One out of three ain't bad
Condit defends belt; McCullough, Beebe lose theirs at WEC 32

Cageside report by Brady Crytzer & Chris Cozzone
Photography by Chris Cozzone

With one out of three champions able to retain their belts, and a half-capacity crowd, to some, WEC 32 could be written off as a disappointing card.

But don’t tell that to the estimated 3,300 MMA fans who showed up last night at the Santa Ana Star Events Center in Rio Rancho, N.M., for the Versus-televised card that featured four victorious local fighters and ten high-action scraps.

Fighting in front of his hometown for the first time in three-and-a-half years, Carlos “Natural Born Killer” Condit not only defended his WEC welterweight belt, but exacted payback upon the first man to professional defeat him.

It was the main event of a three-title show, and when the smoke cleared, at 3:48 of the first round, Condit had his arms raised in victory after forcing Carlo “Neo” Prater, of Houston, who defeated Condit in 2004, to tap out.

Condit rushed Prater with hard kicks and a knee to the midsection after the bell rang. After landing the knee, Condit was quickly snatched out of the air and slammed to the canvas, where Prater then began to land hard punches from the top position—only to be caught in a tight guillotine choke.

Showing world class defense, Prater remained calm and escaped the hold. Condit gave Prater little rest, however, and he immediately transitioned for a triangle choke. Unable to secure the hold, Condit reassumed the guillotine position and forced the tap in front of his hometown crowd.

“I just can’t explain how good it feels to win in front of my hometown,” said Condit, now 22-4.

“But the win wasn’t so much about avenging a loss. It was about defending my title and fighting in front of my hometown. The hometown support was amazing.”

Condit said he felt in control the entire time.

“I wasn’t worried when he took me down. I took my time and knew it would be a matter of time before I worked my game. When I hurt him gurgle, then I knew I had him hurt.”

Now 1-1 against Condit, Prater, making his WEC debut, falls to 21-6.

Varner dethrones, demolishes McCullough for lightweight belt

Not only did Jamie “The Worm” Varner dethrone “Razor” Rob McCullough, for the WEC lightweight championship, but, after dominating the champion for much of the two-and-a-half rounds, he demolished him for a TKO win at 2:54 of round three.

Varner spent much of the first round trying—and, many times, succeeding, in taking down the champion. On the mat, however, he was unable to control McCullough, who showed textbook defense. Most of the round, and fight, was a series of stand-up exchanges, with Varner finding surprising success with right hand counterpunching. As the round came to a close, Varner scored with a left hook-right straight combination that rattled the champion.

The second round was a tactical striking battle. Varner continued to land the right hand and appeared the more energized fighter. McCullough, a highly decorated kickboxer, was, time and again, beaten to the punch. The fighters traded jabs for the latter half of the round.

In the third, Varner continued to outbox McCullough, taking time out to taunt him after landing a hard left hook. But shortly into the round, McCullough blasted Varner with his biggest punch, staggering him while sending the mouthpiece across the cage. To escape trouble, Varner clinched while Referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the bout to reinsert Varner’s mouthpiece.

When the action resumed, Varner took back the fight by dropping McCullough with a straight right hand. McCullough rose to his feet only to be met with another flurry that put him on his back. When Varner rushed in to finish the fallen champion, the bout was stopped at 2:54.

“I’ve been boxing my whole life,” said the new champion, now 14.2.

“Everyone thinks I’m a wrestler so I put my wrestling on the backburner for this fight and really worked hard on my striking.”

McCullough, 15-4, was taken to the emergency room following the fight for a precautionary CAT scan.

Torres takes out champ Beebe in one

In the opening title fight of the night, UFC Bantamweight Champion Chase Beebe handed over his belt to upsetter Miguel Torres, after he was forced to tap out due to a tight front choke hold at 3:59 of the first round.

Torres connected with hard, fast kicks early. After missing a shot, Beebe took his opponent to the mat where he defended a guillotine and armbar nicely. Torres used a swift upkick to create some space to regain his footing. The challenger pulled guard in an attempt to secure a choke but found himself underneath the world bantamweight champion.

From his back, Torres showed himself to be a submission wizard by placing Beebe in a shoulder lock that transitioned to an omoplata. From a more dominate position, Torres squeezed in a tight anaconda choke. With nowhere left to go Beebe conceded defeat, and his championship.

The new champ rises to 22-1 while Torres falls to 11-2.

UNDERCARD

Tapia edges Banuelos for split win

In a bantamweight fight that saw the most action on the card, Manny Tapia (10-0-1) won a split decision over Antonio Banuelos (15-5).

In the first round, both fighters exchanged blows, though Tapia appeared the stronger, larger fighter. While Banuelos rushed in with combinations, Tapia scored with a counter right uppercut that staggered his opponent. After pushing his man to the fence, a knee from Tapia put Banuelos on the canvas. From the top position,  Tapia went for an armlock that was countered by Banuelos.

The second round saw the exchange continue with Tapia, once again, landing the more significant blows. After taking his opponent’s back, Tapia allowed Banuelos to stand up but was hit by a spinning back elbow. After another exchange, Banuelos took his opponent to the mat.

In the final round, Banuelos took control of the fight, muscling Tapia to the mat where he took his back. After a bit of a stalemate, the fighters rose to their feet where Banuelos started to finally land the crisper punches. The round came to a close with the fighters clinched and wrestling for position.

Scorecards read 30-27 and 29-28 in favor of Tapia. A third judge scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Banuelos.

Originally the verdict was announced as a draw, with a 29-28 score for Tapia mistakenly tallied 28-28.

Garcia scores impressive knockout in WEC debut

In his WEC debut, featherweight West Texan Leonard Garcia (15-3), who trains in Albuquerque at Jackson’s, scored the most impressive knockout of the night, stopping Japan’s Hiroyuki Takaya (9-5-1) at 1:31 of the first round.

Shortly before the stoppage, Garcia dropped Takaya with a right hand, then rushed in for the kill, slamming his stunned and fallen foe with right hands until the fight was stopped.

“Who wants some of this?” Garcia shouted to all 145-pound challengers.

“He said he was gonna knock me out, but I don’t think so, baby. I was out to make a statement. Now, I want a shot at the belt.”

Grispi chokes out Hominick

In an exciting bantamweight bout, Josh Grispi (11-1) made his mark on the division by choking former UFC fighter Mark Hominick (15-8) unconscious with a rear naked choke at 2:55 of the first round.

Hominick, known for his strikes, could not find his range against the closing Grispi.

After defending a takedown, Hominick allowed his opponent to climb atop his back and lock in a choke.

The Canadian collapsed to the mat in an unconscious heap, giving Grispi the victory.

“Ox” Wheeler wows crowd, submits Hawkins

The most animated fighter of the evening was full-blooded Native American Coty “Ox” Wheeler (7-1), of Albuquerque’s FIT/NHB gym, who submitted Phoenix veteran Del Hawkins (22-13) with an armbar at 1:57 of round two.

Wheeler tried to close the distance in the round one, and was hit with a number of punches. After taking his opponent down, Wheeler attempted a kneebar but was forced into a defensive stalemate. After Hawkins stopped the hold, he remained in the top position until the close of the round.

In the second, Hawkins launched a wild, spinning backfist. Showing good timing, Wheeler grasped his opponent into a body lock and slammed him to the mat. After Hawkins rose to his feet Wheeler snapped his opponent in a tight armbar, ending the fight at 1:57.

After his war dance and shooting an imaginary arrow at his fallen foe, Wheeler told commentator Frank Mir, “Fighting is like fry bread—I can’t get enough of it.”

Page Decisions Jorgensen

Albuquerque bantamweight Damacio Page (10-3), of Jackson’s, taking the fight on three days notice, scored a three-round unanimous decision in his WEC debut, over Sweden’s Scott Jorgensen (4-2).

Page outboxed Jorgenson in the first, landing cleaner, harder punches from the outside, until the Swede took Page down. On the mat, the two scrambled, making it a close round.

In the second, with Jorgenson searching for a takedown, Page, again, outlanded him with strikes. After trying for a rear naked choke, Page was slammed to the canvas where they scrambled until the close of the round.

Page came on strong in the third, securing the fight by achieving top position on the canvas, where he dished out more punishment than any received.

At the end of three, scorecards read 30-27 and 29-28 twice.

“Not bad for a few days notice,” Page said in the cage after declared the winner. “He’s a tough fighter.”

Maeda stops Valencia

In a bantamweight showstopper, Yoshiro Maeda (23-4-2)  made instant waves by knocking out tough veteran Charlie Valencia (9-4) with a hard kick to the liver in round one. 

While Maeda appeared a bit hesitant, the experienced Valencia peppered his opponent with a myriad of strikes. At the halfway point of the round, Maeda turned the tables after connecting with a thunderous kick to the ribs. In great pain, Valencia crumpled to the mat and the contest was waved off at 2:29.

Miller KO’s Farrar

In the first bout of the evening, featherweight Micah Miller (10-1) started things off by knocking out opponent Chance Farrar (5-2) with a right cross at 1:19 of the first round.

The fighters exchanged kicks to the legs and body early on. But after Farrar lowered for a takedown, Miller scored with a right cross that dropped him instantly. Miller followed up with two more punches before the fight was waved off at 1:19.