voice lets do it. DO WHAT are f***king kidding me how about Fight like the pride refs used to do. The fight should start off like a bang.
His body language lastnight was saying i really dont feel like getting dirty or even being here when do I get my check. Wake the hell up Herb or do something else
Agreed, Herb didn’t call off the fight, Stann did. He turned around and started celebrating and you could tell Herb was thinking, I guess I better call this thing since the other guy thinks he won the fight and is leaving.
by pez on Mar 27, 2008 7:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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