3. World Extreme Cagefighting (2001-10)
The blue cage of the WEC still inspires nostalgia among MMA fans -- and with good reason. It started as the house MMA show for the Tachi Palace Casino in 2001 and held almost all of its shows in Lemoore, Calif., before its purchase by Zuffa in December 2006. Even before its expansion into a national-level show, however, the small cage and outstanding matchmaking made the WEC the home for some of the best and most condensed violence MMA had to offer.
The talent that made its way through the promotion over the years was incredible. Gilbert Melendez made his pro debut on a WEC card; Brandon Vera catapulted himself onto the scene by winning the WEC 13 heavyweight tournament; Urijah Faber became a superstar; and Carlos Condit made a name for himself as the promotion’s welterweight champion. Its matchmakers found Johny Hendricks and Mark Munoz, and Chael Sonnen transformed himself from a journeyman to a potential contender under the WEC banner. Even that stunning list fails to mention not one but two future UFC lightweight champions, Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis, in addition to the core of the lighter weight classes that have become an integral part of the UFC today.
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