Small Time: Does the WEC Still Matter?

"On Oct. 10, the Versus network will present the 43rd installment of World Extreme Cagefighting. The most recognizable name on the program is Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, who will face Benson Henderson.

And yet Cerrone is far from well known, achieving character-actor status at best. The promotion’s two major attractions -- Urijah Faber and Miguel Torres -- have had their titles ripped away by fighters better on the nights it counted. And the potential audience for the series has shrunk by roughly 14 million from WEC 42, all thanks to some corporate sniping between the cable station and DirecTV. (Is money the problem? Better question: When isn’t money the problem?)"

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I would like for the UFC to absorb WECs best fighters, regardless of weight class, and use the WEC on Versus as a minor league for the UFCs B-level talent.

If the UFC takes all the best fighters from WEC then they gain more weight classes, more potential fights, and more titles to make main-events. And if the UFC were to put their lesser fighters in the WEC (and bring back all the weight classes necessary) then WEC fights could still run for free on Versus, but with more fighters, more weight classes, and more titles for main events.

I agree. 135 and 145 pound divisons have been established, and are mainstreme enough that if introduced into the UFC...title fights could main event.

I like it both ways, I like the wec caters to the lighter weight classes and eventually the 125 pound division but i also think that some of the best fighters of those respective divisions can and would be fine by me on ufc events as well.
All I know is if the UFC were to do that then they better do a decent house cleaning in the current ufc divisions

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Posted by Jesse_Canadian_MMA

I like it both ways, I like the wec caters to the lighter weight classes and eventually the 125 pound division but i also think that some of the best fighters of those respective divisions can and would be fine by me on ufc events as well.
All I know is if the UFC were to do that then they better do a decent house cleaning in the current ufc divisions

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right. The UFC could send all it's lower-level fighters to the WEC and make it a place for less experienced/skilled fighters.

I love the WEC man, they always put up an entertaining show. I don't recall ever being bored with any event ive watched since it started. So yeah, still matters to me of course.

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Posted by D0wnUnd6e6r

I love the WEC man, they always put up an entertaining show. I don't recall ever being bored with any event ive watched since it started. So yeah, still matters to me of course.

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I agree. To me, Zuffa has dropped the ball on several fighters that could have made the WEC way more exciting. You've got guys out there with established names who clearly can't beat the top comp @ 155 in the UFC. I'm talking about guys like Clementi, Guillard, Franca, Joe Stevenson, Marcus Aurelio, etc. etc. All these guys carry a name and all could provide exciting fights at 155 in the WEC. There's several potential matchups there that could take several years to sort out the rankings. Not to mention the other talent outside of the Zuffa banner.

You build up the 155 lbs division with some names and people will automatically get to know the lighter weight guys who fight before them simply by watching the other fights leading up to the main event.