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Radio: Cruz, Bowles, Jackson
By: TJ De Santis
Live radio returned to The Sherdog Radio Network Wednesday with new episodes of "The Savage Dog Show" and "Beatdown" radio shows. Guests today on The SRN included trainer Greg Jackson and UFC bantamweights Brian Bowles and champion Dominick Cruz.
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On "Beatdown" I welcomed my new co-host Jon Luther to the program. We recapped UFC 132 from the holiday weekend. Including the performances by Titor Ortiz, Chris Leben, and Wanderlei Silva. We were also joined by 132 headliner Dominick Cruz. The bantamweight ace chatted about his title defense against Urijah Faber.
"The SDS" welcomed trainer Greg Jackson and bantamweight Brian Bowles to the shows. Greg Savage and Jeff Sherwood tackled a variety of subjects with the two men. Bowles chatted about his UFC 132 perfomance, moving up in the bantamweight division, and where he feels he fits in to the title picture. Greg Jackson spoke about his students Melvin Guillard, Nate Marquardt, and Carlos Condit. Jackson touches on a possible matchup between Condit and Team Jackson fighter Georges St-Pierre.
Check out the show and our archives by clicking here. -
Matches to Make after WEC 52
By: Jason Probst
Chad Mendes file photo: Jeff Sherwood/Sherdog.com
With its second-to-last show now behind us, the WEC approaches its merger with UFC in good stead. Bringing two new weight classes and champs with it at 145 and 135 pounds, WEC 52 showed that the little guys are exciting.
It was also a smashing success for Team Alpha Male, as members Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes and Joseph Benavidez each scored impressive wins against tough competition. So, as we move toward mergerville, let’s take a look at five prospective matchups that make sense after tonight’s action.
Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz
This one comes with a caveat -- Cruz must successfully defend his belt against Scott Jorgenson Dec. 16 at the final WEC show. If he’s able to, it sets up the perfect kind of debut bantamweight title bout to take place on the big stage of the UFC: a grudge rematch.
With a new champion in Cruz, who’s shown constant improvement, against the guy that beat him in Faber, who’s dropping down into the weight class, that’s an easily marketable fight. Cruz didn’t necessarily do too badly in his first bout with Faber, and it was more a case of inexperience running into a veteran fighter (with a vicious choke, to boot). He’ll be itching to get some payback and Faber will be champing at the bit to take a belt. A blind man could sell this one.
If Jorgenson beats Cruz, that presents an interesting question -- do you give Cruz an immediate rematch or put him in against Faber? Faber is the bigger name and a great first-time showcase attraction as the UFC debuts the 135-pound division. Read more -
WEC 47: Bowles vs. Cruz Preview
Video courtesy of WEC.tv. Read more -
Bowles: Time for Respect
By: Mike Sloan
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Primer: WEC 42
By: Jake Rossen
As far as the WEC is concerned, the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter isn’t aligned with Strikeforce and isn’t the product of a Cold War laboratory: he’s Miguel Torres, and he fights Sunday against a man who could be his very violent equal.
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The 135 lb. Torres has gone largely unchallenged since taking the WEC’s bantamweight belt in February of 2008. He’s defended it three times, has lost only once in his career, and has used much of his athletic prime learning trade skills instead of proper benching form.
Opponent Brian Bowles has only been fighting for three years to Torres’ nine; he holds a perfect finishing record (7-0), is equally self-assured, and does not appear to be at all intimidated by Torres’ relative celebrity or reputation. There are no real guarantees in prizefighting, but the only way this fight would be anticlimactic is if someone forgets to wear a cup. -
5 Questions for a Big Event Weekend: UFC 101 and WEC 42
By: Jake Rossen
If you don’t get answers to these questions by 1 a.m. on Monday morning, call and ask for a refund from your cable company. I’m sure they’ll understand.
Anderson Silva can deal with Forrest Griffin’s striking. But can he deal with his size?
Stranger things and all that, but it is unlikely the muscular striking style of Forrest Griffin will prove to be much of an issue for Anderson Silva, who practices muay Thai like it’s his religion. If this becomes a kickboxing match, Griffin will find himself having lots of time to learn what brand and wattage of bulb the house lights use.
But if he can bully Silva into the fence and force the middleweight champion into wasting energy in scrambles, carrying Griffin’s weight, he may find himself on the proper end of a decision Read more -
WEC 42 Call Notes: Heat Builds for Torres-Bowles
By: Brian Knapp
Seven fights into his professional career, Brian Bowles believes himself ready for the myriad of challenges one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters will throw his way.
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The unbeaten Bowles will tackle World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion Miguel Torres in the main event at WEC 42 on Aug. 9 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The 29-year-old Georgian admits his resume does not carry the normal experience of a major title challenger.
“Ideally, you’d like to have more fights,” Bowles said during a teleconference on Tuesday. “I took some fights against some tough guys and won those and won them handily.”
