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Monday, January 11, 2010
by
Jason Probst (jprobst@sherdog.com)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Benson Henderson sits alone atop World
Extreme Cage fighting’s lightweight division.
Henderson
unified the 155-pound title on Sunday, as he submitted reigning
champion Jamie Varner with a slam-bang guillotine choke 2:41
into the third round in the WEC 46 “Varner vs. Henderson” main
event at the Arco Arena. He delivered the choke perfectly as
Varner shot in for a takedown.
“Jamie Varner is a tough,
scary-looking dude. I was a little intimidated at first,” said
Henderson, who figures to defend the title against Donald
Cerrone in a rematch of their memorable five-round scrap in
October. “Thankfully, I came out on top.”
Inactive for
nearly a year after his controversial split decision victory
over the aforementioned Cerrone, an injured Varner had been
relegated to the sidelines, where he watched the division move
on without him. After Henderson outpointed Cerrone for the
interim belt in October, questions regarding who was the
legitimate champion lingered. Henderson provided the answers.
The two landed few solid punches in the first two
rounds. Varner finished a couple of takedowns but failed to
score from top due to Henderson’s ability to tie him up and
return to his feet. In the clinch, they seemed to neutralize one
another with their wrestling, as they matched strength without
either man executing much in the way of offense. Henderson
centered his attack on kicks to the body.
Varner
appeared to push into the lead in a bout with tepid action that
had the crowd booing at times. The conclusion wiped away all the
hostility, however, as Henderson delivered a finisher that came
with all the finality of a slammed door.
“I came to
fight,” Varner said. “Ben was the better man. He caught me in
the guillotine. S--t happens. I was winning the fight. I came to
fight; Ben came to grapple.
Faber Taps Assuncao, Eyes
Aldo
Fighting before a raucous hometown crowd, former featherweight
king and WEC poster boy Urijah Faber strolled to the cage to the
strains of Dr. Dre’s “California Love” and received a deafening
response. Once inside, he did not disappoint.
Faber
coaxed a tapout from
Brazilian
jiu-jitsu black belt Raphael Assuncao with a third-round
rear-naked choke, as he locked up a shot at reigning 145-pound
champion Jose Aldo. The end came 3:49 into the final period.
“It feels great. I’m ready to get that belt,” Faber said.
“We’ve got a great champion right now. Jose Aldo is a phenom.
He’s talented and creative, and I’d love to get that belt.”
Aldo answered the challenge.
“I have respect for
Urijah,” he said, “but no one’s going to take my belt.”
Faber then fanned the flames.
“In my mind,” he said,
“that’s my belt.”
Faber had his work cut out for him
against the world-ranked Assuncao, whose grappling pedigree and
compact frame matched his own. What transpired was every bit the
test insiders suspected Faber would receive. In a tight,
tactical battle, he showcased his explosive athleticism, along
with the potent submission game that ultimately ended the match.
He also dropped Assuncao twice with right hands.
In the
third round, Faber shot for a low single-leg takedown and nailed
it, only to see Assuncao spring up seconds later. After
circling, Faber extended his right hand, as though to block a
punch, and then quickly turned it into a snappy right-hand lead,
flooring his foe for the second time.
Anchored in
Assuncao’s guard, Faber exploded as the Atlanta-based Brazilian
tried to stand, taking his back and sinking the rear-naked choke
for the finish.
Brown Bounces Back, Submits Morrison
Former featherweight champion Mike Thomas Brown, in his first
appearance since surrendering his crown to Jose Aldo, submitted
WEC newcomer Anthony
Morrison with a first-round rear-naked choke. The finish
came at 1:54 of the first.
“I just needed a win,” Brown
said. “I just wanted to win so badly. I hate to lose any fight,
and it’s very important you don’t lose two in a row.”
After a 50-second feeling-out process in which Morrison landed a
few solid leg kicks, Brown implemented his bread-and-butter game
plan, as he scored with a takedown and landed in side control.
Driving home a few hammerfists, the American Top Team ace
quickly utilized his strength advantage, as he passed to mount
and forced Morrison to surrender his back for the tapout.
Shalorus Stays Unbeaten
In battle of undefeated
lightweights, Kamal Shalorus grinded out a unanimous decision
over Dave Jansen. Scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
The Iran-born Shalorus’ penchant for committing to a stand-up
bout robbed him of his best asset -- takedowns -- as he tried
with mixed success to connect on the feet. However, he managed
to outland Jansen during a fairly uneventful three-round affair.
“I know Dave Jansen is a good wrestler, but I’m a world
class wrestler,” Shalorus said. I’m a world champion. Nobody can
take me down.”
Shalorus did not shoot for a committed
takedown until halfway through the bout, content to work his
stand-up in wild hit-or-miss exchanges. The Texas-based
lightweight seemed to be aim for a crowd-pleasing fight instead
of playing to his strengths as an Olympic-caliber wrestler.
Jansen was live, though, occasionally landing a hard punch and
working to set up power shots, but he rarely scored with
anything of consequence. Jansen also failed to take down
Shalorus, as he was stuffed repeatedly by the Iranian’s
air-tight sprawl.
Taurosevicius Outpoints Semerzier
International Fight League veteran Deividas Taurosevicius
slowed the rise of Mackens Semerzier, as he took a unanimous
decision from the world-ranked and previously unbeaten
featherweight. Scores were 29-28 across the board.
Taurosevicius controlled rounds one and two with superior
wrestling and positional grappling, putting the leather on
Semerzier when the opportunity presented itself. Semerzier
threatened with occasional submission attempts from his back,
but Taurosevicius, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, proved
difficult to corral.
Sensing he was behind, Semerzier
landed a strong body kick 45 seconds into round three and tried
a flying knee moments later. However, Taurosevicius countered
with a pair of takedowns. Semerzier hit a nice kimura sweep off
the second, as the Lithuanian attempted to counter with a leg
lock attempt. An upright Semerzier landed a couple nice body
shots and a series of right hand hammerfists as his grounded foe
tried to wheel around and improve position.
Semerzier
then passed to side control, as Taurosevicius rolled into a
choke attempt with 15 seconds left. He fought free, however,
earning cheers from the crowd and the nod from the judges.
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