Only time separates
Donald Cerrone from
Benson Henderson and their showdown for the interim World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight championship.
Cerrone tipped the scales at 154.5 pounds for his scheduled five-round bout with Henderson (155) at
WEC 43 on Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. The 18 other mixed martial artists scheduled to compete also made weight without incident at Friday’s official weigh-in.
A product of Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., Cerrone has posted three wins in four fights, a technical decision loss to current WEC lightweight champion
Jamie Varner the lone blemish. The versatile 26-year-old has delivered nine of his 10 career victories by submission and holds notable wins against former WEC titleholder “Razor”
Rob McCullough and UFC veterans
Ryan Roberts and
Nate Mohr.
Henderson, meanwhile, has enjoyed a rapid rise through the WEC ranks. Based out of The Lab in Glendale, Ariz., he will carry an eight-fight winning streak into his bout with Cerrone. Like his opponent, he cut his teeth on the Ring of Fire circuit. Victories against one-time Palace Fighting Championship titleholder
Diego Saraiva and three-time collegiate All-American
Shane Roller highlight his resume.
Donald Cerrone (154.5) vs.
Benson Henderson (155)
Rich Crunkilton (156) vs.
Dave Jansen (156)
Damacio Page (136) vs.
Will Campuzano (135)
Raphael Assuncao (146) vs.
Yves Jabouin (146)
Anthony Njokuani (156) vs.
Muhsin Corbbrey (156)
Noah Thomas (136) vs.
Scott Jorgensen (136)
Wagnney Fabiano (145.5) vs.
Mackens Semerzier (146) *
Eddie Wineland (135.5) vs.
Manny Tapia (135.5)
Charlie Valencia (134.5) vs.
Coty Wheeler (135)
Deividas Taurosevicius (144.5) vs.
Javier Vazquez (145)
* Semerzier made weight on his second attempt.