WEC to eliminate light heavyweight and middleweight divisions to start 2009

by MMAmania.com on Sep 26, 2008 11:32 AM EDT Comment 58 comments

World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) announced today that it will no longer support light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, deciding instead to focus on lighter weight classes such as welterweight (170 pounds), lightweight (155 pounds), featherweight (145 pounds) and bantamweight (135 pounds).

The expected move is scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2009. In fact, the event scheduled for December 3 will be the last to feature the heavier divisions.

Here's a snip from WEC Vice President Peter Dropick:

"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. 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."

This is good news for several reasons.

First, it will enable the promotion to showcase more lighter fighters more often on its cards and build more stars. Under the current format several talented up-and-comers either didn't fight frequently enough or were buried on the nontelevised portion of the cards.

In addition, the light heavyweight and middleweight talent pools in the WEC are extremely shallow -- champions had very few true number one contenders. Furthermore, because Zuffa -- the parent company of the UFC -- runs the WEC the good fighters in those divisions will likely be integrated into the UFC fold.

That means WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho, WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Steve Cantwell, Chael Sonnen, Brian Stann and several others will soon be fighting inside the Octagon.

It sounds like a win-win all around. Now the promotion just needs to cough up the cash to convince Filho and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva -- who are good friends -- to agree to a fight.

Money talks.

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Brian Stann will get killed by just about every light heavyweight in the UFC, and i can’t wait to see it.

by KitsuneX on Sep 26, 2008 11:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agree 100%, all this is gonna do is show what zuffa has been denying all along, wec is the minor leagues. That’s why the natural born killer is still there! He is one of the few guys with the raw talent to make it to the ufc though…a few more matches and he’ll be moving up the ranks with the big boys!

by kevin doesn't know shit on Sep 26, 2008 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was that an insult followed by a compliment for Carlos???

by ViolentMike on Sep 26, 2008 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yup, figure that out. No, it’s like the farm system, condit will be a UFC fighter, but is working his way up the right way!

by kevin doesn't know shit on Sep 26, 2008 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually liked Stann, but agree that he, Cantwell, Rhino, and everyone else in that division will be long gone by 2010.

by naturalshadow on Sep 27, 2008 3:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

anyone know anythig about pete williams? lol Mir hurt him that bad?

by santiago69us on Sep 26, 2008 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They should book Stann at the fight night for the troops event (since he’s a former marine) and then cut him loose. He and Alexander can sell some tickets for a smaller promotion.

by RealDrew on Sep 26, 2008 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t get all the hate for Stann. He fights hard every time out, he just got beat by a much-improved fighter last time out. And if it’s just because he’s part of an unpopular war, it’s not as if he started it.

by PW on Sep 26, 2008 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree…Why hate on the guy. At least he goes out there and gets after it. Feed him a can for the troops show in December.

by FukStyck on Sep 26, 2008 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No hate for Stann, I just don’t think he’s a very good fighter. He’s a one dimensional striker. I agree that he fights hard and isn’t afraid to exchange, but he was beaten at his own game by Cantwell. He’s going to look silly against anybody who doesn’t want to stand with him. He’s basically a clone of Houston Alexander.

I think there is potential for Stann to be a solid fighter. He’s only 28 and only has 7 professional fights under his belt. He needs some time to develop, but that development needs to take place in a smaller promotion.

PW, not agreeing with the war would be a very foolish reason to dislike Stann.

by RealDrew on Sep 26, 2008 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like Stann for all of the above reasons. But until he can develop a more well rounded game he will not be successful against anyone in the UFC.

by DDT on Sep 26, 2008 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I completely agree RealDrew, but I couldn’t think of any other reason. I’m as big a Stann fan as anyone, but pretty much any UFC LHW would tear him a new one.

by PW on Sep 26, 2008 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So lets see Stann vs Houston alexander. That would be fun.

by BLOodyMEss on Sep 26, 2008 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My dislike of Stann has nothign to do with the fact that he fought in an “unpopular war”. i support the troops, no matter what, because they are doing a job where they are signing on the dotted line that they will give their life to preserve my freedoms.

my dislike of stann is becasue of his attitude and how he talks. he sounds like a typical boneheaded, no brains jarhead. he was disrepectful to cantwell the first time tehy fought and was all “gung-ho hoo rahhhh!!!” then he was exposed. hes a right jab, left jab, right Hook fighter. thats all he does. he has no technique.

as for his Marine career, i thought he wasn’t active anymore? yet just last week Jim Rome did a piece on Stann on Rome is Burning and it sure looked like Stann was still active in it, doign all his training on base and stuff. still in uniform, and workin a desk.

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

I’d love to see Stann vs Alexander… not the most skilled guys, but an entertaining fight to say the least!! Also, if Filho won’t fight Silva, he could still fight Marquardt or Hendo, Maia, Palhares… I’d like to see all those matchups!

by Harrison on Sep 26, 2008 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The WEC should try and add a 125 division.

by DDT on Sep 26, 2008 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are getting into midget territory at this weight.

by naturalshadow on Sep 27, 2008 3:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Filho/Anderson fight is meaningless if he doesn’t defend his title agasn’t Sonnen. Where is his head at? Depression is a tricky thing, especially in a sport where motivation is key.

by BNF on Sep 26, 2008 11:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

About time. Now they can concentrate on deepening their 4 divisions. A good bit of their champs rarely make title defenses because there are currently 6 division.

by Bill Maher on Sep 26, 2008 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We finally get to see if Fil-HO is that good! I havent really followed the LHW guys of the WEC so I dont know if they are any good?

by JV on Sep 26, 2008 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cantwell and Stann are okay, but we are talking about the UFC LHW division. Good luck fellas…

by BNF on Sep 26, 2008 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We will see. Wouldn’t it make sense to merge the titles right away? He and Silva won’t fight each other, so it’s kind of pointless. I don’t know how Dana is going to navigate that.

by DSmith on Sep 26, 2008 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

merging the titles would also mean cantwell vs griffin. doesnt make sense anyway, theres NO money in that fight at all, and to give this guy a shot before rashad and thiago/machida is pointless..

by sinister on Sep 26, 2008 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thats not what they mean

by McArthur on Sep 26, 2008 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s sad how many people desperately want to see someone fail just because they were promoted by the company.

by Mike on Sep 26, 2008 11:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I have to agree.

by DDT on Sep 26, 2008 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think they should have added the lighter wieghts where they have top notch fighters to the ufc and left the heaveier wieghts in the wec for more of a farm league, if you become champ there and hold the belt than you can move up to the ufc. in there lhw and mw devisions paulo is the only one who would make it in the ufc.

by roy on Sep 26, 2008 11:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Adding lighter weight classes to the UFC would be a problem. The UFC can only hold so many fighters on their roster. If they were to add other weight classes, they would have to cut even more fighters which would lead to us seeing less of our favorite fighters and a low quantity of fighters in each division. I think that the fighters in the UFC that struggle should move down to the WEC. It would that would build up the WEC roster and keep marketed fighters under contract with Zuffa. IMO this would make more sense than the weight class merger in to the UFC.

by RyanHobbs on Sep 26, 2008 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeeees this is good news. more talent is being pushed to the ufc fight pools!!

by COR on Sep 26, 2008 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope Doug Rhino gets into the Octagon. 559!!!

by Big E on Sep 26, 2008 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can’t see anyone except for Paulo Filho that has even a chance to do something good in the UFC..

by RoB on Sep 26, 2008 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Chael Sonnen was 1-2 in the UFC and is much improved since then.

by DDT on Sep 26, 2008 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and chael had to fight babalu and jeremy horn, back when sobral was on that crazy win streak and jeremy horn didnt suck then.

by sinister on Sep 26, 2008 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Filho = most overrated fighter I can think of

by McArthur on Sep 26, 2008 12:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ever heard of Kimbo Slice?

by chefdaddy on Sep 26, 2008 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nuf said

by McArthur on Sep 26, 2008 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

actually…Kimbo isn’t overrated but he is way over promoted…Filho is consistantly ranked #2 which in my opinion is way to high…he is undeated but hasn’t really fought any top 10 guys

by McArthur on Sep 26, 2008 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is not that good of a thing, because the 205 division is very weak over in the WEC. They are attempting to get fighters like Cantwell and Stann more fights underneath their belts. But you can not tell me that a Brian Stann vs. Houston Alexander fight would not be interesting.

Filho I agree with everyone here, if right mentally… he will be the number 2 MW in the UFC.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Sep 26, 2008 12:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i don’t think Filho would get by Hendo or Franklin at 185

by McArthur on Sep 26, 2008 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly or maybe even leben

by onthebutton on Sep 26, 2008 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah people forget how good Rich is after he got mauled twice by possibly the baddest man on the planet, Anderson Silva. (Fedor doesn’t count, he’s no man, he’s a machine)

Rich’s striking could be problematic for Paulo. There’s a big reach difference. Rich has only lost to Anderson and Machida and for my money Machida is the best LHW around.

Paulo is very good no doubt, but he’s probably really #3 or #4. But we’ll soon see. It should be very interesting.

by RobH86 on Sep 26, 2008 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am considering Rich to be a 205 pounder untill Anderson loses the belt. Trust me if anybody on here knows how great Franklin is, it would be me.

Henderson is a good fighter, but I dont consider him better than a 100% mentally healthy Filho. I think that Anderson is number 1, if Franklin drops back down to 185 he is number 2, Filho is number 3, Dan Henderson at 4, and Yushin Okami at 5.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Sep 26, 2008 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where would you put Nate Marquart? IMO I think Nate is better than Okami? And Filho is yet to be proven, I think!

by JV on Sep 26, 2008 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think nate would beat paulo as well

by McArthur on Sep 26, 2008 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That is a fight I would love to see.

by DDT on Sep 26, 2008 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Marquardt is at 6. The only Reason why Yushin is 5, because look at the fighters he has defeated in the UFC compared to Nate Marquardt. Remember, Yushin Okami was slated to fight Anderson Silva in Chicago but was injured. I think Marquardt is top 5 right now without Paulo Filho there, but if we are now throwing in the UFC/WEC Middleweights. Filho is 2 or 3 depending where Franklin stays.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Sep 26, 2008 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

NC, your Cincinatti love is clouding your judgment. Henderson would put a WHOPPING on Franklin if they ever fought.

Wait, is my Hendo love clouding my judgement???

If they were to fight, I still think that Hendo would open as a slight favorite. He’d be a bigger favorite, but Franklin still has more name recognition in the states, which brings money his way.

by ViolentMike on Sep 26, 2008 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There will be at least a few good matchups there. It won’t all be a wash. But hell, if most of the Pride guys lost their 1st fights in the UFC I don’t know what the hell everyone is expecting from the WEC.

by DSmith on Sep 26, 2008 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking about Brian Stann vs Houston Alexander as well. A chance for Houston to get back on track or for Houston to pass the hype torch onto Brian Stann.

by RyanHobbs on Sep 26, 2008 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It would be a slugfest. That is for sure. Both of them have pretty crappy ground games, would make for an exciting fight.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Sep 26, 2008 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anderson would maul Paulo…don’t care about that fight at all. Let Filho fight Ace, or Cote.

by FukStyck on Sep 26, 2008 1:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if the UFC will give keep giving them WEC money? Or will be upgrade them to UFC money?

by DSmith on Sep 26, 2008 1:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Dan Henderson would beat Rich Franklin. Anderson Silva is practically unbeatable. I can only see Henderson or randy couture having the proper style to beat Anderson Silva and both victories would be by decision. Henderson would need to do for 5 rounds what he did for the first round in his first match up with Silva. That’s the only way i see Anderson losing. The guy is simply put, the best fighter in the world. On a seperate note, in my opinion I put Fedor second, GSP 3rd, BJ 4th, and Faber 5th in top 5 P4P fighters. Machida has the potential to be in that top 5 in the next year.

by kimbo went to harvard on Sep 26, 2008 1:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Rich and Hendo is a tough one to call. I would struggle on who to give the stand up to. Rich would have the technical advantage whereas Hendo has a better chin and more knockout power. If Hendo were to take it to the ground, I could see Rich submitting him possibly. Hendo survived with Palhares though so it may be more difficult than you would think. Sounds like a pretty incredible fight.

by RyanHobbs on Sep 27, 2008 4:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs