WEC 40
Encyclopedia
WEC 40: Torres vs. Mizugaki was a mixed martial arts
event held by World Extreme Cagefighting
on April 5, 2009 at the UIC Pavilion
in Chicago, Illinois. The event aired live on the Versus Network
.
This was the first WEC event to exclusively feature fights in the lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight weight classes. The organization's heavier weight classes had been folded into the UFC over the previous four months. World Extreme Cagefighting would maintain this weight class structure for the remainder of the promotion's existence.
Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres
was to defend his title against no. 1 contender Brian Bowles, but due to a back injury sustained by Bowles, WEC
replaced him in the main event with newly signed #5 ranked Bantamweight Takeya Mizugaki..
The event drew an estimated 470,000 viewers on Versus
.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
on April 5, 2009 at the UIC Pavilion
UIC Pavilion
The UIC Pavilion is a 6,958-seat multi-purpose arena, located at 525 S. Racine Street on the West Side in Chicago, Illinois, USA, which opened in 1982. It is home to the University of Illinois at Chicago Flames basketball team and the former home of the Chicago Sky WNBA team...
in Chicago, Illinois. The event aired live on the Versus Network
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
.
This was the first WEC event to exclusively feature fights in the lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight weight classes. The organization's heavier weight classes had been folded into the UFC over the previous four months. World Extreme Cagefighting would maintain this weight class structure for the remainder of the promotion's existence.
Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres
Miguel Torres (fighter)
Miguel Angel Torres is an American mixed martial artist who fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. He is a former WEC Bantamweight champion. Prior to fighting with the WEC, Torres also held the bantamweight title for the US Shooto organization, as well as for the Ironheart Crown...
was to defend his title against no. 1 contender Brian Bowles, but due to a back injury sustained by Bowles, WEC
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
replaced him in the main event with newly signed #5 ranked Bantamweight Takeya Mizugaki..
The event drew an estimated 470,000 viewers on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
.
Preliminary card
- Featherweight bout:
Rafael Dias vs. 
Mike BudnikMike BudnikMichael Allan Budnik is an American mixed martial artist and former professional in-line skater. He competed in the first ten X-Games.Budnik has been a resident of Sparta Township, New Jersey.-MMA career:...
- Dias defeated Budnik via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)
- Bantamweight bout:
Akitoshi TamuraAkitoshi TamuraAkitoshi Tamura is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He competed almost exclusively in the Shooto organization, before making his debut at the WEC 37. In 2007, he was the lightweight champion of Shooto. He was once ranked as the #5 Bantamweight in the world by the MMAWeekly Worldwide Ranking System...
vs. Manny TapiaManny TapiaManny Tapia is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter from Chino, California who trains out of Millennia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga, California...
- Bantamweight bout:
- Tamura defeated Tapia via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
- Bantamweight bout: Rani YahyaRani YahyaRani Ahmad Yahya is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. Yahya won the 66 kg division of the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in April 2007...
vs. Eddie WinelandEddie WinelandEddie Wineland is an American professional mixed martial artist from Highland, Indiana who fights in the bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Wineland is a former World Extreme Cagefighting Bantamweight Champion...
- Bantamweight bout:
- Yahya defeated Wineland via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:07 of round 1.
- Featherweight bout: Wagnney FabianoWagnney Fabiano|-|Loss|align=center|14-3| Joseph Benavidez|Submission |WEC 52||align=center|2|align=center|2:45|Las Vegas, Nevada, USA||-|Win|align=center|14-2| Frank Gomez|Decision |WEC 49||align=center|3|align=center|5:00...
vs. Fredson PaixaoFredson PaixaoFredson Paixão Melo is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, formerly competing as a featherweight in the UFC. He is a member of the Gracie Barra Combat Team Academy.-Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:...
- Featherweight bout:
- Fabiano defeated Paixao via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
- Bantamweight bout: Dominick CruzDominick CruzDominick Cruz is an American mixed martial artist of Mexican descent, who competes as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is the current UFC Bantamweight Champion...
vs.
Ivan Lopez
- Bantamweight bout:
- Cruz defeated Lopez via technical unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28). Cruz landed an illegal knee to the head of Lopez while he was on the ground at 3:24 of round 3. Since Lopez was unable to continue, the bout went to the scorecards.
- Lightweight bout:
Anthony NjokuaniAnthony NjokuaniAnthony Obinnia Njokuani is a Nigerian mixed martial artist who currently fights as a lightweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Early life:...
vs.
Bart PalaszewskiBart PalaszewskiBart K. Palaszewski is a Polish-American mixed martial artist. He fought for the Quad City Silverbacks of the now defunct International Fight League. Following the UFC/WEC merger, Palaszewski is now under contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- Lightweight bout:
- Njokuani defeated Palaszewski via TKO (punches) at 0:27 of round 2. This bout was featured on the main broadcast.
Main card
- Featherweight bout: Rafael AssuncaoRafael AssuncaoRaphael Assunção is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who currently competes in the bantamweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship....
vs. Jameel MassouhJameel MassouhJameel Badih Massouh is an American mixed martial artist who is most known for competing in the featherweight division for World Extreme Cagefighting...
- Assuncao defeated Massouh via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
- Lightweight bout: Benson HendersonBen Henderson (fighter)Benson Henderson is an American mixed martial artist. He currently fights as a lightweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Henderson, a former WEC Lightweight Champion, is known for his aggressive style and his ability to escape from deep submission attempts...
vs. Shane RollerShane RollerShane Derrick Roller is an American mixed martial artist, currently fighting as a lightweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- Lightweight bout:
- Henderson defeated Roller via TKO (punches) at 1:41 of round 1.
- Bantamweight bout: Joseph BenavidezJoseph BenavidezJoseph Rolando Benavidez is an American mixed martial artist. After fighting in smaller shows while working as a screen printer in Las Cruces, New Mexico, he joined up with Urijah Faber's Team Alpha Male in 2007. He has since fought in Dream and most recently the World Extreme Cagefighting promotion...
vs. Jeff CurranJeff CurranJeffrey M. Curran is an American mixed martial artist. He fights at a number of different weight classes for a large number of organizations, including: Ultimate Fighting Championship , Strikeforce, PRIDE Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting , International Fight League , and King of...
- Bantamweight bout:
- Benavidez defeated Curran via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)
- Bantamweight Championship bout: Miguel TorresMiguel Torres (fighter)Miguel Angel Torres is an American mixed martial artist who fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. He is a former WEC Bantamweight champion. Prior to fighting with the WEC, Torres also held the bantamweight title for the US Shooto organization, as well as for the Ironheart Crown...
(c) vs. Takeya MizugakiTakeya MizugakiTakeya Mizugaki is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently competes in the bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As of October 2011, Mizugaki is ranked the #10 bantamweight in the world by Sherdog....
- Bantamweight Championship bout:
- Torres defeated Mizugaki via unanimous decision (49–46, 49–46, 48–47) to retain the WEC Bantamweight title.
Bonus Awards
Fighters were awarded $10,000 bonuses.- Fight of the Night: Miguel Torres vs. Takeya Mizugaki
- Knockout of the Night: Anthony Njokuani
- Submission of the Night: Rani Yahya