WEC 50
Encyclopedia
WEC 50: Cruz vs. Benavidez 2 was a mixed martial arts
event held by World Extreme Cagefighting
that took place on August 18, 2010 at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada
.
in December 2009 and was also shown on the Versus channel.
Urijah Faber
was expected to make his bantamweight
debut against Japanese
striker Takeya Mizugaki
. However, Faber was forced off the card with an injury. As a result, Mizugaki was also pulled from the event. The Faber/Mizugaki bout was simply pushed back, to WEC 52
. Faber won the rescheduled matchup by first round submission.
Stephan Bonnar
served as color commentator for the event along with Todd Harris
.
The event drew an average of 316,000 viewers on Versus
.
. It does not include sponsor money or "locker room" bonuses often given by the WEC and also do not include the WEC's traditional "fight night" bonuses.
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...
that took place on August 18, 2010 at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
Background
This event marked WEC's first visit to Las Vegas since WEC 45WEC 45
WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on December 19, 2009 at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada. It marked the first time the WEC has held back-to-back events at The Pearl at The Palms. The event drew an estimated...
in December 2009 and was also shown on the Versus channel.
Urijah Faber
Urijah Faber
Urijah Christopher Faber is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. Faber won the WEC featherweight championship at WEC 19 on March 17, 2006 and held the title for over two years until his loss to Mike Brown at WEC...
was expected to make his bantamweight
Bantamweight (MMA)
The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The King of the Cage bantamweight class with upper limit at 145 lb...
debut against Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
striker Takeya Mizugaki
Takeya Mizugaki
Takeya 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....
. However, Faber was forced off the card with an injury. As a result, Mizugaki was also pulled from the event. The Faber/Mizugaki bout was simply pushed back, to WEC 52
WEC 52
WEC 52: Faber vs. Mizugaki was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting on November 11, 2010 at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
. Faber won the rescheduled matchup by first round submission.
Stephan Bonnar
Stephan Bonnar
Stephan Patrick Bonnar is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
served as color commentator for the event along with Todd Harris
Todd Harris
Todd Harris is a play-by-play announcer for ESPNU college football coverage and Ultimate Fighting Championship airing on Versus.Prior to those duties, he was the lead play-by-play announcer for ABC and ESPN's coverage of the Indy Racing League's IndyCar Series...
.
The event drew an average of 316,000 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
- Lightweight bout:
Danny CastilloDanny CastilloDaniel "Danny" Alfonso Castillo is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight divisions. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Castillo has made a name for himself fighting in California. He currently fights at lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championships, and...
vs. Dustin PoirierDustin PoirierDustin Poirier is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter, currently competing as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- Castillo defeated Poirier via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 30–27).
- Featherweight bout:
Fredson PaixãoFredson 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:...
vs. Bryan CarawayBryan CarawayBryan Caraway is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight division and formerly the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2005, Caraway has made a name for himself fighting for Strikeforce, EliteXC, and World Extreme Cagefighting. He is a competitor on...
- Featherweight bout:
- Paixão defeated Caraway via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 29–28).
- Lightweight bout: Ricardo LamasRicardo LamasRicardo Alejandro Lamas is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. He trains with Team Top Notch in Elmhurst, Illinois...
vs. Dave JansenDave JansenDavid Hendrik Jansen is an American mixed martial artist. He currently fights for the WEC. He defeated Richard Crunkilton via unanimous decision at WEC 43 on October 10, 2009....
- Lightweight bout:
- Lamas defeated Jansen via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).
- Featherweight bout:
Javier VazquezJavier Vazquez (fighter)Javier Vazquez is an Cuban-American mixed martial artist currently fighting for The UFC's featherweight division. He was previously fighting for the WEC before the UFC merged the promotions in 2010. He is the son-in-law of Rorion Gracie....
vs. Mackens SemerzierMackens SemerzierMackens Semerzier is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Semerzier has mostly fought in Virginia...
- Featherweight bout:
- Vazquez defeated Semerzier via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:35 of round 2.
- 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.
Maciej JewtuszkoMaciej JewtuszkoMaciej Jewtuszko is a Polish mixed martial artist. He has competed in the lightweight division of various European MMA promotions and most recently fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Background:...
- Lightweight bout:
- Jewtuszko defeated Njokuani via TKO (punches) at 1:35 of round 1.
Main card
- Lightweight bout: 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...
vs. Zach MicklewrightZach MicklewrightZachary Dean Micklewright is an American mixed martial artist who is also in the United States Marine Corps. He currently fights in WEC's lightweight division...
- Palaszewski defeated Micklewright via TKO (strikes) at 0:31 of round 2.
- Bantamweight bout: Scott JorgensenScott JorgensenScott Roger Jorgensen is an American mixed martial artist competing in the UFC Bantamweight division and is a member of the Twisted Genetiks Fight Team based out of Boise, Idaho. He is considered a perennial top 5 ranked bantamweight fighter...
vs.
Brad PickettBrad PickettBrad Pickett is an English mixed martial artist and the former Cage Rage British Featherweight champion and Ultimate Challenge MMA Featherweight Champion. He currently competes as a Bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- Bantamweight bout:
- Jorgensen defeated Pickett via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).
- Featherweight bout: Cub SwansonCub SwansonKevin Luke Swanson is an American mixed martial artist . He is currently signed as a featherweight with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-World Extreme Cagefighting:...
vs. Chad MendesChad MendesChad Edward Mendes is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-High school:Mendes finished 8th in the state of California , wrestling for Hanford High School. In 2002, he finished 5th at 114 lbs. and in 2003, he finished third at 121 lbs...
- Featherweight bout:
- Mendes defeated Swanson via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28).
- Lightweight bout: Shane RollerShane RollerShane Derrick Roller is an American mixed martial artist, currently fighting as a lightweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
vs. Anthony PettisAnthony PettisAnthony Pettis is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Pettis has made a name for himself mainly fighting in his home state of Wisconsin. He is a former fighter for the World Extreme Cagefighting , where he was the...
- Lightweight bout:
- Pettis defeated Roller via submission (triangle choke) at 4:51 of round 3.
- Bantamweight Championship 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...
(c) vs. 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...
- Bantamweight Championship bout:
- Cruz defeated Benavidez via split decision (47–48, 48–47, 49–46) to retain the WEC Bantamweight Championship belt.
Bonus Awards
Fighters were awarded $10,000 bonuses.- Fight of the Night: Scott Jorgensen vs. Brad Pickett
- Knockout of the Night: Maciej Jewtuszko
- Submission of the Night: Anthony Pettis
Reported payout
The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the Nevada State Athletic CommissionNevada Athletic Commission
The Nevada Athletic Commission regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers, mixed martial arts fighters, seconds, ring officials, managers, and matchmakers...
. It does not include sponsor money or "locker room" bonuses often given by the WEC and also do not include the WEC's traditional "fight night" bonuses.
- Dominick Cruz: $22,000 (includes $11,000 win bonus) def. Joseph Benavidez: $17,500
- Anthony Pettis: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus) def. Shane Roller: $16,000
- Chad Mendes: $11,000 ($5,500 win bonus) def. Cub Swanson: $11,000
- Scott Jorgensen: $25,000 ($12,500 win bonus) def. Brad Pickett: $5,000
- Bart Palaszewski: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) def. Zach Micklewright: $3,000
- Javier Vazquez: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) def. Mackens Semerzier: $4,000
- Maciej Jewtuszko: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus) def. Anthony Njokuani: $7,000
- Ricardo Lamas: $14,000 ($7,000 win bonus) def. Dave Jansen: $4,000
- Fredson Paixão: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus) def. Bryan Caraway: $4,000
- Danny Castillo: $19,000 ($9,500 win bonus) def. Dustin Poirier: $3,000