By John Shubert, Inside Fights
The main event of WEC 47 features Brian Bowles defending his bantamweight title for the first time against Dominick Cruz on Saturday in Columbus. This card also features WEC poster boys Miguel Torres and Jens Pulver, who are each looking for a shot at redemption.
Let's break down the main card.
Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz
Bowles is 8-0 with all eight wins by stoppage. He is a wrestler with heavy hands and solid boxing. He has beaten some of the best in his division routed pound-for pound great Torres to win a title.
Cruz is 14-1 with eight wins by stoppage and he's a wrestler with good boxing. He was thrown into the fire in the WEC, fighting for the featherweight title in his first bout, losing badly to Urijah Faber. However, since then he has been on a tear and has looked solid if unspectacular.
Truthfully, this is a very tough fight to call given how similar these fighters are. Bowles has the advantage on the ground and more power which will set him apart in this fight.
Miguel Torres vs. Joseph Benavidez
Torres is 37-2 with 31 wins by stoppage. He is a jiujitsu fighter who loves to strike with a strong Muay Thai game. He has fought some of the best in the world since migrating to the WEC and has recently started training with the renowned Team Sityodtong.
Benavidez is 11-1 with nine wins by stoppage. He is a grappler with some striking and he has fought some tough opponents since moving to the WEC. He does not have the experience Torres does but he does he train with Faber.
This is a must-win for both fighters. Torres is looking to bounce back from an embarrassing KO to Bowles and Benavidez aims to start a winning streak after bouncing back from his tough decision loss to Cruz.
Torres is far and away the more well-rounded fighter. His striking is light years ahead of Benavidez. However, he should be worried about Benavidez’s wrestling even though Torres’ jiujitsu is better.
Jens Pulver vs. Javier Vazquez
Pulver is 22-12-1 with 16 wins by stoppage. He is a striker with wrestling and has fought the best in the world at two weight classes.
Vazquez is 13-4 with nine wins by stoppage. He is a grappler and has fought some name opponents, but no one outstanding.
This is your classic grappler against striker matchup. The question in this fight is whether Vazquez can get the fight to the mat. Both fighters need this win badly since Pulver has lost four in a row and Vazquez has lost two.
Honestly, Pulver has looked washed up in his last few fights and I’m not sure he has what it takes anymore.
Deividas Taurosevicius vs. L.C. Davis
Taurosevicius is 12-3 with eight wins by submission. He is a jiujitsu fighter with wins over some notable talent.
Davis is 15-2 with 11 wins by stoppage. He is a wrestler with some striking and has also fought some tough very tough opposition.
Both fighters are looking to take that next step in the WEC and a win here would be big. I think Davis has the advantage with his wrestling background and should have the ability to keep the fight off the mat.
Bart Palaszewski vs. Karen Darabedyan
Palaszewski is 31-13 with 23 wins by stoppage. He is a striker with some grappling. He has a ton of experience and has fought some very tough guys, but has had a very up and down ride in the WEC.
Darabedyan is 9-1 with four wins by stoppage. He is mostly a striker but does have a grappling background as well. He does not have the same experience as Palaszewski but is coming off a huge win in his WEC debut against former champ Rob McCullough.
This should turn into a very interesting stand up fight.
