“WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles” takes place tonight at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. The main event features a bantamweight title fight between Miguel Torres and Brian Bowles. Other notable fighters on the card include Joseph Benavidez, Jeff Curran, and Leonard Garcia.
PRO MMA (promma.info) will be providing a live play-by-play of the main card. If you have Versus, you can watch it live beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT. If not, then follow along with us here.
WEC 42 Quick Results:
L.C. Davis def. Javier Vazquez by split decision
Diego Nunes def. Rafael Dias by unanimous decision
Rani Yahya def. John Hosman by north-south choke rd1 (2:08)
Ed Ratcliff def. Phil Cardella via unanimous decision
Shane Roller def. Marcus Hicks by unanimous decision
Cole Province def. Fredson Paixao unanimous decision
Leonard Garcia def. Jameel Massouh by split decision
Takeya Mizugaki def. Jeff Curran by split decision
Danny Castillo def. Ricardo Lamas by TKO (punches) rd2 (4:15)
Dominick Cruz defeats Joseph Benavidez by unanimous decision
Brian Bowles defeats Miguel Torres by knockout (punch) rd1 (3:57)
WEC 42 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
LEONARD GARCIA VS. JAMEEL MASSOUH
Round 1 – Stiff left from Garcia twice. Nice leg kick by Massouh. Another leg kick from Massouh. Big one-two connects and drops Massouh to his back. Garcia lands some elbows. Massouh stands up and Garcia grabs his head in a guillotine and deliver two big knees to Massouh’s head. Massouh recovers and gets the takedown. Massouh looking to pass the guard and is in half guard delivering big elbows on Garcia. Massouh in Garcia’s guard and doing well with ground and pound. Close round but have to give it to Garcia for the knock down.
Round 2 – Big leg kick by Massouh. Garcia throws another combo but Massouh rushes in. Garcia grabs the guillotine and wraps his legs. Massouh escapes and is pounding from the top. Massouh in half guard now delivering numerous elbows. Massouh has Garcia in a D’arce choke. Garcia stands up and gives up his back. Garcia is up and escapes. Garcia was almost out. Leg kick from Massouh. They clinch. Got to give that round to Massouh.
Round 3 – Head kick partially blocked by Garcia. Leg kick by Massouh. Body kick from Massouh. Nice left, right combo from Garcia. Head kick by Massouh. Overhand right from Garcia blocked. Massouh with a Superman punch partially connects. Garcia swings hard but misses. Garcia looking for the KO. Spinning heel kick partially connects by Garcia. Left then a right by Garcia. Leg kick by Massouh. Not doing real damage, but Garcia has been more active. They clinch. Left hook by Massouh. Garcia with a left hook, then eats a stiff jab. Big right hand from Garcia. Two leg kicks by Massouh. Garcia swings for the fences but catches air. I give the round and fight to Garcia. Massouh could have stole the fight if he had been more active in the last round. Leonard Garcia defeats Jameel Massouh by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
JEFF CURRAN VS. TAKEYA MIZUGAKI
Round 1 – Leg kick from Mizugaki. Curran grabs the leg for a takedown but Mizugaki resists. Curran still holding onto Mizugaki’s leg even now as they are on the ground, he won’t let go. Mizugaki pounds on Curran as he holds on. Mizugaki gets the body lock and throws a few knees. Mizugaki throws Curran to the mat and is on top in Curran’s guard. Mizugaki lands some good shots from the guard. Curran looks for an armbar but Mizugaki gets out and stands. Curran throws him to the mat but Mizugaki reverses and is back on top. Curran hangs onto Mizugaki to avoid damage as the bell sounds. Close round but have to give it to Mizugaki.
Round 2 – Leg kick by Mizugaki after a combination from Curran. Side kick to the knee by Curran. Leg kick by Mizugaki. Side kick to the body by Curran. Head kick by Curran lands. Mizugaki comes in and lands a nice punch. Clinched against the cage, Mizugaki throws Curran to the ground again. Ground and pound from Mizugaki. Mizugaki postures up lands a body shot. Curran with heel kicks to the back. Mizugaki being very active from the top. Curran locks in a guillotine with the arm in and legs wrapped. Close round by have to give it to Mizugaki again.
Round 3 – Overhand right by Curran lands and he shoots in but Mizugaki holds on with a clinch and takes Curran to the ground again. Curran is nullifying Mizugaki’s ground game for the most part. Mizugaki now delivering elbows. Frank Mir is hugging Curran HARD. Mizugaki lands a nice left while on top. Elbow by Mizugaki. Curran locks in a triangle on Mizugaki. Curran rolls over and is on top of Mizugaki with the triangle. Mizugaki rolls back over and survives! Amazing. I would not want to judge this fight. Takeya Mizugaki defeats Jeff Curran by split decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28.
DANNY CASTILLO VS. RICARDO LAMAS
Round 1 – Onet, two combo from Lamas. Knee from Castillo. Clinched. Overhand right by Castillo catches the back of the head. Left hook by Castillo. Body shot by Castillo. Leg kick by Lamas. Big leg kick from Lamas. And another one. Head kick by Lamas. Castillo lands a nice combo. Big leg kick from Lamas. Lamas with a leg kick. Big leg kick from Lamas. Probably give that round to Lamas.
Round 2 – Big leg kick from Castillo and returned from Lamas. Castillo shoots and gets stuffed. Head kick by Lamas is blocked. Leg kick from Lamas. Nice inside leg kick from Castillo. Right hand lands by Lamas. Castillo shoots but gets stuffed. Leg kick by Lamas. Left, right from Castillo. Head kick, leg kick by Lamas. One, two, to the head and number three to the body by Castillo. Inside leg kick by Lamas. Left, right to the head and then a body shot. Leg kick by Lamas. Big stiff right by Castillo catches Lamas right on the chin and drops him to the mat. Castillo jumps on top and pounds him until the ref pulls him off. It was over with the first one though. Danny Castillo defeats Ricardo Lamas by TKO (punches) in round 2 (4:15).
JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ VS. DOMINICK CRUZ
Round 1 – This should be a WAR. Cruz is taller. Benavidez lands a leg kick. One two punch by Benavidez. Benavidez throws a kick, Cruz catches it and punches him and knocks him to the mat. Joseph jumps right up. Lands a right hand. Joseph comes in swinging. Cruz takes him to the mat and is on top. Josephh goes for a guillotine but Cruz gets out. Benavidez looks so much smaller. Leg kick by Joseph followed by a body shot. Cruz gets the takedown but Joseph bounces up and Cruz lands a knee to the body. Cruz gets a body lock and puts Joseph on his back. Benavidez gets up and pushes him against the cage. Benavidez reverses and escapes. Body kick by Cruz. Body kick by Benavidez. Close round by I give it to Cruz 10-9.
Round 2 – Combination by Benavidez that lands. Cruz fires back with a combo of punches of his own that stuns Benavidez momentarily. Joseph clinches up and recovers. Left hand by Benavidez connects. Another combo by Benavidez. Cruz is stalking and lands a big right hand that drops Benavidez but he bounces up. Cruz lands a couple of punches, rocks, Benavidez and takes him down. Benavidez gets up. Clinched, they release. Left hand by Cruz skims Benny’s head. Right hand by Benny, right hand by Cruz. Spinning back elbow by Benavidez. Cruz shoots in and gets the takedown. These takedowns are winning the fight for him. Cruz gets the round 10-9.
Round 3 – Uppercut followed by a right hand by Benavidez. Benavidez winging quite a few shots. Straight right hand connects by Cruz. Cruz with a big leg kick. Another takedown by Cruz. Benavidez has to do something to win this fight. Benavidez gets back up fairly easy. Leg kick by Benny and he slips to the ground but gets up. Benavidez moves in lands a couple shots and backs out, over and again. Left hook by Cruz. One, two by Benavidez. They exchange shots. Cruz gets a takedown but Benny pops up again. Left hook by Cruz. Leg kick to the head by Cruz lands. Cruz gets the takedown and lands some shots. Cruz gets Benavidez’s back and flattens him out…the bell sounds and Joseph Benavidez just lost his first fight. Fight of the night so far though no doubt. Cruz’s length made the difference, even on the takedowns. Dominick Cruz defeats Joseph Benavidez by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
BRIAN BOWLES VS. MIGUEL TORRES
Round 1 – Here we go. Can Miguel hang with Bowles’ size? Bowles’ looks to be stronger and thicker just based on appearance. Torres lands the first leg kick, and again. Bowles lands a right that rocks Torres. Torres touches his hand to the mat but does not go down. Torres is OK for now. Bowles puts him against the cage and slams him to his back. Elbow shots by Bowles. Up kick by Torres. Heels to the back by Torres as Bowles is in his guard. Bowles stands up and Torres butt scoots then gets up. Bowles comes in swinging and Torres covers up. Bowles connects with a punch to the chin. Head kick by Torres skims the face. Stiff right hand by Torres connects and jars the challenger. Torres fires a flurry as he has Bowles backing up. Bowles counters with a big right hand that drops Torres to the mat. Bowles follows up with some more right hands, then one, two, three big left hands while Torres is on his back and Torres is out. The ref jumps in to save Torres from further damage. Holy crap! Brian Bowles defeats Miguel Torres by knockout in round 1 (3:57). Brian Bowles is the new WEC Bantamweight Champion
In the post-fight interview Bowles said he knew that he could win and he believed in himself. He thought most of Torres’ opponents have lacked the confidence it takes to defeat him. “I convinced myself that I could win…A lot of people I think get caught up in the hype and don’t believe they can beat him,” said Bowles after the fight.