411's WEC 34: Faber vs. Pulver Report 6.01.08

Posted by Randy Harrison on 06.01.2008

Miguel Torres takes on Yoshiro Maeda and Jens Pulver and Urijah Faber tear the house down as two great title fights highlight an exciting night of WEC action from Sacramento!!




WEC: Faber vs. Pulver


Great opening video package with all of the highlights from the fighters we'll be seeing tonight.

We are LIVE in Sacramento, CA, and we get Todd Harris welcoming us to the show and hyping the WEC before throwing it to his partner, Frank Mir and he talks about the main event a little bit, as well as the other title fight on the card. They move to talking about the Light Heavyweight showdown and Todd gets a nice dig in saying that THESE are the "Elite" of MMA and they say that when we get back from break it's Rob McCullough in the cage!!


Match One: Lightweights
Kenneth Alexander (5-2) vs. Rob McCullough (15-4)

The announcers talk about how determined McCullough is and how badly he needs a good showing in this fight before moving to Alexander and they say that he's been training with Urijah Faber to get ready for this fight. McCullough says that he plans on destroying Alexander while Alexander says that he's the wrong opponent for McCullough and that he's going to crush him. McCullough says that he hopes the fans are ready for action because he's amped and ready to go. Alexander comes to the cage with glasses on, which makes for an interesting visual. McCullough has Tiki and Tito Ortiz in his corner, which has to be a big advantage for him in itself. Here's Joe Martinez with the official introductions!! Alexander gets a big hometown response, which of course, leaves the boos for McCullough.


Round One

Referee Josh Rosenthal gets things underway and it's ACTION TIME!! Wuick circling from both to start out and Mir talks about how much crisper McCullough looks than he did against Varner. The fans boo a little as they've spent the first 45 seconds circling and Alexander fakes a shot that McCullough was ready to sprawl out of. Alexander shoots in for the takedown attempt and McCullough actually ends up stuffing it and putting Alexander onto his back. Alexander pushes back up to his feet and takes a knee to the body from in close before they separate to circle. High kick from Alexander glances off of McCullough's head and he sticks a jab in McCullough's face as McCullough tries for a combination. Leg kick misses from McCullough and Alexander throws a body kick that lands, following it up with a front kick. leg kick from McCullough lands and the crowd is getting antsy again with the slow pace. McCullough throws a good body kick and follows with a leg kick and Alexander tries to respond with a high kick but ends up off-balance for a moment. Alexander throws a combination and they move to a clinch with Alexander trying tor a trip takedown but McCullough shrugs him off and they're back to circling. McCullough steps out of a takedown attempt from Alexander and follows it with a HARD knee that glances off of Alexander's head as he changes levels. McCullough is cut just under the eye, but it's nothing serious. The crowd boos as the round closes out. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for McCullough because of the takedowns and takedown defense.


Round Two

High kick attempt from Alexander again and it gets blocked and they do some circling and jabbing before they end up in the clinch, with Alexander just powering McCullough to the mat. McCullough gets to his feet and pushes Alexander away and they continue the circling. Alexander shoots hin but McCullough stuffs it and they trade punches with neither man landing anything. McCullough loads up on a leg kick but doesn't throw it and he motions for Alexander to come forward as the crowd continues to boo. Alexander throws an overhand right that gets blocked and a high kick that gets blocked and they're back to circling as McCullough whiffs on a leg kick. Straight left from Alexander lands and he gets a solid combination to follow it up. Leg kicks land for McCullough and it looked like one might have been a little low, but the fight continues. Jab and leg kick combo from McCullough and Alexander throws a crazy looking high kick that misses as they separate to circle and the crowd boos them heavily. Short left hook misses for McCullough and he follows with a leg kick that lands and Alexander gets a takedown after JUST missing getting nailed with another heavy knee from McCullough. McCullough pops back to his feet and throws a leg kick before getting taken down again from the clinch. Alexander does a little work from the half-guard and the crowd boos again at the horn. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Alexander due to the takedowns scored.


Round Three

Leg kick lands from McCullough and they trade jabs before Alexander tries to hit a high knee. More circling and more booing as McCullough pushes forward and gets a good overhand right into a leg kick before he throws a high kick that misses. Crowd chants "Fight, fight, fight" as McCullough stuffs a takedown attempt. Superman punch misses from Alexander and McCullough shrugs him off out of the clinch as they continue to circle and throw leg kicks and jabs. Good body kick from McCullough and he folllows with a leg kick, landing an inside knee to the body before they end up clinched against the fence. Another knee to the thigh from McCullough and he gets another knee that lands squarely into Alexander's baby-makers. Alexander goes down and is going to get up to five minutes to recover. No apology glove touch on the restart and they trade single punches that miss before Alexander shoots in for another takedown attempt. McCullough sprawls out of it well and gets another couple of inside knees from the clinch. High kick from Alexander gets blocked by McCullough and they end up in the clinch for a moment before separating. Another takedown attempt from Alexander and another stuff from McCullough, but he ends up going down after a judo throw from Alexander. Alexander does nothing and then ends up with the fight back on the feet as McCullough gets up. Another shot from Alexander gets stuffed by McCullough and he gets a good knee inside, stuffing another takedown attempt from the clinch right at the horn. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for McCullough and the fight 29-28 for McCullough, due to the inside knees and takedown defense. Two judges have it 30-27 for McCullough and one has it 29-28 for Alexander.


Winner: Rob McCullough, Split Decision

After the fight, McCullough says that he had to get the ring rust off and see what was working and what wasn't and he thanks Alexander for being a real soldier and he says that he can't wait to get his belt back.

We get a shot of the celebrities in attendance and there are some big names sitting cageside tonight as we see Stephan Bonnar, Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell all enjoying the fights in Sacramento.

Promo package for the next Versus WEC card set for August 3 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. Jamie Varner, current WEC Lightweight Champion is on the mic and he talks about how awesome it was for him to win that fight and that he had a five-month training camp for that fight and that after he won, he took time off to relax and that he needed it to recharge his batteries. Talk turns to Marcus Hicks and Varner feels like he poses risks with his boxing and that he doesn't see the fight going five rounds. Varner gets asked for a pick on the main event, and he says that his heart is with Jens, who is his favorite fighter, but that the time is now for Faber.


Match Two: Light Heavyweights
Chuck Grigsby (13-3) vs. Mark Munoz (3-0)

Harris and Mir talk about Munoz's wrestling background and they assume that's what he's going to want to use. They move to Grigsby and say that Grigsby is going to be looking to use his height (6'6") to his advantage. Munoz says that he's ready and feels like he's been prepared for this, while Grigsby says that he's looking for the KO of the night bonus. Grigsby wants a KO, stoppage or submission and Munoz says that Grigsby has another thing coming if he thinks that he's going to get a stoppage or a win. Grigsby rocking some Rage Against The Machine on the way to the cage, which makes me lean towards him because of my bias to fighters who appreciate great music. Clay Guida, in the front row and looking on, approves and does a little rocking out to the tunes. Here comes Munoz and he actually gets a good response from the crowd as he walks into the arena, which is understandable since he's fighting out of Sacramento. Mir talks about how Munoz is going to have to use boxing to set up his shots and compliment his strong wrestling base.


Round One

Steve Mazzagatti is in charge and they touch gloves to start out. Munoz misses a left hook and fakes a shot that sends Grigsby sprawling. Grigsby throws a combination and it misses as Munoz dives in for a takedown attempt, which Grigsby sprawls very well away from. Grigsby lands a BIG uppercut and a follow-up left hook as Munoz drops for a deep single-leg attempt up against the cage. Munoz gets the takedown into side control and starts dropping some elbows, but Grigsby gets himself right back into guard with some great hip movement. Grigsby closes off the guard and looks to be setting up a triangle and just misses it as Munoz pulls his head free. Munoz DIVES past the guard and lands some HARD hammerfists before backing away and doing it again, moving into the half-guard as Grigsby tries for a kimura from the bottom. Elbow lands for Munoz and he's kicked away for a moment before he passes into side control. Munoz hammers away with some solid shots and then he backs out of the guard, dropping a BIG overhand right as he passes guard and doing it again landing a VICIOUS SHOT THAT PUTS GRIGSBY OUT!! A couple of follow-up punches from Munoz put the exclamation point on the fight as Mazzagatti steps in and stops the fight. On the replay, Mir talks about how Grigsby was looking for a kneebar and that with his head pressed against the mat, when Munoz started landing hard rights, Grigsby had no place to go and all the punishment went right to Grigsby's face. I love Mir on color commentary for reasons just like that.


Winner: Mark Munoz, TKO at 4:15 of Round One

Munoz looks plenty emotional as the decision is read and he says that he loves Sacramento and he talks about how he was trying to test Grigsby's reach in the beginning before faking to get the takedown. He says he wanted to be creative when he was on top and feels like he was, saying that he's training in stand-up constantly to try to prove it and he talks about how he pulled himself from UC Davis to train full time and that he's ready for anything.


Match Three: Lightweights
Donald Cerrone (8-0) vs. Danny Castillo (5-1)

Castillo talks about how he doesn't want to lose and Cerrone says that he's going to make sure that Castillo loses in front of his friends and family. Castillo wants this fight to end early to be an exclamation point on his career up to this point while Cerrone says that he hopes Castillo comes out flying because he knows that he is. According to Joe Martinez, someone's oh must go, but it looks like someone's already has according to a much more official source.


Round One

Steve Mazzagatti gets the fight going and Castillo comes out flying with a takedown after Cerrone misses a high kick and lands a knee to the body. Castillo on top and throwing a couple of strikes before trying to pass the guard. Cerrone uses rubber guard and he tries for a triangle but Castillo gets himself free, throwing a couple of strikes from the top. Castillo tries to throw a punch but Cerrone ends up shifting his hips, catching Castillo's arm in a BEAUTIFUL armbar. Castillo fights it and fights it, but Steve Mazzagatti has seen enough and stops the fight.


Winner: Donald Cerrone, verbal submission (armbar) at 1:30 of Round One

Cerrone says that whether the fans boo him, love him or hate him, he's there. Cerrone says that Castillo was yelling tap as he rolled his hips to finish the armbar and he says that he'll fight whoever whenever.


Carlos Condit is in the crowd and it's interview time, talking about his upcoming fight with Hiromitsu Miura on August 3 and Condit says that he's eight or nine weeks out and is ready to fight bell to bell against a very tough opponent. He says that he's fighting and Varner is fighting and he wants everyone from the Southwest to come check him "knocking this cat out". Condit rules, period.


Match Four: WEC Bantamweight Championship
Yoshiro Maeda (23-4-2) vs. Miguel Torres (c) (33-1)

The announcers hype up Torres and his submission skills before moving to Maeda and his extensive international experience. Torres says that he goes into his zone and all he focuses on is his opponent. He doesn't like the fight to go too long because he cares about his opponent's health. Maeda says that he knows that Torres is good on the ground, but if he gets a hold of Torres' head, he's going to rip it off and that when he wins the belt it's going to be the happiest moment of his life. Maeda makes his way to the cage and it's BEASTIE BOYS!! SABOTAGE!! Awesome. Torres gives us the ranchero music treatment and the announcers talk about his training under the late Carlson Gracie and that despite him being a brown belt, he does things in the ring that are high-level black belt moves.


Round One

Herb Dean is in charge for this fight and this one should be lightning-fast. They circle and feint a little as Torres throws a high kick that gets caught by Maeda and he ends up taking Torres down. Torres back to his feet after taking a couple of punches and Maeda throws a high kick as Torres follows with some HARD knees from the clinch. They go back to circling and Torres slips again when trying to throw a punch and then ends up taking a leg kick from Maeda. Clinch against the fence and Torres gets a couple of knees inside before they separate. Torres throws a high kick and Maeda ducks under it and gets a takedown, and Torres transitions to an omaplata attempt and into an armbar attempt that Maeda avoids and the fight gets back to its feet. Blood trickling from the bridge of Torres' nose now. Leg kick from Torres and a high kick gets blocked by Maeda and he throws it again and it gets blocked again. Maeda tries an axe kick that misses and Torres getsa good knee into a front kick. Superman punch by Maeda gets blocked but he gets a good punch in on the follow. They trade knees from the clinch and combinations and Torres pulls guard on Maeda, hitting heel strikes to the thigh and back of Maeda. They scramble back to their feet and Maeda tries to land with HEAVY combinations but Torres is able to avoid all of the strikes. Leg kick from Torres and he hits a nasty knee to the liver before they stand and trade. Maeda gets a good body kick and they circle to end the round. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Maeda due to the damage done with his strikes and the takedowns.


Round Two

Snapping leg kick from Maeda lands and Torres tries to throw a body kick and then ends up slipping again on another attempt. They slow and circle before Maeda catches another Torres leg kick and drops him into a takedown, landing four or five HARD leg kicks. Torres tries to bait Maeda in and nearly kicks his head off with an up-kick. They move to a clinch and Torres lands another body kick which Maeda catches and they separate with Torres JUST missing a high kick and they trade some strikes on the inside. The crowd boos a little as the pace slows and Torres gets a good knee to the head and some hard knees and punches inside from the clinch. Triple uppercut from Torres lands and Maeda takes them all and fires back with his own punches. Maeda drops down for a heel hook attempt and looks like he's trying for a toehold or kneebar and Torres gets a toehold of his own on Maeda, landing some heel strikes to the thigh and ribs of Maeda. Torres gets free of the leglock and Maeda gets a HARD back elbow as Torres tries to take his back. Maeda ends up on top and tries to pass guard but nearly ends up in a triangle. Torres missed the arm on it and couldn't lock it in and they end up back on their feet. Clinched against the cage and Torres has Maeda's head in a tight guillotine, dropping down to it and trying to get it from the top in the full mount. He has to let it go and Torres ends up taking the back, locking in a body triangle and hammering away at Maeda to end the round big! 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Torres due to the striking and the control at the end of the round.


Round Three

Good right from Torres starts the round and he gets a VICIOUS knee at the end of a combination, though Maeda counters with a good left of his own. Torres throws a leg kick but EATS a big left hand from Maeda and they go back to circling with Torres trying to land the jab. Flurry of punches from Torres and he lands a few of them before getting another HARD left jab in on Maeda. Maeda's face is starting to visibly swell from those jabs and Torres continues to land it over and over again, rushing in for a combination and just missing another knee. Kick to the body lands for Torres and Maeda tries to fire back with a combination, but those punches get blocked by Torres. Torres JUST misses a high kick as Maeda backpedals and they stop and circle. Maeda gets a takedown and drops some good hammerfists in from a side control position before Torres gets it back to guard. Torres strikes from the bottom and lands plenty of heel strikes and shots from there before Maeda backs out of the guard and gets back to his feet. Torres back to his feet and Maeda's eye is almost swollen shut now. Great combination from Torres and he lands another HARD jab before throwing a body kick just before the horn. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Torres due to the superior striking throughout the round and the vicious jabs.


We come back from commercial and during the break, Herb Dean and the doctors stepped in to check Maeda's eye and the fight has been stopped due to the swelling of Maeda's eye, which is completely closed now.


Winner: Miguel Torres, TKO (doctor's stoppage) at 5:00 of Round Three

Torres talks about how he had respect for Maeda before the fight, but has a ton more now. Torres says that he wanted to see how his striking was and that he wanted to put on a good fight for his fans in Sacramento. He thanks the fans for being there and talks about his students at his school and how it's an honor for him to be the champion.


Match Five: WEC Featherweight Championship
Jens Pulver (22-8-1) vs. Urijah Faber (20-1)

Todd Harris and Frank Mir talk about the main event and they talk about how Urijah Faber faces a true test in Jens Pulver and how Faber has an advantage in cardio and that he's Pulver has never lost at 145. Mir says that Faber won't be overlooking Jens Pulver at all and that Pulver is devastating at his natural weight, he's got the left hook and he's actually improved his jiu-jitsu as well. Pulver talks about how big the fight is for the WEC, for 145 and it's one of the biggest fights of the year. Faber says he respects Pulver but he's going to take him down and take him out. Pulver says that he doesn't have to hate someone to want to beat the mess out of them. Faber says it's going to be like a tornado in the cage, while Pulver says that he needs the belt because of where he is as a person and where the sport is. He says that his career needs it and Faber says that he knows he's going to win and keep his belt. Jens Pulver makes his way to the cage with AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" blaring over the PA. Faber makes his way down to the cage with a ridiculous looking set of cornrows and he looks incredibly relaxed and happy to be in front of his hometown fans.


Round One

Josh Rosenthal signals for the bell and we're underway! Pulver flashes a high kick up and Faber tries to go for a clinch but gets shrugged off. HARD straight right lands for Faber and they're in the clinch, with Pulver blocking a kick to the body and eating another overhand right. Uppercut from Faber and another overhand right and he gets a right hook to follow. Pulver with a front kick that misses and Faber throws another right but ends up taking a knee in the clinch. Faber slips and Pulver drops down into the guard, getting controlled by Faber on the mat. Back to the feet and Pulver catches a poke in the eye as the referee calls for time. Pulver's good and we're back to action as Pulver tries a knee up the middle before landing a good uppercut from the clinch. Pulver lands a good body shot but eats another coule of right hands and Pulver throws another high kick after some knees to try to keep Faber's right hand neutralized. Good right lands from Pulver and they trade inside knees before separating to circle. Straight right lands for Faber and he gets a good combination in but Pulver stays upright and lands a shot of his own. A body kick lands and they end up clinched against the fence before Faber tries a spining back fist. Pulver gets a good combination in and they slow for a moment before Faber tries the right hand again. Big "Faber" chant comes from the crowd and he lands the straight right again as Pulver puts together a combination at the horn. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Faber due to the slick right hands he was landing seemingly at will.


Round Two

Faber gets a good short right but then ends up landing a leg kick right to Jens' balls. Jens stops and gives himself a moment to recover and they restart with Faber throwing the right hand again and following it up with a takedown against the fence. He drags Pulver down against the fence and throws a couple of elbows while trying to pass Pulver's guard. Pulver's doing well to stay out of trouble and he actually gets back to his feet as Faber just misses an uppercut. Jab from Pulver lands and Faber gets a good right hand but eats a counter uppercut and they trade some strikes with Faber landing a good kick to the body. Uppercut/left hook combo from Faber lands and PULVER GOES DOWN!! Urijah is hammering away with hammerfists as Jens goes for a single-leg and Pulver survives. Faber chases him down and lands a couple of hard combinations and Pulver grabs the clinch and survives it again. Left hook lands for Pulver and he seemingly stuns Faber with a good shot, leading to Faber dropping down for the takedown. Pulver gets right back to his feet again and sprawls away from Faber, setting up for a choke attempt but Faber gets up and takes Pulver's back standing. They move to a clinch and separate as Faber lands a good right hand and a left hook that ROCK Pulver. Pulver fires back with a combination of his own and Faber lands a good body kick as they move to a clinch. Standing elbow from Faber lands and another HARD straight right hand as well and that's it for round two!! 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Faber, for obvious reasons.


Round Three

High kick LANDS from Pulver and Faber follows up with a good combination and a body kick. Faber shoots in for a single-leg and Pulver sprawls out of it, but Faber gets his back and a near-suplex, but Pulver is right back on his feet. Pulver tries to load up the left hook and Faber ends up landing the hard straight right again. BIG uppercut from Pulver lands and Faber fakes a shot, landing a great right hook to the side of PUlver's head. Another HARD uppercut from Pulver lands and he follows with a HARD liver shot kick that has Faber hurt. Faber throws a body kick of his own and another and they land hard on Pulver's body. Shot attempt from Faber and Pulver sprawls out of it, getting to the top position and landing some short elbows from the half-guard. Faber sweeps and reverses it, landing a hard elbow and another. A third elbow misses and Jens rolls his hips, locking Faber up and keeping control in the guard. Rosenthal calls for a stand-up just as Jens eats a HARD elbow and they get back to their feet. Faber lands another solid body kick and Pulver fires back with a combination of punches and they circle to end the round. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Faber due to the hard elbow strikes and the damage that was being done to Pulver's face with them.


Round Four

Faber tries a body shot to start the round and Pulver comes back with a HARD left hand that stuns Faber. Combination from Pulver and he has Faber in a little bit of trouble and he fires back with a combination and a good shot to the body. Faber lunges with a right hand that misses and they circle. Hard left hook lands for Faber and another and the crowd rumbles to get behind Faber and he gets a good straight right into an uppercut. Jens just misses a good left as Faber throws a leg kick and they clinch with Faber getting a great trip takedown into Pulver's full guard. Elbows from Faber landing and he's doing damage with them again. Mir talks about how close the fight is, but it won't seem like it on the scorecards because of the way the scoring is. Short elbows from Faber in the full, closed guard of Pulver and he gets another one that looked like it may have landed near the throat. Faber continues to land the short elbows and throws some punches with his free left hand. Pulver traps Faber to try to calm the storm and the round ends with Faber landing a hard elbow and both fighters talking with the referee, I believe about the elbows near the throat again. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Faber.


Round Five

They touch gloves and hug at the start of the round and then get down to business with Pulver landing a hard uppercut. Faber rushes him with a takedown attempt but Pulver keeps it standing and flashes a high kick but doesn't throw it. Right hand lands for Faber and he follows with a good combination, punctuated by a high kick but Pulver is able to catch it to avoid damage. Left hook lands for Faber and it hurt Pulver and Faber gets a body kick to follow. Combination lands for Faber and he pushes a shot to the body before moving to a clinch and getting a good knee to the chest. Pulver gets a HARD left hook that stuns Faber and just misses with a haymaker shot to follow up. Flicking jabs from Faber and he tries a body kick and a push kick but he's too close to land them. They flurry back and forth and go bak to circling as Faber gets the clinch and lands a HARD knee inside. Hard left jab from Faber and Pulver grabs at his right eye again as it's swollen huge. The crowd is on their feet with a minute left in the round and Faber gets another straight right into a clinch and he takes Pulver's back but Pulver rolls out. Unfortunately, he ends up on his back with Faber on top of him. Faber gives his "hang loose" hand signal and drops another couple elbows as the horn sounds. 411mania.com scores the round 10-9 for Faber and the fight 50-45 for Faber. Great fight from both men and they get a huge round of applause from the crowd before the verdict. One judge has it 50-45 and two have it 50-44 for your winner....


Winner: Urijah Faber, Unanimous Decision

Faber talks about always having power in his right hand and then he thanks all his training partners before saying that he has power but hasn't been able to show it. He says that Jens was one of his heroes and it means so much for him to get to fight him and win. He says that this win reassured a lot of things in him and says that it was a good test for him as this is the first time he's ever gone five rounds. He gives shout-outs to his after-parties and we get to hear from Jens Pulver now. Pulver says that he was caught off-guard by the right hands and that Faber is quick and that he's the deserving 145 pound champion. Pulver says that he would love to do Faber/Pulver II and that if he can beat someone he wants another shot. Pulver thanks the Sacramento crowd and says that he is goddamned honored to have fought for this crowd. He shout-outs his fiancee and the crowd gives him a huge round of applause.

Todd Harris and Frank Mir talk about how great both main events were and Harris says that on a weekend when a lot of people were first exposed to MMA, this was where the BEST fighters were. Goodnight and we're out!!