Despite a two-month postponement compliments of Hurricane Ike, Donald Cerrone cleared his path to a title bid against lightweight champion Jamie Varner with a commanding unanimous decision over “Razor” Rob McCullough at WEC 36 inside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
Cerrone (9-0) wasn’t done, however. “The Cowboy” floored McCullough (16-5) a third time in the second frame’s opening seconds, this time taking the Team Punishment fighter’s back before McCullough managed to sweep Cerrone again and take back top control. Wresting free from a near armbar finish, McCullough summoned the bout back upstairs for a feverish round-ending exchange.
Ahead on the cards charging into the final round, the undefeated Cerrone took McCullough down and passed his guard before the Huntington Beach, Calif. native regained his footing. Amidst a flurry of strikes between the two -- which included a flying knee from Cerrone -- the round was cinched for the rising star with a final takedown.
The 25-year-old Cerrone, who was taken the distance for the first time against McCullough, will likely face Varner at WEC 38, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 25 in San Diego, Calif.
Featherweight Jose Aldo outgunned Jonathan Brookins on the feet en route to a TKO stoppage from strikes at 0:45 into the third round.
Aldo (12-1) proved too much for the WEC debutante, punishing the 23-year-old Brookins (8-3) with left-right combinations and low kicks throughout.
Aldo dropped the lanky 6-foot Brookins at the top of the third set with a left hook and a right straight, which persuaded referee Troy Waugh to step in and halt any further damage.
Former Arizona State University wrestling prospect Aaron Simpson needed only 14 seconds to stop the previously undefeated David Avellan (2-1) with a flush overhand right for the quick knockout in their middleweight tilt. Simpson, a two-time NCAA All American who posted an impressive 142-1 record in high school, never made it to the ground with the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, who hadn’t fought in 21 months. Simpson was nothing short of impressive in his fourth professional victory.
Last-minute addition Carmelo Marrero wielded his wrestling prowess to push ahead on the cards early and earn a split decision over a game Steve Steinbeiss in their light heavyweight meeting.
Promotional newcomer Steinbeiss (4-2) came out strong with jabs and body kicks, but three-time UFC veteran Marrero (11-2, 1 NC) took it to the canvas at will on multiple occasions. From his back, a feisty Steinbeiss lined up two triangle choke attempts, but Marrero wiggled free each time and moved back to top position.
The wrestler continued his takedown streak into the second round, passing from half guard to mount before the Arizona Combat Sports rep was able to rein him back into guard again. On his feet, Steinbeiss worked his jab and again forced the takedown from Marrero, who ended the round on his back after slipping from a lazy push kick.
Steinbeiss was the fresher man of the two heading into the third round and used it to his advantage. Finding his range, he stunned Marrero with a punch and the wrestler flopped to his back. Behind on the scorecards, Steinbeiss backed out and beckoned Marrero to his feet. The exhausted wrestler rallied in the final moments with another takedown and again secured mount searching for the guillotine. Steinbeiss regained guard and struggled to his feet at the bell.
Marrero, who replaced an injured Alex Schoenauer (Pictures), earned 29-28 tallies on two of the judges’ cards, while a third awarded Steinbeiss a 29-28 score.
"I need to thank all my family at ATT. I took this fight on 5 days notice," said Marrero, who has posted victories in four of his last five rows since falling to Wilson Gouviea at UFC 71. “I was throwing for the clouds. I needed this win.”
In earlier action, Danny Castillo stopped Rafael Dias with a technical knockout from strikes 2:54 into the second round.
Castillo (6-1) scored a knockdown on the American Top Team lightweight in the first five-minute frame, though Dias (11-5-1) was the more technical of the pair on the feet in the early going and pushed the pace with intermittent takedown attempts.
Dias took Castillo down at the top of the second frame, but two-time NAIA All American wrestler hunted a guillotine from bottom, then moved to an armbar attempt before Dias briefly gained back mount out of a scramble. Back on their feet, Dias missed a shot and was forced to his back, where Castillo cinched his first WEC victory in two appearances with an onslaught of strikes from top position.
"I was extremely confident. I had two training camps because of the hurricane," said Castillo. "I was supposed to fight Ed Ratcliff. I worked a lot of standup for this fight. And four days before, I find out I am fighting a ground fighter. It’s bittersweet."
In the night’s opener, Rani Yahya weathered an impossible guillotine choke at the hands of Yoshiro Maeda to turn the tables on the Japanese fighter with the same hold for the tapout at 3:30 into the first round.
Maeda (23-6-2) looked to pick things up where he left off in his return engagement to the WEC cage after battling it out with bantamweight king Miguel Torres last June in one of the early “fight of the year” candidates for 2008. The former Pancrase featherweight champ would have succeeded too if not for his Brazilian opponent’s resilience, after getting caught in the choke as Maeda jumped guard in the opening seconds. Lingering in the hold for 30 seconds, Yahya (12-4) managed to free his head and the pair separated and re-clinched on the cage. From there, the 2007 Abu Dhabi submission grappling champion ensnared Maeda’s head and finished the hold once he hit the ground, posting his second victory for the promotion in three fights.