WEC 47 Lineup Finalized

Former World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight title challenger Leonard Garcia will tackle the once-beaten Diego Nunes at WEC 47 “Bowles vs. Cruz” on March 6 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. WEC officials on Tuesday finalized the 11-bout lineup.

Anchored at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., Garcia has been finished only once -- by former WEC featherweight king Mike Thomas Brown -- in 18 professional bouts. The 30-year-old Texan, once considered one of the world’s top 145-pound fighters, has lost two of his past three fights, including a unanimous decision to “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 runner-up Manny Gamburyan at WEC 44 in November. A former Ring of Fire titleholder, Garcia holds wins against former UFC lightweight king Jens Pulver and 2009 Dream featherweight grand prix finalist Hiroyuki Takaya.

Nunes tasted defeat for the first time at WEC 44, as he dropped a unanimous decision to Affliction veteran L.C. Davis. The 27-year-old trains alongside UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and the Nogueira brothers at Black House MMA. Eleven of Nunes’ 13 career wins have come by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

In another preliminary featherweight matchup, four-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Fredson Paixao will clash with Courtney Buck.

Paixao dropped a split decision to Cole Province at WEC 42 in August, but the outcome was later overturned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after Province tested positive for a banned steroid. Wins against the world-ranked Rani Yahya, former Cage Rage champion Masakazu Imanari and EliteXC veteran Thomas Denny dot the 30-year-old Brazilian’s resume.

Spawned by Minnesota Top Team, Buck replaces the injured Bryan Caraway. The 27-year-old saw his six-fight winning streak grind to halt at WEC 45 in December, when he succumbed to first-round strikes from the unbeaten Brandon Visher.

A bantamweight title fight pairing champion Brian Bowles with the once-beaten Dominick Cruz will headline the WEC 47 lineup, along with a key 135-pound bout pitting former titleholder Miguel Torres against Joseph Benavidez.