WEC 53

Background

This was the final WEC event before merging with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2011.

This event was unique in that the WEC and AMP Energy allowed fans to choose the location of the event. The fans were given 30 options and the finalists were Milwaukee, Nashville and Phoenix. During the live telecast of WEC 50, Phoenix was announced as the winner of the contest.

Maciej Jewtuszko was expected to face Ricardo Lamas at this event. However, Jewtuszko had to withdraw as he suffered a broken hand during training. Jewtuszko was replaced by WEC newcomer Iuri Alcântara.

This event was named Sherdog's 2010 Event of the Year.

The event drew an average of 615,000 viewers on Versus.

UFC Lightweight title eliminator

The winner of the WEC Lightweight Championship fight between reigning champion Benson Henderson and challenger Anthony Pettis was scheduled to face the winner of the UFC 125 Frankie Edgar (C) vs. Gray Maynard title fight in order to unify the WEC and UFC lightweight championships. However, the Edgar/Maynard fight ended in a draw necessitating a UFC 136 rematch (which Edgar won). Though Anthony Pettis won the final WEC lightweight title bout, defeating Henderson via unanimous decision, he opted not to wait for the winner of Edgar/Maynard rematch and instead fought Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, losing by unanimous decision and negating his promised title shot (though he would win the UFC Lightweight Championship in his own right over Henderson in August 2013.)

UFC Bantamweight Championship

The winner of the Bantamweight Championship fight between reigning champion Dominick Cruz and challenger Scott Jorgensen determined both the final WEC Bantamweight Champion and the inaugural UFC Bantamweight Champion. This is the only UFC title fight to ever take place on another promotion's card, and the first UFC title bout to air on free television since UFC 75 in July 2007. Cruz defeated Jorgensen via unanimous decision to retain his title and become the new UFC champion.

Results

|Lightweight | Anthony Pettis |def | Benson Henderson (c) |Decision (unanimous) (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) |5 |5:00 |For the WEC Lightweight Championship. |Bantamweight | Dominick Cruz (c) |def | Scott Jorgensen |Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) |5 |5:00 |As part of the UFC-WEC merger, the WEC Bantamweight Championship will become the UFC (Men's) Bantamweight Championship. |Lightweight | Donald Cerrone |def | Chris Horodecki |Submission (triangle choke) |2 |2:43 | |Lightweight | Kamal Shalorus |def | Bart Palaszewski |Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | |Lightweight | Danny Downes |def | Zhang Tiequan |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | |Lightweight | Shane Roller |def | Jamie Varner |Submission (rear-naked choke) |1 |3:55 | |Bantamweight | Brad Pickett |def | Ivan Menjivar |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | |Bantamweight | Eddie Wineland |def | Ken Stone |KO (slam) |1 |2:11 | |Lightweight | Danny Castillo |def | Will Kerr |KO (punches) |1 |1:25 | |Lightweight | Iuri Alcântara |def | Ricardo Lamas |KO (punches) |1 |3:26 | |Bantamweight | Renan Barão |def | Chris Cariaso |Submission (rear-naked choke) |1 |3:47 |

Bonus awards

Fighters were awarded $10,000 bonuses.

• Fight of the Night: USA Benson Henderson vs. USA Anthony Pettis
• Knockout of the Night: USA Eddie Wineland
• Submission of the Night: USA Shane Roller

References

References

1. (December 17, 2010). "WEC 53 scores 6,348 attendance in Arizona, seventh-highest mark in history". mmajunkie.com.
2. (September 27, 2010). "WEC: Henderson vs. Pettis". wec.tv.
3. (28 October 2010). "Dana White To Announce UFC Merger With the WEC". Bloody Elbow.
4. "WEC and AMP Energy allow fans to determine location of December's WEC 53 event".
5. (August 19, 2010). ""Hometown Takedown" sends WEC to Phoenix; Henderson likely for WEC 53 card". MMAjunkie.com.
6. (October 20, 2010). "MMAnews.pl knows the next opponent of Maciej Jewtuszko (Polish)". mmanews.pl.
7. (October 28, 2010). "Maciej Jewtuszko has broken his hand (Polish)". mmarocks.pl.
8. (November 4, 2010). "Ricardo Lamas meets newcomer Yuri Alcantara at WEC 53 in December". mmajunkie.com.
9. "Sherdog's 2010 Misc. Awards Event of the Year". [[Sherdog]].
10. "WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis | MMA Event".
11. (December 14, 2010). "WEC 53: Dominick Cruz, Scott Jorgensen Fight To Be First UFC Bantamweight Champion". sbnation.com.
12. (December 17, 2010). "WEC 53 bonuses: Wineland, Roller, Pettis and Henderson earn $10K awards". [[MMAjunkie.com]].