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Match-ups revealed for WEC 34

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 25, 2008 at 8:30 am ET

World Extreme Cagefighting recently announced a number of bouts for its upcoming June 1 card, which takes place at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif.

The event is headlined by a previously revealed bout between WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber and former UFC champion Jens Pulver, and WEC bantamweight title-holder Miguel Torres meets replacement Yoshiro Maeda.

Other fighters in action include Jeff Curran, Rob McCullough, Rich Crunkilton and Alexandre Nogueira.

The event airs live on Versus

The latest card includes:

MAIN CARD

• Champ Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver -- for WEC featherweight title
• Champ Miguel Torres vs. Yoshiro Maeda -- for WEC bantamweight title*
• Mike Brown vs. Jeff Curran
• Kenneth Alexander vs. Rob McCullough*
• Donald Cerrone vs. Rich Crunkilton*

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Tim McKenzie vs. Eric Schambari
• Luis Sapo vs. Alex Serdyukov
• Jose Aldo vs. Alexandre Nogueira
• Dominick Cruz vs. Charlie Valencia

* - not officially announced

Maeda to challenge Torres for WEC title

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 16, 2008 at 11:57 am ET

Yoshiro Maeda (23-4-2) will fill in for an injured Manny Tapia and will fight recently crowned WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (32-1) in June.

Sherdog.com confirmed the bout on Tuesday.

The fight will be a part of a June 1 WEC event at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber meets Jens Pulver in the night's main event.

On Monday the WEC confirmed that Tapia had pulled out of the event with a knee injury suffered during a training session. He undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery within the next week.

Maeda is the reigning featherweight King of Pancrase, and he made his WEC debut in February with a first-round KO of Charlie Valencia. He was originally slated to fight Damacio Page at the June 1 event.

Torres, the winner of 14 consecutive fights, won the WEC title with a first-round submission of Chase Beebe in February.

Official WEC 33 Salaries

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 28, 2008 at 2:52 pm

Brian Stann picked up the biggest victory at Wednesday's "WEC: Marshall vs. Stann" event, but Chael Sonnen got the biggest check, earning an official reported salary of $34,000.

MMAjunkie.com today acquired from the Nevada State Athletic Commission the list of official salaries for all 20 fighters.

Wednesday's event, which featured Stann's win over former WEC light heavyweight champion Doug Marshall, took place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and aired live on VERSUS.

Sonnen, who was originally slated to face Paulo Filho in the main event, instead defeated late replacement Bryan Baker in his bout. Filho pulled out of the fight to deal with personal issues.

The total reported payroll for WEC 33 was $213,000.

The individual results included:

• Brian Stann ($18,000) def. Doug Marshall ($10,000)
• Chael Sonnen ($34,000) def. Bryan Baker ($5,000)
• Marcus Hicks ($10,000) def. Ed Ratcliff ($7,000)
• Steve Cantwell ($8,000) def. Tim McKenzie ($6,000)
• Hiromitsu Miura ($8,000) def. Blas Avena ($6,O00)
• Brock Larson ($24,000) def. John Alessio ($15,000)
• Richard Crunkilton Jr. ($20,000) def. Sergio Gomez ($4,000)
• Alex Serdyukov ($12,000) def. Ryan Stonitsch ($3,000)
• Chris Manuel ($3,000) vs. Kenji Osawa ($5,000)
• Logan Clark ($12,000) def. J. Scott Harper ($3,000)

All of the night's winning fighters earned 50 percent of their pay to "show" and an additional 50 percent as "win bonuses." For example, Sonnen earned a guaranteed $17,000 for the fight plus an additional $17,000 for his victory.

In the case of the Manuel vs. Osawa fight, no win bonus was awarded because the final result was a split draw. NSAC executive director Keith Kizer today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com that neither fighter is awarded a win bonus, as specified in the bout agreements, in the case of draws.

Leonard Garcia Faces Distribution and Possession Charges

by Dann Stupp on Mar 28, 2008 at 1:10 pm

WEC fighter Leonard Garcia, who was arrested earlier this week for his alleged involvement in a major cocaine trafficking ring in Texas, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and other substantive counts, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

News of the bust was first reported by KCBD NewsChannel 11 in Lubbock, Texas.

Garcia was arrested Tuesday evening in Lubbock and remains in custody. He and the rest of the defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court today at 3 p.m. CT.

Garcia was one of 13 individuals targeted for charges stemming from five federal indictments. The alleged drug-trafficking ring operated from El Paso to Lubbock, according to law-enforcement officials.

The execution of seven search warrants this week netted nearly two kilograms of cocaine, drug trafficking paraphernalia, firearms, U.S. currency, financial records and vehicles, according to the the U.S. Department of Justice.

The bust was was part of a four-year major, multi-agency investigation that included the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Lubbock Police Department; the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office; the Tahoka Police Department; and the Lynn County Sheriff's Office.

Garcia, a Ring of Fire vet, made his UFC debut as a lightweight in April 2007. After three fights in the organization, he dropped to featherweight and joined the UFC's sister promotion, the WEC, where he earned a 91-second TKO of Hiroyuki Takaya in February. The victory pushed his career MMA record to 11-3.

WEC officials have made no formal statement regarding Garcia's arrest. MMAjunkie.com contacted the organization for comment and is awaiting a response.

Report: WEC's Leonard Garcia Arrested in Drug Trafficking Bust

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 28, 2008 at 8:27 am

World Extreme Cagefighting fighter Leonard Garcia has been arrested as part of an alleged drug-trafficking organization targeted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The report comes from KCBD NewsChannel 11 in Lubbock, Texas, the home of the alleged cocaine ring.

Ten of the organization's 13 members, including Garcia, were arrested on Thursday after a four-year investigation into the operation. The U.S. District Attorney's Office revealed that two kilograms of cocaine, drug trafficking paraphernalia, firearms and an undisclosed sum of money were seized in Thursday's sweep.

The drug ring reportedly operated from El Paso to Lubbock going back to 2001.

According to the report, three of those arrested could face up to 40 years in prison and up to a $2 million fine if convicted. Others could face up to life in prison with a $4 million fine.

The 28-year-old Garcia, a former Ring of Fire title-holder, burst onto the MMA scene in a spirited unanimous-decision loss to Roger Huerta at UFC 69. He fought twice more for the UFC before dropping from lightweight to featherweight to compete with the WEC.

He scored a 91-second TKO of Hiroyuki Takaya in his February WEC debut. The victory pushed his record to 11-3.

Stann Stops Marshall for WEC Title

by David Andrest on Mar 26, 2008 at 11:35 pm

One of the longest-reigning World Extreme Cagefighting champions has been dethroned.

The title fight capped off Saturday's "WEC: Marshall vs. Stann" event, which took place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The event aired live on Versus.

In the night's main event, WEC light heavyweight champion Doug Marshall (7-3) faced off with Brian Stann (6-0) in what was scheduled for five rounds. The fight, though, would last less than two minutes.

Stann, the decorated Marine and war veteran who was heavily hyped for the fight, attacked his opponent's legs with sharp low kicks to begin the bout. Marshall answered with low kicks of his own, but Stann took advantage of his reach to strike from the outside. The fight progressed to a clinch against the fence, and Marshall created distance and began a flurry of bombs. However, Stann was able to cover and deflect most of the shots, and then he landed a stiff right hand and a perfectly placed left that knocked the champion down.

Stann jumped on Marshall and pounded him out until referee Herb Dean stopped the fight. Stann became the WEC's new light heavyweight champion with just 95 seconds of work.

Earlier in the evening, WEC's No. 1 middleweight contender, Chael Sonnen (20-9–1), defeated previously undefeated late replacement Bryan Baker (6–1) by unanimous decision. Sonnen controlled all 15 minutes of the three-round bout, and with the win, he'll likely get his rematch with WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho. The title-holder was originally scheduled to headline tonight's event against Sonnen but recently pulled out of the bout to enter rehabilitation for a substance-abuse problem.

In other action, undefeated Marcus Hicks (8-0) beat previously undefeated Ed "9mm" Ratcliff (6-1). Hicks closed the gap on the much taller opponent early and made quick work of Ratcliff, winning by rear naked choke at just 1:43 or the opening round.

The full results included:

• Brian Stann def. Doug Marshall via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 1:35
• Chael Sonnen def. Bryan Baker via unanimous decision
• Marcus Hicks vs. Ed Ratcliff via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 1, 1:42
• Steve Cantwell def. Tim McKenzie via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 2:13
• Hiromitsu Miura def. Blas Avena via KO (punches) -- Round 1, 2:35
• Brock Larson def. John Alessio via DQ (illegal knee) -- Round 1, 1:50
• Richard Crunkilton def. Sergio Gomez via unanimous decision
• Alex Serdyukov def. Ryan Stonitsch via submission (triangle choke) -- Round 1, 1:35
• Chris Manuel vs. Kenji Osawa via split draw
• Logan Clark def. Scott Harper via TKO (strikes) –- Round 1, 4:37

WEC Announces Faber vs. Pulver, Torres vs. Tapia for June 1

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 26, 2008 at 11:54 am

World Extreme Cagefighting today officially announced two title fights for a June 1 show: WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber (20-1) vs. former UFC title-holder Jens Pulver (22-8-1), and recently crowned WEC bantamweight champ Miguel Torres (32-1) vs. Manny Tapia (10-0-1).

"WEC: Faber vs. Pulver" takes place on a rare Sunday fight date, June 1, at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif.

The event will air live on VERSUS beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The Faber-Pulver fight was destined the moment Pulver announced his intentions of dropping to 145 lbs. and moving to the WEC after serving as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 5." Faber is undoubtedly the WEC's biggest and most marketed star, and the fight with Pulver will be the biggest in the organization's history.

Torres, who recently won the 135-lb. title by defeating former champ Chase Beebe, will put his newfound fame to use when he takes on Tapai, an undefeated, high-energy King of the Cage veteran who made his WEC debut in 2007.

Mark Munoz (3-0), a former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion, will also make his WEC debut at the show.

Clark-Harper Completes March 26 WEC Card

by Dann Stupp on Mar 19, 2008 at 10:37 am

Earlier this week, Bryan Baker was chosen as a late replacement to fight Chael Sonnen at next week's WEC event. Unfortunately, it left his original opponent, Logan Clark (7-1), without a fight.

However, WEC officials scrambled to find Clark (also known as "The Pink Pounder") a new opponent, and they succeeded. Clark will now face Scott Harper (8-3) at the event, which takes place March 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. The event airs live in high-definition on the VERSUS network at 9 p.m. ET.

Clark alerted MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the opponent change overnight.

Clark, who competed in the UFC before his move to the WEC, most recently dropped a unanimous decision to Eric Schambari. It was the first loss of his career, and MMAjunkie.com has learned that a rematch between the two fighters was briefly considered for next week's WEC event. Instead, Clark, the owner of Rochester MMA, was booked to fight Harper.

The Georgia-based Harper is a veteran of the Full Throttle and International Sport Combat Federation organizations. He's riding a current three-fight win streak and has finished five of his eight victories via submission.

"His ground game looks to be solid, but I think I will have an advantage on my feet," Clark told MMAjunkie.com.

Sonnen was originally scheduled to fight WEC middleweight champ Paulo Filho in the night's main event, but the title-holder had to pull out of the event to seek treatment for substance abuse. The Doug Marshall vs. Brian Stann was instead bumped up to the headline bout.

Now, with the Clark-Harper fight, the full card for next week's event includes:

MAIN CARD (TELEVISED)

• Champ Doug Marshall vs. Brian Stann (for WEC light heavyweight title)
• Bryan Baker vs. Chael Sonnen
• Marcus Hicks vs. Ed Ratcliff
• Steve Cantwell vs. Tim McKenzie
• Blas Avena vs. Hirumitsu Miura

PRELIMINARY CARD (NOT TELEVISED)

• John Alessio vs. Brock Larson
• Rich Crunkilton vs. Sergio Gomez
• Alex Serdyukov vs. Ryan Stonitsch
• Chris Manuel vs. Kenji Osawa
• Logan Clark vs. Scott Harper

Bryan Baker vs. Chael Sonnen at March 26 WEC

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 18, 2008 at 9:06 am

Left without an opponent when WEC middleweight champ Paulo Filho was forced to pull out of their main event bout, Chael Sonnen (19-9-1) will instead face Bryan Baker (6-0) at next week's WEC 33 event.

The WEC confirmed the opponent change on WEC.tv.

The event takes place Wednesday, March 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., and airs live in high-definition on the VERSUS network at 9 p.m. ET. With the loss of Filho, the event will now feature a main event between WEC light heavyweight champ Doug Marshall and Brian Stann.

The Filho vs. Sonnen fight was supposed to be a rematch from their first meeting in December, when Filho submitted Sonnen via armbar (Sonnen, though, protested the stoppage). However, last week, the WEC announced that Filho pulled out of the event to check into a rehabilitation center for a substance-abuse problem.

Sonnen now faces Baker, an undefeated Californian who will make his third WEC appearance. The 22-year-old All-American wrestler and a judo black belt owns a first-round TKO of Jesse Forbes and a split-decision victory over Eric Schambari.

The Sonnen vs. Baker fights will be on the televised main card of the event.

WEC Champ Paulo Filho Withdraws from March 26 Event

by Dann Stupp on Mar 13, 2008 at 10:43 pm

WEC middleweight champ Paulo Filho (16-0) has pulled out of a March 26 title fight and rematch with Chael Sonnen (19-9-1) to check himself into an undisclosed rehabilation center, the organization announced on Thursday.

Filho is seeking help for a substance-abuse problem.

The WEC event will now feature a main event between WEC light heavyweight champ Doug Marshall and Brian Stann. It takes place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., and airs live in high-definition on the VERSUS network at 9 p.m. ET.

Filho and Sonnen first met in December at WEC 31. Filho kept his undefeated streak alive with a second-round submission via armbar. However, the fight ended with a bit of controversy as Sonnen, who had dominated much of the fight, claimed he never verbally tapped. Sonnen groaned in pain from the submission -- and it was clearly audible to the television audience -- but he said it was never intended to be a verbal tap-out.

Last week Filho had publicly contemplated pulling out of the event due to "personal reasons." However, his manager, Ed Soares, later stated that Filho's camp had rallied around the fighter and that the bout would continue as scheduled.

In an announcement posted on WEC.tv, Soares said Filho is now getting the help he needs.

"This is horrible news, but we’re proud of him for stepping up and recognizing his problem," Soares stated. "At times like this, you realize who your true friends are and who really supports you, and the people around him now are supporting him and are gonna be with him when he comes back. Paulo apologizes to his fans but he thanks them for their support, and he promised that the next time they see him, he'll be back at 100 percent and will be the Paulo Filho everyone expects to see."

Filho, widely regarded as one of the world's top middleweight fighters, first joined the WEC last year after a successful career with PRIDE Bushido. He won the the WEC middleweight title with an August TKO victory over veteran Joe Doerksen.

* * * *

As we mentioned last week, middleweight prospect Nissen Osterneck also had to pull out of his March 26 fight with Bryan Baker due to injury.

According to a representative from his camp, the injury could keep him sidelined for up to six to nine months.

Osterneck had only recently signed a contract with WEC. He's 5-0 in his 16-month career.

WEC Announces Full Card for March 26 Event

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 07, 2008 at 7:00 am

The World Extreme Cagefighting organization recently announced the full card for its March 26 event, and despite some initial hesitation, WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho (16-0) will fight Chael Sonnen (19-9-1) after all.

"WEC: Filho vs. Sonnen" takes place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., and airs live in high-definition on the VERSUS network at 9 p.m. ET.

In addition to Filho vs. Sonnent, WEC light heavyweight champ Doug Marshall will put his belt on the line against Brian Stann.

Filho and Sonnent first met in December at WEC 31. Filho kept his undefeated streak alive with a second-round submission via armbar. However, the fight ended with a bit of controversy as Sonnen claimed he never verbally tapped. Sonnen groaned in pain from the submission -- and it was clearly audible to the television audience -- but he said it was never intended to be a verbal tap-out.

Earlier this week the Brazilian website TATAME spoke to Filho, who said he was pulling out of the bout due to personal reasons. However, his manager, Ed Soares, has since told multiple media outlets that Filho's camp has rallied around the fighter and that the bout will continue as scheduled.

However, one bout that didn't hold up was Nissen Osterneck vs. Bryan Baker. Osterneck, an undefeated middleweight prospect, has suffered a shoulder injury. On Thursday Logan Clark, a former UFC fighter, told MMAjunkie.com that he's stepped up to replace Osterneck.

The full line-up for the WEC 33 card includes:

• Champ Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen (for WEC middleweight title)
• Champ Doug Marshall vs. Brian Stann (for WEC light heavyweight title)
• Marcus Hicks vs. Ed Ratcliff
• Steve Cantwell vs. Tim McKenzie
• Blas Avena vs. Hirumitsu Miura
• John Alessio vs. Brock Larson
• Rich Crunkilton vs. Sergio Gomez
• Alex Serdyukov vs. Ryan Stonitsch
• Chris Manuel vs. Kenji Osawa
• Bryan Baker vs. Logan Clark

WEC 32 Results: Condit Keeps Belt, Varner and Torres Crowned New WEC Champions

by Dann Stupp on Feb 14, 2008 at 12:30 am ET

Three belts were on the line, two changed hands, but one dominant welterweight headliner avenged a loss and defended his title Wednesday at WEC 32.

"WEC: Condit vs. Prater," which featured a total of three title fights, took place at the Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, N.M. The main card aired live on the Versus network.

Local fighter Carlos Condit was the big draw at the event. And he delivered in what was the first-ever WEC show outside of Las Vegas since the UFC acquired the organization more than a year ago.

The much-anticipated main event would be a short one. Competing in front of a hometown crowd, Condit survived an early takedown attempt from Carlo Prater, patiently awaited an opening, and finally locking in the fight-ending guillotine choke at 3:48 of the first round.

It was Condit's seventh-straight win, second consecutive title defense, and redemption from a September 2004 loss -- the very first defeat of his career -- to Prater.

While Condit reigned supreme, other WEC champions wouldn't be so lucky.

UFC veteran Jamie Varner continued his success in the WEC by staking claim to "Razor" Rob McCullough's lightweight title. After grinding through the first two rounds to get the edge on the judges' scorecards, Varner was stunned early in the third frame with a stiff right punch from McCullough. Varner called for a timeout after losing his mouthpiece, confusing the crowd. Referee Steve Mazzagatti complied, and Varner came out firing afterward, dropping the champ twice before the fight was finally halted due to a TKO stoppage at 2:54 of the round.

Varner has now lost just once in his past 16 fights. McCullough, meanwhile, tastes defeat for the first time since a split-decision loss to Harris Sarmiento more than four years ago.

The first champ to fall during Tuesday's event was bantamweight title-holder Chase Beebe, who took on feel-good story Miguel Torres. Torres put on a submission clinic to end the fight in the first round. After dazing the former champ with an early head kick, Torres attempted an armbar, triangle choke, omaplata and a number of other submissions. Eventually, though, Torres forced the tap-out with a guillotine choke at 3:58 of the first round.

Torres pushes his career mark to a stellar 21-1 while the loss snaps Beebe's six-fight win streak.

In the course of a few minutes, Manny Tapia went from blemishing his once-undefeated record to a close split-decision victory over Antonio Banuelos. After a tough-fought battle, the bout was ruled a rare split draw. However, moments later a score correction was read, and Tapia earned the split-decision victory, pushing his record to 10-0-1.

In his WEC debut, former UFC fighter Leonard Garcia made short work of K-1 and Shooto veteran Hiroyuki Takaya. The Team Jackson connected on a wild overhand right that set up the TKO via punches at 1:31 of the first round.

PRELIMINARY FIGHTS

• Josh Grispi def. Mark Hominick via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 2:55
• Coty "Ox" Wheeler def. Del Hawkins via submission (flying armbar) -- Round 2, 1:57
• Damacio Page def. Scott Jorgensen via unanimous decision
• Yoshiro Maeda def. Charlie Valencia via KO (kick) -- Round 1, 2:29
• Micah Miller def. Chance Farrar via KO (punch) -- Round 1, 1:39

Leonard Garcia Makes WEC Debut at Wednesday's "Condit vs. Prater"

by Dann Stupp on Feb 09, 2008 at 9:30 pm ET

Former UFC fighter Leonard Garcia (10-3), the spunky Team Jackson fighter best remembered for a spirited performance against Roger Huerta at this past April's UFC 69 event, will make his WEC debut on Wednesday at the organization's "Condit vs. Prater" show.

"WEC: Condit vs. Prater," which includes an impressive lineup with a total of three title fights, takes place at the Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, N.M.. The event airs live on the Versus network beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Garcia meets K-1 and Shooto vet Hiroyuki Takaya (9-4-1) in the night's first televised fight.

Garcia's three-round battle with Huerta not only earned him a Fight of the Night bonus, but the televised bout also earned him an overnight fan following -- despite the loss. Garcia has posted a 1-1 record in the UFC since then, most recently suffering a unanimous-decision loss to Cole Miller at UFC Fight Night 11.

After the fight, Garcia's trainer, Greg Jackson, confirmed that the fight would drop a weight class to fight as a featherweight for the WEC. Zuffa LLC, the UFCâ??s parent company, purchased the WEC more than a year ago to be run as a sister organization with a focus on the smaller weight classes.

"I was always pretty small for 155 (lbs.)," Garcia recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I fee like I'm going to be a lot stronger. I know that (Takaya) likes to stand and punch, so I feel comfortable there or on the ground with my jiu-jitsu... At 145, fans will get to see the real me."

In addition to Garcia vs. Takaya, the event features back-to-back-to-back title fights. WEC's welterweight, lightweight and bantamweight belts will be contested on Wednesday.

The full card for WEC 32 includes:

MAIN CARD

• Champ Carlos Condit vs. Carlo Prater (for welterweight title)
• Champ Rob McCullough vs. Jamie Varner (for lightweight title)
• Champ Chase Beebe vs. Miguel Torres (for bantamweight title)
• Antonio Banuelos vs. Manny Tapia
• Leonard Garcia vs. Hiroyuki Takaya

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Mark Hominick vs. Josh Grispi
• Del Hawkins vs. Coty Wheeler
• Yoshiro Maeda vs. Charlie Valencia
• Chance Farrar vs. Micah Miller
• Scott Jorgensen vs. TBA

WEC Headed to Albuquerque for Feb. 13 Show

by Dann Stupp on Jan 08, 2008 at 6:55 pm ET

World Extreme Cagefighting, the Zuffa LLC-owned fight promotion that's now the sister organization to the UFC, today announced that it'll leave Las Vegas for the first time since its ownership change, and the Feb. 13 fight card will feature a total of three title fights.

Zuffa has hosted seven WEC events at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas since it purchased the organization nearly a year ago, but the WEC will head to New Mexico for its next show. Local fighter and WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit headlines the event against challenger Carlo Prater.

"WEC: Condit vs. Prater" takes place at the Santa Ana Star Center, an 8,000-capacity arena in Albuquerque, N.M. The event airs live -- in high definition -- on the Versus network beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Also slated on the card is a title fight between WEC lightweight champ "Razor" Rob McCullough and former UFC fighter Jamie Varner. WEC bantamweight champ Chase Beebe takes on Miguel Torres.

Tickets for the show go on sale Saturday.

The latest card includes:

• Champ Carlos Condit vs. Carlo Prater (for welterweight title)
• Champ Rob McCullough vs. Jamie Varner (for lightweight title)
• Champ Chase Beebe vs. Miguel Torres (for bantamweight title)
• Mark Hominick vs. Josh Grispi
• Leonard Garcia vs. Hiroyuki Takaya