WEC 47 “Bowles vs. Cruz”
March 6, 2010 | Columbus, Ohio
How quickly it all went wrong for longtime WEC bantamweight champion Torres. A 17-fight unbeaten streak over more than five years, with plenty of pound-for-pound accolades sprinkled in, ended at the brutal hands of Brian Bowles in August 2009. His return to action seven months later against Team Alpha Male’s Benavidez was supposed to herald the beginning of another title run.
Torres was the massive favorite over the diminutive Benavidez, coming in at -350. Alas, that second trip to the top was not to be, as Torres ate right hand after right hand, conceded takedowns and got worked over on the bottom by the smaller, faster fighter. One sequence in the second round saw Benavidez push Torres toward the cage, nail him with punches, take him down and immediately start buzz-sawing away with elbows from inside Torres’ guard.
One of those elbows laid open Torres’ forehead down to the bone, turning the cage into a murder scene almost immediately and leading directly to Benavidez’s guillotine finish. In some photos, the former champion’s skull is visible, and the quick ending to the fight encapsulates the rapid downfall of Torres’ career.
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