2010 has produced its share of intriguing rematches in MMA, including Mauricio Rua vs. Lyoto Machida, Cung Le vs. Scott Smith and later B.J. Penn vs. Frankie Edgar.
Falling under the radar, however, is the first title defense of WEC bantamweight king Dominick Cruz as he once again locks horns with Joseph Benavidez this Wednesday night at WEC 50 in Las Vegas. Despite lacking the same significant hype as other big rematches this year, these two 135-pound warriors are guaranteed to produce fireworks.
Here's a breakdown of the WEC 50 main card:
Dominick Cruz (15-1) vs. Joseph Benavidez (12-1)
These two youngsters have been delivering sensational performances in recent WEC appearances, which makes their five-round title fight particularly compelling.
Cruz, 24, is coming off a second-round stoppage of Brian Bowles at WEC 47 this past March, in which he captured the WEC 135-pound championship.
To earn that title shot, Cruz defeated Benavidez in the "Fight of the Night" at WEC 42 last August, turning in a dominant performance to earn a three-round unanimous decision.
In his lone loss, Cruz was submitted by then-WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber in March 2007. Since dropping to 135 pounds, a more fitting weight, the Alliance MMA product has amassed six straight wins.
Benavidez, 26, submitted former beltholder Miguel Torres and stopped former title challenger Rani Yahya in the first round to position himself as a top contender for the gold.
A well-rounded Team Alpha Male member under Faber, Benavidez has shown improvements every time he comes to fight. However, he will always suffer from an uncontrollable weakness -- a significantly smaller frame than most bantamweights.
In their first meeting at WEC 45, Cruz utilized his reach advantage to outstrike Benavidez, while landing several significant takedowns to cement the rounds. In the third stanza, Cruz was on the verge of stopping Benavidez before the round ended. This time, however, both men will have five rounds to finish the fight.
Although Benavidez has been on a tear since their WEC 42 fight over a year ago, Cruz has proven to be a more dangerous fighter. With an ability to mix accurate striking and effective wrestling, Cruz is a handful for anyone at 135 pounds.
Anthony Pettis (11-1) vs. Shane Roller (8-2)
The winner of this lightweight eliminator has the unenviable task of challenging WEC 155-pound champion Benson Henderson.
The 23-year-old Pettis, a pupil of kickboxing legend Duke Roufus, has a bright future ahead of him. The versatile Milwaukee native has proven himself equally capable of finishing foes by either knockout or submission.
Eight years Pettis' elder, Roller is one of the WEC's most impressive wrestlers. A three-time NCAA All-American at Oklahoma State University, Pettis transitioned to MMA in September 2007.
After losing his pro debut against Jake Pruitt, Roller has gone 8-1 with his only other setback being a first-round loss to Henderson.
While Pettis possesses a superior standup game, he will not have an opportunity to exhibit that skill set off his back as Roller will take him down at will and punish him from top position over three grueling rounds.
Chad Mendes (7-0) vs. Cub Swanson (14-3)
Mendes looks to make Swanson his eighth consecutive victim when they meet in featherweight action.
A former All-American wrestler, Mendes trains with Faber's Team Alpha Male. Since making his WEC debut this past March, the 25-year-old has won successive fights against Erik Koch and Anthony Morrison.
The 26-year-old Swanson will have a significant edge in experience as he has more than double as many fights under his belt than Mendes.
Swanson's losses have come against former UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver and current pound-for-pound wrecking machine Jose Aldo.
A member of Greg Jackson's team in New Mexico, the well-rounded Swanson will surely be well prepared to deal with Mendes' relentless offensive output. Thus far in Mendes' career, no one has had an answer for his aggressive wrestling, but Swanson should be able to test the rookie by taking him into deep water and forcing him to stand and trade.
Scott Jorgensen (10-3) vs. Brad Pickett (19-4)
In what is being billed as a possible bantamweight title eliminator, Jorgensen is eyeing his fifth straight WEC victory.
The 27-year-old Idaho native has rapidly earned a reputation for putting on some of the promotion's most entertaining wars. Fresh off victories over the likes of Noah Thomas, Takeya Mizugaki and Antonio Banuelos, Jorgensen is grinding out opponents with a furious style comparable to the UFC's Clay Guida.
The former NCAA wrestler is now mixing strikes into his evolving game, although he will need to revert to the basics against Pickett by pursuing takedown after takedown, while remaining weary of Pickett's underrated submissions.
A former Cage Rage featherweight champion, Pickett is 2-0 since dropping to bantamweight and joining the WEC stable. Pickett is building the confidence to challenge for the title as he targets his 10th straight victory.
While Pickett has proven to possess a viable BJJ game, British fighters have historically struggled against dominant wrestlers. WEC 50 should be no exception as Jorgensen gets in Pickett's face and outworks him to take home a decision win.
