411's WEC Wreckage Report 08.01.08
Posted by Jonathan Solomon on 08.01.2008
Check out Hiromitsu Miura, Marcus Hicks, Blas Avena and Brock Larson in action before WEC 35.
411's WEC Wrekcage Report 08.01.08
WEC Wrekcage Report
This episode of World Extreme Cagefighting Wrekcage features five fights that have never been seen on television before (fights from the pre-show of WEC events). So let's be the judge of whether they deserve to be on TV. Our hosts as usual are Todd Harris and the man who will face 'Big Nog' in the near future, Frank Mir.
We open with a middleweight fight between two up-and-comers. Miura defeated Fernando Gonzalez at WEC 29. Avena defeated Joe Benoit and Tiki Ghosn, leading both men to WEC 33 for this fight.
(5-1, 24 years old) Blas Avena vs. Hiromitsu Miura (8-4, 26 years old)
Avena is the aggressor coming out of the gate, throwing kicks and charging for a takedown. Miura tosses him to the side to avoid it and they stand, trading punches that don't connect. Avena uses his legs as Miura counters, but just misses a straight right. Miura throws a wild right but lands a great left hook flush on Avena's jaw and he's rocked. Avena falls to a knee as Miura sweeps him for a takedown. Avena fights his way back to his feet. They circle as Miura lands two vicious shin kicks. Avena throws several kicks but Miura takes him down and connects with bombs. Avena defends and tries a triangle but Miura reigns down with a single blow that knocks him out cold. He throws one more before the ref jumps in to stop the fight.
Your winner is Hiromitsu Miura via KNOCKOUT at 2:35 of the first round.
The following fight was on the undercard at WEC 34 in the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. Both Jose Aldo and Alexandre Nogueira (no relation to the famous Nogueira twins, that I'm aware of) were making their WEC debut here. Aldo had a three-fight win streak through GFC, TFC and Pancrase. Nogueira was 1-2 with K-1 Hero's leading him to WEC.
(10-1, 21 years old) Jose Aldo vs. Alexandre Nogueira (13-4-2, 30 years old)
These two WEC newcomers spend the first few minutes circling the cage. It's apparent that Alexandre wants to take this fight to the ground but he has a tough time getting close to Aldo who defends with strikes. Aldo unloads a nice combination on Nogueira who desperately tries for a takedown, but fails. Aldo's reach is too much for Nogueira who spends a lot of time walking away. Aldo connects with a nice left hook to the body and an uppercut. If nothing else, Nogueira has one hell of a chin. Finally, he grabs hold of Aldo's left leg but to no avail, Aldo gets out. Aldo connects with a right hight kick before the horn sound. Uneventful first round other than Aldo's stand-up. 10-8 for Aldo, the eight is for Nogueira back peddling most of the round.
The second round begins with some great analysis from Frank Mir about Nogueira's chances, "Hopefully, his corner told him something." Although both fighters are listed at 5'7", it's obvious to Mir and the entire seeing world, Aldo is taller. Aldo takes his chances and swings as Nogueira walks away and tries for takedowns. It looks like Aldo is just too strong and too good a wrestler for Nogueira's attempts. Nogueria tries for a leg again, but gets caught on the mat. Aldo drops bombs with punches and elbows. Nogueira takes two big punches to the head, but keeps on chugging along. Aldo simply drops to full mount and the ground and pound begins. Nogueira takes vicious punches and elbows and referee Steve Mazzagatti is not stopping it yet. Nogueira is cut on the forehead and it is a gusher. Nogueira is doing nothing but putting his arm up to try and block and FINALLY, Steve Mazzagatti calls an end to this destruction.
Aldo proceeds to do a backflip off the cage in celebration. WEEEE!
Your winner is Jose Aldo via TKO (strikes) at 3:22 of the second round.
John Alessio was riding a three-fight win streak in WEC. Brock Larson had fought outside WEC but was making his return to the promotion for the first time since losing to Carlos Condit the previous year.
(22-2, 30 years old) Brock Larson vs. John Alessio (27-11, 28 years old)
Larson immediately leads with his left then shoots for a takedown, which Alessio sidesteps. Larson repeats and connects with the left, but Alessio sprawls and takes Larson down with a guillotine choke. It's locked in deep but Larson stands up and tries to unhook Alessio's legs and arms, falls to the mat and Alessio lets go of the choke. Wow, Larson is one tough man (in case you didn't know). In Alessio's guard, Larson unloads with several body shots. Now, Alessio has a kimura locked on but once again, Larson walks him over to the cage and gets out. Unbelievable. Larson unloads with more body shots and passes the guard into side control. Alessio flips him over and lays a BIG knee to the head of Larson on the mat. Isn't that illegal? Referee Josh Rosenthal pauses the fight as Frank Mir tells us it was an unintentional knee. Larson is hurt. The doctors are checking on Larson as we don't know whether this fight will continue.
They show several replays and it looks worse with each airing. Larson is holding his jaw and is really banged up (his jaw was in fact, broken). Frank Mir explains it happened in the heat of the moment and how the move can cause so much damage, it was ruled illegal.
The fight is called off. Oddly, Brock Larson walks over to Alessio and they exchange words. Frank Mir logically asks, "Why is someone not keeping him away?' Then security steps in and separates them. Alessio jumps and seemingly celebrates for no apparent reason as he is escorted out of the cage.
After the fight, Alessio's contract ran out and he has not returned to WEC since. In an interview, he ran down Larson for "taking the easy way out" and not continuing to fight. Well, I guess he is okay with the illegal blow because of timing, but nevertheless, it was an illegal blow.
Your winner is Brock Larson via DISQUALIFICATION due to an illegal kick at 1:50 of the first round.
That sucked. The fight was a great back and forth battle until the illegal kick. Alessio has since fought for Night of Combat where he defeated Pete Spratt.
Up next is a welterweight fight from WEC 26 on March 24th, 2007. Norton debuted in WEC with this fight while Serdyukov was coming off of a loss to John Alessio.
(8-0, 33 years old) Scott Norton vs. Alex Serdyukov (7-3, 26 years old)
Norton shoots in on Serdyukov who sprawls well and avoids the takedown. Norton maintains his hold and gets the takedown, and is in Serdyukov's guard. Norton brings him over to the cage. Norton lands several shots. Serdyukov locks in a nice triangle as Norton tries to punch his way out. Norton refuses to quit as referee John McCarthy checks him to ensure he's not out. Norton drops bombs on Serdyukov who doesn't defend any of them. Serdyukov attempts an armbar but Norton rolls out of it, into his half guard. Sedyukov has a small cut on his forehead from those shots. Serdyukov reverses position and mounts Norton and has his back. With seconds left, Serdyukov drops punches and elbows on Norton with no defense. McCarthy looks like he is about to stop it when the bell sounds. Saved by the bell indeed. Say, whatever happened to Lisa Turtle? Anyway, 10-9 goes to Serdyukov who had two nice submissions locked on for the majority of the round. How in the world did Norton not submit?
Norton repeats the first round, shooting for a takedown and failing. It looks like he has no power left as he is almost crawling on the mat. Serdyukov pulls him into a guillotine choke, and FINALLY he submits. Scott Norton is one hell of a warrior.
Your winner is Alex Serdyukov via SUBMISSION (guillotine choke) at :57 of the second round.
To our main event of the show, from WEC 30 on September 5th, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Professional boxer Marcus Hicks has several wins via submission on his record. Scott McAfee makes his WEC debut here after going undefeated in the Alaska Fighting Championship.
(6-0, 31 years old) Marcus Hicks vs. Scott McAfee (6-0, 23 years old)
McAfee is a several inches taller but Hicks has a four-inch reach advantage. Hicks comes out swinging wildly and missing, but gets a body lock and takes McAfee down. Hicks, in side control, transitions into McAfee's half guard. Hicks is landing body shots. Hicks gets out of his half guard and slaps on a guillotine choke. There is nothing McAfee can do and he taps out. Hicks loves those guillotine chokes.
Your winner is Marcus Hicks via SUBMISSION (guillotine choke) at 2:13 of the first round.
Final Thoughts: It certainly was an eventful episode of WEC fights. Obviously, Miura and Hicks looked strong. The question is, can they dethrone the likes of Carlos Condit and Jamie Varner, respectively on Sunday night. I don't see it (check out 411's Roundtable Preview), the champions will leave a wreckage and continue with their reigns. It still sucks the Larson/Alessio fight ended with a disqualification. Hopefully, Alessio returns to WEC and they can have a rematch in the future. I wonder how Jose Aldo would do against a bigger guy. Alexandre Nogueira just could not contend with him. At 155, it would be interesting to see if he could hang with guys like Sherk, Huerta, Danzig, Stevenson or Franca.
