WEC 41 ‘Brown vs. Faber 2’ Preview

Manny Gamburyan vs. John Franchi

At long last, Gamburyan (8-4) wised up and made his move to the featherweight class. He will debut against the undefeated Franchi. Both fighters prefer the mat, but Gamburyan holds the edge there, as his bull rush takedowns and nose for the submission make him a dangerous addition to the division. Like most, Franchi (5-0) will not be ready for Gamburyan’s savage submission game, and he’ll eventually get caught in one of the Armenian’s cringe-inducing leg locks.

Rafael Rebello vs. Kyle Dietz

This bantamweight duel features the undefeated and highly touted Dietz (5-0) taking on a journeyman. If it has not become apparent by now, Rebello is the sacrificial lamb pegged to launch Dietz’s run in the WEC. Granted, Rebello (5-3) is a solid grappler, but he struggles against more well-rounded opponents, and Dietz will have no qualms about bullying around his foe and turning this into a mauling. Expect Rebello to buckle under the pressure of Dietz’s offense and end up taking a one-sided TKO loss.

Mike Campbell vs. Anthony Pettis

The power lifter meets the kickboxer when Campbell (4-1) tests himself against Pettis’ flashy strikes. Campbell’s strength has translated well to MMA, but he does not seem to have a skill on which he can rely. Meanwhile, Pettis’ striking makes him a threat against anyone who cannot at least force him off his game. This fight will quickly turn into a showcase for Pettis (6-0), as he evades Campbell and picks him apart with strikes before putting him down for good.

Scott Jorgensen vs. Antonio Banuelos

Another bantamweight scrap rests on the undercard, as Banuelos looks to re-establish his footing in the hyper-competitive division by taking out the rapidly improving Jorgensen (6-2). The problem? Banuelos’ striking game depends on stopping his opponent’s takedowns, and that’s something he will fail to do against Jorgensen. Three rounds worth of ground-and-pound will leave Banuelos (15-5) battered and Jorgensen with another win on his ledger.

Frank Gomez vs. Noah Thomas

After getting blackballed by the UFC for his Darwin award-worthy run on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Thomas has to settle for the WEC bantamweight division, where he finds himself pitifully outmatched by Gomez (6-1). Expect the wash, rinse, repeat treatment from Gomez, as he dominates the wrestling and segues right into the ground-and-pound portion of the match. Thomas (13-4) will have no answers, as he takes the beat down no one got to see during his time as a reality show lightning rod.

Rolando Perez vs. Seth Dikun

A Thomas Denny disciple, Dikun (6-3) looks to carve out a spot in the WEC against Perez, who wants redemption after he became Jose Aldo’s most recent heavy bag. With that said, Perez (4-2-1) showed some talent in that bout, and he should have no problem lighting up Dikun on the feet and keeping away from the mat. Denny will not have much to celebrate, as Perez picks apart Dikun en route to a thorough decision win.