WEC 38
Encyclopedia
WEC 38: Varner vs. Cerrone was a mixed martial arts
event held by World Extreme Cagefighting
on January 25, 2009. It aired live on the Versus Network
.
In the main event WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner
defended his title against number one contender and undefeated Donald Cerrone
. Also featured on the card was a rematch between former WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber
and Jens Pulver
.
The event drew an estimated 702,000 viewers on Versus
.
. It does not include sponsor money or "locker room" bonuses often given by the WEC and also do not include the WEC's traditional "fight night" bonuses.
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
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...
on January 25, 2009. It 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...
.
In the main event WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner
Jamie Varner
James Christopher Varner is a mixed martial artist who fought for World Extreme Cagefighting. He is a former WEC Lightweight champion.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
defended his title against number one contender and undefeated Donald Cerrone
Donald Cerrone
Donald 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...
. Also featured on the card was a rematch between former WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber
Urijah Faber
Urijah Christopher Faber is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. Faber won the WEC featherweight championship at WEC 19 on March 17, 2006 and held the title for over two years until his loss to Mike Brown at WEC...
and 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...
.
The event drew an estimated 702,000 viewers on Versus
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...
.
Preliminary card
- Bantamweight bout:
Charlie ValenciaCharlie ValenciaCarlos Enrique Valencia is an American mixed martial artist . He has fought for the WEC and UFC in their bantamweight divisions..-Early life:...
vs. Seth DikunSeth DikunSeth Dikun is an American mixed martial artist. He currently fights in WEC's featherweight division. His debut for WEC was a unanimous-decision-loss to Charlie Valencia at WEC 38...
- Valencia defeated Dikun via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
- 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. Jesse LennoxJesse LennoxJesse Lennox is an American mixed martial artist. He was formerly signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship fighting in their welterweight division before being cut with a 1-2 record with the promotion.-International Fight League:...
- Welterweight bout:
- Lennox defeated Avena via KO (strikes) at 0:41 of round 2.
- Bantamweight bout: Scott JorgensenScott JorgensenScott Roger Jorgensen is an American mixed martial artist competing in the UFC Bantamweight division and is a member of the Twisted Genetiks Fight Team based out of Boise, Idaho. He is considered a perennial top 5 ranked bantamweight fighter...
vs. Frank GomezFrank GomezFrank Gomez is an American mixed martial artist. He currently fights in WEC's bantamweight division. Gomez is from Albuquerque, New Mexico where trains full time with Jackson's Submission Fighting...
- Bantamweight bout:
- Jorgensen defeated Gomez via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:09 of round 1. This bout aired on the live broadcast.
- Bantamweight bout: Dominick CruzDominick CruzDominick Cruz is an American mixed martial artist of Mexican descent, who competes as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is the current UFC Bantamweight Champion...
vs. 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...
- Bantamweight bout:
- Cruz defeated McCall via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
- Welterweight bout:
Hiromitsu MiuraHiromitsu MiuraHiromitsu Miura is a Japanese Boxer and former mixed martial artist who competed in the welterweight division in MMA and now competes in the light heavyweight division in boxing.-Career:...
vs. Edgar GarciaEdgar GarciaEdgar Garcia is an American mixed martial artist.-Mixed martial arts:On May 10, 2008 Edgar defeated Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Sean Loeffler in the first round.At WEC 38: Varner vs...
- Welterweight bout:
- Garcia defeated Miura via KO (punches) at 1:18 of round 1.
- Lightweight bout: Benson HendersonBen Henderson (fighter)Benson Henderson is an American mixed martial artist. He currently fights as a lightweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Henderson, a former WEC Lightweight Champion, is known for his aggressive style and his ability to escape from deep submission attempts...
vs.
Anthony NjokuaniAnthony NjokuaniAnthony Obinnia Njokuani is a Nigerian mixed martial artist who currently fights as a lightweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Early life:...
- Lightweight bout:
- Henderson defeated Njokuani via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:42 of round 2.
Main card
- Featherweight bout:
José AldoJose AldoJosé Aldo is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who competes as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is the first and current UFC Featherweight Champion...
vs. Rolando Perez
- Aldo defeated Perez via TKO (strikes) at 4:15 of round 1. Aldo then leaped out of the cage, ran into the stands and began celebrating with the San Diego crowd. He has since been warned against this.
- Welterweight bout: Danillo VillefortDanillo VillefortDanillo Villefort is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He is the son of Francisco Silva. Villefort has fought for the UFC, WEC and the IFL...
vs. Mike CampbellMike Campbell (fighter)Michael "The Beast" Campbell is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is most known for his success at New England local shows such as WCF as well as appearing on an episode of the Tapout Show....
- Welterweight bout:
- Villefort defeated Campbell via TKO (punches) at 3:53 of round 1.
- Featherweight bout: Urijah FaberUrijah FaberUrijah Christopher Faber is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. Faber won the WEC featherweight championship at WEC 19 on March 17, 2006 and held the title for over two years until his loss to Mike Brown at WEC...
vs. Jens PulverJens PulverJens 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...
- Featherweight bout:
- Faber defeated Pulver via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:34 of round 1.
- Lightweight Championship bout: Jamie VarnerJamie VarnerJames Christopher Varner is a mixed martial artist who fought for World Extreme Cagefighting. He is a former WEC Lightweight champion.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
(c) vs. 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...
- Lightweight Championship bout:
- Varner defeated Cerrone by technical split decision (49–46, 47–48, 49–46) to retain the WEC Lightweight title. Cerrone landed an illegal knee to the head of Varner while he was on the ground. Since Varner was unable to continue, the bout went to the scorecards.
Bonus Awards
Fighters were awarded $7,500 bonuses.- Fight of the Night: Jamie Varner vs. Donald Cerrone
- Submission of the Night: Urijah Faber
- Knockout of the Night: José Aldo
Reported Payouts
The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the California State Athletic CommissionCalifornia State Athletic Commission
The California State Athletic Commission regulates professional boxing, professional and amateur kickboxing and professional mixed martial arts throughout the State by licensing all participants and supervising the events....
. It does not include sponsor money or "locker room" bonuses often given by the WEC and also do not include the WEC's traditional "fight night" bonuses.
- Jamie Varner: $34,000 (includes $17,000 win bonus) def. Donald Cerrone: $9,000
- Urijah Faber: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus) def. Jens Pulver: $35,000
- Danillo Villefort: $8,000 (includes $4,000 win bonus) def. Mike Campbell: $3,000
- José Aldo: $10,000 (incudes $5,000 win bonus) def. Rolando Perez: $3,000
- Benson Henderson: $5,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus) def. Anthony Njokuani: $2,000
- Edgar Garcia: $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus) def. Hiromitsu Miura: $6,000
- Dominick Cruz: $8,000 (includes $4,000 win bonus) def. Ian McCall: $3,000
- Scott Jorgensen: $8,000 ($includes $4,000 win bonus) def. Frank Gomez: $2,000
- Jesse Lennox: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus) def. Blas Avena: $7,000
- Charlie Valencia: $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Seth Dikun: $2,000