WEC 30
Encyclopedia
WEC 30: McCullough vs. Crunkilton was a mixed martial arts (MMA)
event held by World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC)
. The event took place on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
and aired live on the Versus Network
.
The event featured a lightweight
title match between champion "Razor" Rob McCullough
and Richard Crunkilton
. Additionally, Chase Beebe
defended his bantamweight
title against Brazilian jiu-jitsu
expert Rani Yahya
, who replaced Manny Tapia
on the card after Tapia suffered a knee injury. WEC 30 was to feature the WEC debut of former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver
in his move to the featherweight
division. However, Pulver had to withdraw from the fight due to a knee injury.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC)
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
. The event took place on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and aired live on the Versus Network
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
.
The event featured a lightweight
Lightweight (MMA)
The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
title match between champion "Razor" Rob McCullough
Rob McCullough
Robert Alexander McCullough IV is an American Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was a five-time World Muay Thai Champion, and is a former WEC Lightweight Champion. He currently trains out of Huntington Beach, CA at HB Ultimate Training Center...
and Richard Crunkilton
Richard Crunkilton
Richard Allen Crunkilton is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the Lightweight division. He defeated Sergio Gomez on March 26, 2008 at WEC 33. He was scheduled to face Donald Cerrone at WEC 34, but was forced off the card with an injury. Crunkilton was forced to withdraw from his...
. Additionally, Chase Beebe
Chase Beebe
Chase Beebe is an American professional mixed martial artist from Chicago, Illinois. He has recently fought for the World Extreme Cagefighting organization, where he was the Bantamweight Champion. He lost that belt on February 13, 2008, to fellow Midwestern MMA fighter Miguel Torres...
defended his bantamweight
Bantamweight (MMA)
The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The King of the Cage bantamweight class with upper limit at 145 lb...
title against Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
expert Rani Yahya
Rani Yahya
Rani Ahmad Yahya is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. Yahya won the 66 kg division of the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in April 2007...
, who replaced Manny Tapia
Manny Tapia
Manny Tapia is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter from Chino, California who trains out of Millennia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga, California...
on the card after Tapia suffered a knee injury. WEC 30 was to feature the WEC debut of former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver
Jens Pulver
Jens Johnnie Pulver is an American mixed martial artist . He was the first Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion and was a coach on the The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show, which aired on Spike TV. He was formerly signed as a featherweight with World Extreme Cagefighting , which is...
in his move to the featherweight
Featherweight (MMA)
The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...
division. However, Pulver had to withdraw from the fight due to a knee injury.
Preliminary card
- Bantamweight bout:
Ian McCallIan McCall (fighter)Ian McCall is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions. A professional MMA competitor since 2002, McCall has fought for World Extreme Cagefighting among other organizations. He recently defeated the #1 ranked flyweight fighter in the world, Jussier...
vs. Coty WheelerCoty WheelerCoty Wheeler is an American mixed martial artist. He currently fights for the WEC. He lost his fight to Charlie Valencia at WEC 43 on October 10, 2009.Wheeler lost to Will Campuzano via unanimous decision on January 10, 2010 at WEC 46...
- McCall defeated Wheeler via TKO (strikes) at 4:43 of round 1.
- Welterweight bout: Blas AvenaBlas AvenaBlas Avena is an American professional mixed martial artist and World Extreme Cagefighting veteran.-MMA career:Blas relocated from Southern California to Las Vegas in 2004 where he got a job working as a security guard at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. He is known for his superior ground fighting...
vs Joe Benoit
- Welterweight bout:
- Avena defeated Benoit via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:29 of round 1. Although preliminary, this bout aired on the live broadcast.
- Lightweight bout: Donald CerroneDonald CerroneDonald Anthony Cerrone is an American mixed martial artist and Muay Thai kickboxer who fights out of Albuquerque, New Mexico and currently competes as a lightweight in the UFC...
vs. Kenneth Alexander
- Lightweight bout:
- Cerrone defeated Alexander via submission (triangle neck crank) at 0:56 of round 1. This was later overturned after Cerrone tested positive for a banned substance.
- Middleweight bout: Bryan BakerBryan Baker (fighter)Bryan Baker is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Baker fought in various promotions, most notably World Extreme Cagefighting and Bellator Fighting Championships...
vs. Jesse ForbesJesse ForbesJesse Forbes is an American mixed martial artist who was a contestant on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter reality television show, training under Ken Shamrock in the 205 lb weight class.-Career:...
- Middleweight bout:
- Baker defeated Forbes via TKO (strikes) at 4:15 of round 1. Although preliminary, this bout aired on the live broadcast.
- Lightweight bout: Scott McAfee vs. Marcus HicksMarcus HicksMarcus Dewayne Hicks is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights as a lightweight.-World Extreme Cagefighting:...
- Lightweight bout:
- Hicks defeated McAfee via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:13 of round 1.
- Welterweight bout:
Marcelo BritoMarcelo BritoMarcelo Brito is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He has fought for World Extreme Cagefighting and the Brazilian fighting promotion team Storm Samurai...
vs. John AlessioJohn AlessioJohn Paul Alessio is a Canadian mixed martial artist who currently competes as a Welterweight. Alessio has fought for many of the major MMA promotions, including WEC, UFC, PRIDE, KOTC, MFC and DREAM.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
- Welterweight bout:
- Alessio defeated Brito via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).
Main card
- Bantamweight bout: Miguel TorresMiguel Torres (fighter)Miguel Angel Torres is an American mixed martial artist who fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. He is a former WEC Bantamweight champion. Prior to fighting with the WEC, Torres also held the bantamweight title for the US Shooto organization, as well as for the Ironheart Crown...
vs. Jeff Bedard
- Torres defeated Bedard via submission (triangle choke) at 2:30 of round 1.
- Light Heavyweight bout: Brian StannBrian StannBrian Michael Stann is an American mixed martial artist and former US Marine who competes as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a former WEC Light Heavyweight champion...
vs. Jeremiah Billington
- Light Heavyweight bout:
- Stann defeated Billington via TKO (strikes) at 3:07 of round 1.
- Bantamweight championship bout: Chase BeebeChase BeebeChase Beebe is an American professional mixed martial artist from Chicago, Illinois. He has recently fought for the World Extreme Cagefighting organization, where he was the Bantamweight Champion. He lost that belt on February 13, 2008, to fellow Midwestern MMA fighter Miguel Torres...
(c) vs. Rani YahyaRani YahyaRani Ahmad Yahya is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. Yahya won the 66 kg division of the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in April 2007...
- Bantamweight championship bout:
- Beebe defeated Yahya via unanimous decision (49–46, 49–46, 49–45) to retain the WEC Bantamweight Championship.
- Lightweight championship bout: Rob McCulloughRob McCulloughRobert Alexander McCullough IV is an American Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was a five-time World Muay Thai Champion, and is a former WEC Lightweight Champion. He currently trains out of Huntington Beach, CA at HB Ultimate Training Center...
(c) vs. Richard CrunkiltonRichard CrunkiltonRichard Allen Crunkilton is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the Lightweight division. He defeated Sergio Gomez on March 26, 2008 at WEC 33. He was scheduled to face Donald Cerrone at WEC 34, but was forced off the card with an injury. Crunkilton was forced to withdraw from his...
- Lightweight championship bout:
- McCullough defeated Crunkilton via TKO (strikes) at 1:29 of round 1 to retain the WEC Lightweight Championship.
Reported Payout
The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. It does not include sponsor money or "locker room" bonuses often given by the WEC.- Rob McCullough: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Richard Crunkilton: $10,000
- Chase Beebe: $10,000 ($5,000 win bonus) def. Rani Yahya: $6,000
- Brian Stann: $10,000 ($5,000 win bonus) def. Jeremiah Billington $2,000
- Miguel Torres: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus) def. Jeff Bedard $4,000
- John Alessio: $22,000 ($11,000 win bonus) def. Marcelo Brito: $3,000
- Marcus Hicks: $8,000 ($4,000 win bonus) def. Scott McAfee: $2,000
- Bryan Baker: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus) def. Jesse Forbes: $4,000
- Donald Cerrone: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus) def. Kenneth Alexander: $3,000
- Blas Avena: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus) def. Joe Benoit: $2,000
- Ian McCall: $4,000 ($2,000 win bonus) def. Coty Wheeler: $2,000