World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion
Mike Thomas Brown tipped the scales at a fit and ready 144.25 pounds for his first title defense against
Leonard Garcia (145) at WEC 39 “Brown vs. Garcia” this Sunday at the America Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The 20 other fighters on the card -- including former lightweight champion “Razor”
Rob McCullough (156) and his opponent,
Marcus Hicks (155.5) -- also made weight without incident at Saturday’s official weigh-in.
Brown (20-4), a 33-year-old veteran based out of American Top Team, will carry an eight-fight winning streak into his showdown with Garcia. None were more significant than his technical knockout victory against WEC golden boy
Urijah Faber in November. In 24 career bouts, Brown has never been knocked out.
Rooted at the revered Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts camp in Albuquerque, N.M., Garcia (12-3) has been nothing shy of a wrecking ball since he returned to the WEC in 2008. Back-to-back wins, capped by a 72-second shellacking of former UFC lightweight champion
Jens Pulver, sealed a shot at the title. The 29-year-old Lubbock, Texas, native has yet to be finished as a professional and has posted 11 wins in his last 13 fights.
Meanwhile, fast-rising featherweight contender
Jose Aldo checked in at 145.5 pounds for his showdown with journeyman
Chris Mickle (145).
Spawned by the stellar Nova Uniao camp, Aldo (13-1) has smashed through all three of his WEC opponents, including Shooto veteran
Alexandre Franca Nogueira. Just 22, he has emerged as one of the sport’s bright young stars. Aldo last fought in January when he knocked out
Rolando Perez with a first-round knee and follow-up punches. It was his sixth victory in a row.
Mickle (26-11-1) will enter his WEC debut as a long shot. A submission fighter from Des Moines, Iowa, he has delivered consecutive wins -- one by knockout, the other by submission -- since a first-round knockout loss to
Zac George in an International Fighting Organization show in 2007. All but four of his 26 career victories have come by submission.
Mike Thomas Brown (144.25) vs.
Leonard Garcia (145)
Ricardo Lamas (154.5) vs.
Bart Palaszewski (155.5)
Chris Mickle (145) vs.
Jose Aldo (145.5)
Rob McCullough (156) vs.
Marcus Hicks (155.5)
Phil Cardella (155.5) vs.
Danny Castillo (156)
Damacio Page (136) vs.
Marcos Galvao (136)
Alex Serdyukov (171) vs.
Johny Hendricks (171)
Rafael Rebello (135.25) vs.
Kenji Osawa (135.25)
Greg McIntyre (155) vs.
Alex Karalexis (156)
John Franchi (145) vs.
Mike Budnik (145.25)
Mike Pierce (170) vs.
Justin Haskins (170.25)
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