Eying a crack at World Extreme Cagefighting’s top prize, fast-rising featherweight contender
Jose Aldo will lock horns with
Cub Swanson at WEC 41 “Brown vs. Faber 2” on June 7 at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif. The promotion announced the pivotal 145-pound showdown on Monday, along with several others.
Based out of the Nova Uniao camp, Aldo (14-1) burst on the scene with his second-round technical knockout against
Alexandre Franca Nogueira in June. The 22-year-old Brazilian has won seven consecutive bouts and last appeared at WEC 39 in March, when he stopped
Chris Mickle on strikes just 1:39 into their match. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and former world champion who has become feared for his potent stand-up game, Aldo could find himself in line for a featherweight title shot with another convincing victory.
The 25-year-old Swanson (13-2) has rebounded nicely from his 35-second submission loss to former UFC lightweight champion
Jens Pulver in 2007. A winner in two straight, he has not competed since December, when he earned a unanimous decision against
Hiroyuki Takaya at WEC 37. The well-rounded Californian has delivered 10 of his 13 wins by knockout, TKO or submission and holds victories against
Charlie Valencia, UFC veteran
Shannon Gugerty and American Top Team’s
Micah Miller.
Meanwhile, “The Ultimate Fighter 5” finalist
Manny Gamburyan will make his promotional debut at WEC 41 against the unbeaten
John Franchi.
A Judo black belt who started competing in MMA at age 17, Gamburyan (8-4) has lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career. The Armenian-born featherweight last fought at UFC 94 in January, when he dropped a unanimous decision to
Thiago Tavares. Victories against
Sam Morgan,
Nate Mohr and reigning Sengoku middleweight champion
Jorge Santiago highlight his resume. Gamburyan knocked out Santiago in 21 seconds at a King of the Cage event in 2003.
Franchi (5-0), an International Fight League and World Championship Fighting veteran, won his WEC debut in March, when he squeaked by
Mike Budnik by split decision. The 26-year-old New York native has roots in collegiate wrestling and has finished three of his first five opponents inside one round.
In another featured bout, former lightweight title challenger
Donald Cerrone will collide with unbeaten but unproven WEC newcomer
James Krause.
On the rebound for the first time as a professional, Cerrone (9-1, 1 NC) fell short in his bid for the lightweight crown in a decision loss to
Jamie Varner three months ago. The 26-year-old former bull rider and Greg Jackson protégé holds victories against former champion “Razor”
Rob McCullough, WEC prospect
Anthony Njokuani and UFC veteran
Ryan Roberts. Eight of his nine career wins have come by submission.
Krause (10-0) has finished all 10 of his foes, nine of them in the first round. He last appeared at a Close Quarters Combat show in March, when he knocked out
Matt Williamson with a head kick; the match lasted just 75 seconds. Seven of Krause’s 10 opponents own losing records.
A rematch between featherweight champion
Mike Thomas Brown and former titleholder
Urijah Faber will headline WEC 41, which will air live on the Versus network. Brown upset Faber by first-round TKO in their first meeting at WEC 36 in November.
Mike Thomas Brown vs.
Urijah Faber
Jose Aldo vs.
Cub Swanson
Donald Cerrone vs.
James Krause
Jens Pulver vs.
Josh Grispi
Manny Gamburyan vs.
John Franchi
Mike Campbell vs.
Anthony Pettis
Scott Jorgensen vs.
Antonio Banuelos
Eddie Wineland vs.
Frank Gomez
Rolando Perez vs.
Seth Dikun
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