WEC 51 Play By Play – Jose Aldo Vs. Manny Gamburyan

This show was delayed on Versus because of UFL football. Wow.

On paper, this is the best MMA card since UFC 117. Yet, I still think it lacked in promotion. The world of fight fans needed to know everything about this card beforehand and as closely as I follow this stuff, I still wasn’t really sure this was happening until earlier this week. I knew about it, but it just wasn’t pushed hard enough.

1. Mark Hominick vs. Leonard Garcia

I know Garcia’s the fan favorite here especially after his fight with the Korean Zombie, but Hominick has to be way too quick for him right?

While Garcia is swinging hard, Hominick’s defending them well. He was the one stalking Garcia and hitting him with more shots. It looks like he knows exactly the type of combination that Garcia is throwing. Garcia’s counterpunching is terrible so far. Hominick is hitting him in the face and Garcia is swinging long and wildly back. I’d give the round to Hominick.

Carmelo Anthony was shown in the front row and was booed by the crowd. I guess they think he’s getting traded. Hominick is just the much better boxer. People think that because you have knockout power, it makes you a good boxer. Garcia isn’t near the quality boxer that Hominick is and it shows. His strikes are sharper, varied, and shorter than Garcia’s. I’m still not sure if Garcia is hitting him all that much or hitting his hands and arms blocking the punches.

Garcia continues to throw a lead high kick that hasn’t landed once and he’s fallen on his ass a couple times from throwing it. Garcia also telegraphs his punches vocally and he’s exhausted. Hominick’s best shot so far has been a counter left hook. He’s caught Garcia with it twice in the fight thus far.

Winner: Mark Hominick by split decision

I’m not sure how Hominick lost a round, let alone lose two rounds on one card.

2. George Roop vs. Chan Sung Jung

Much of the fight was Roop circling. And circling. Weird round to score. The entire round, you’re waiting for the Korean Zombie to just open up and he did on occasion, but not enough. I wonder if Roop gets the round just for his defense and landing a shot here and there.

Well, Jung may need a knew nickname. Roop hit him with a head kick that knocked him out immediately. As Jung was going down, it looks like he may have popped himself on the forehead, cutting him on the way down.

Winner: George Roop by way of 2nd round TKO

3. Charlie Valencia vs. Miguel Angel Torres

Very slow start to this fight. Torres worked himself inside and threw some uppercuts and pushed Valencia against the fence. Valencia used his left leg to block future knees by raising it while in the clinch. Torres kicked him right in the ball sack. Torres’ right hand is cocked right under his ear. He rushes in and catches Valencia with a combination and it looks like a left hook knocks Valencia to the ground with about ten seconds left. He can’t finish him on the ground and Valencia slips out and actually has him in a fireman’s carry-like maneuver before the round ends.

Torres got him back to the ground with punches as he landed a big shot and Valencia crouched near a cage. He got his back and worked hard to get the rear naked choke. He put him in a body triangle and finally submitted him with the rear naked.

Winner: Miguel Torres by way of 2nd round submission

4. Pablo Garza vs. Tiequan Zhang

Zhang had Garza on his back and went for a guillotine, rolled over and crossed his legs over Garza’s back and got the choke. Zhang’s nickname is The Mongolian Wolf.

Winner: Tiequan Zhang by way of 1st round submission

5. Donald Cerrone vs. Jamie Varner

Cerrone came out quickly and nailed Varner with a big knee. Varner was running away trying to catch his wits again. Cerrone got a takedown, but Varner was up quickly. Varner was throwing big shots, but Cerrone was walking through them. This fight isn’t going to go all three rounds. Cerrone looks truly mad in there. He dropped Varner with a short left.

Cerrone is using his reach fantastically. Varner is throwing huge punches, but Cerrone is stepping away slightly and coming back with big shots of his own. Cerrone took Varner down again. Cerrone’s up 2-0.

Cerrone knocked Varner backwards with a stiff high kick. But Varner throw the best shot of the fight which was an overhand right. But Cerrone walked though it again. Varner’s bleeding pretty badly. Cerrone got another takedown. Varner looked like his will was gone at the end of the fight. He looked at the clock twice in the last 30 seconds and even stopped fighting with about 2 seconds left. They bumped fists at the end, but Cerrone kind of pushed him off and Varner pushed him in the back.

Winner: Donald Cerrone by way of unanimous decision

All the scores were 30-27. The fight was really good, but not fight of the year like they were trying to sell. Cerrone asked Varner to fight once more, but then said he didn’t really want any title shots. He’s a good promo, but sometimes he talks nonsensically. Varner says that Cerrone has become a much better fighter.

6. Manny Gamburyan vs. Jose Aldo

Gamburyan started off the round with a straight right but Aldo just shook it off like it was nothing. He just pretty much stalked him the entire round. He’d faint a right hand and then just kick the hell out of Manny’s knee. The problem is that Manny’s lack of reach is killing him. He can’t get inside to land anything. Aldo is going to stay outside and just pick him apart it seems.

Aldo landed an uppercut that put Manny on all fours and he quickly followed it up with lighting fast punches on the ground. It’s over.

Winner: Jose Aldo by way of 2nd round TKO

Aldo needs to be in the UFC at 155. He’s what Anderson Silva used to be.

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