Ok. So I'm watching the WEC fights on Versus right now.
Here's what I'm noticing so far:
Steve Cantwell did a great job of pouncing. He knew right away that he had Tim McKenzie dazed and he took him right out of the fight.
Did Marcus Hicks' friends bet him that he couldn't beat Ed Ratcliff with a guillotine? Ratcliff never fully recovered from that first hard punch Hicks landed. Then Hicks chased Ratcliff around the cage looking for that submission until it was over. I'm very impressed with Hicks. I've seen him fight a couple of times now and there's one part of his game that reminds me of Brazilian jiu-jitsu World Champion Marcelo Garcia.
Huh? Here me out.
Fighters can yell, they can scream, they can shoot over an icy stare, but nothing is more intimidating than when there's that business look of indifference in their eyes. Garcia has it when he's on a jiu-jitsu mat. Now I can see that Hicks has it in the cage. The ability to not get rattled, or at least not show anyone else that you are. A Hicks vs. Jamie Varner match would be explosive and should happen for that 155-pound title.
Now back to the card...
Richard Crunkilton showed some athletic takedowns against Sergio Gomez and earned the decision win. There were some nice exchanges on the ground and fluid grappling. I couldn't believe the cut that opened up on Gomez. It looked like a Ric Flair wound in the old days of WCW.
Chael Sonnen dominated an inexperienced Bryan Baker. Sonnen, an All-American wrestler, didn't give Baker room to breathe. To Baker's credit, he didn't stop looking for submissions despite facing that offensive barrage. This is the right weight for Sonnen. He's very dangerous and controlling on the ground at 185.
Wow. With the speed of the left hook that earned him the title, Brian Stann also just earned some more fans out there, becoming the new WEC light heavyweight champion with his knockout over Doug Marshall. Stann told me in an interview before the fight that there was no way this one was going to decision. About a minute into the fight, it was clear that defense wasn't the top priority for both fighters. But Stann did manage to cover up long enough and counter with some punches of his own.
But the most moving portion of the night came when an emotional Stann spoke of the fallen Marines that were with him in spirit during the fight.
The night ended with Stann wearing his championship belt. But in my opinion, people who defend our great country are champions whether or not they have a strap around their waists.
The WEC is starting to make its mark. Fightin' Words readers: What did you think of the fights?