While the WEC featherweight champion got to be the hometown favorite when he took the title from Urijah Faber in Florida in November, Brown will be the figurative road team in his first title defense. He will takes on Lubbock, Texas, native Leonard Garcia in the WEC 39 headliner on March 1 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. Urijah Faber (22-2)
It took just 94 seconds for Faber to back up his first victory over Jens Pulver, but this time, he submitted the former UFC lightweight champion at WEC 38. However head-scratching in nature the near-immediate rematch may have been, a win is a win, and the quick and dominant showing puts the former WEC titleholder in line to face the victor of the forthcoming Brown-Garcia bout.
3. Leonard Garcia (12-3)
After a whirlwind 2008, Garcia is set for the biggest fight of his career. The heavy-hitting Texan will have the home-field advantage when he challenges divisional king Brown for the WEC crown on March 1 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
4. Wagnney Fabiano (11-1)
The former International Fight League featherweight champion’s trek towards a WEC title shot now runs through WEC 40 on April 5 in Chicago. There, the Nova Uniao product will take on a fellow Brazilian jiu-jitsu all-star in Fredson Paixao.
5. Dokonjonosuke Mishima (19-6-2)
Mishima was originally sought as an entrant in Sengoku’s featherweight tournament, where he would have been an early favorite. Unfortunately, a knee injury suffered in training will keep Mishima on the shelf for the early portion of 2009. The colorful veteran plans to return to action in the early summer and defend his Deep featherweight title.
6. Hatsu Hioki (17-3-2)
Hioki’s opponent for the March 20 tournament opener has not been decided. However, when a foe is chosen for the poster boy of Sengoku’s featherweight grand prix, he figures to be a considerable favorite.
7. Jeff Curran (30-10-1)
“The Big Frog” will finally make his bantamweight debut at the April 5 WEC show in his backyard of Chicago. Curran will be afforded the chance for some measure of revenge, too, as he takes on the fast-rising Joseph Benavidez, a pupil of former WEC champion Urijah Faber -- who tapped Curran in their December 2007 title tussle.
8. Jose Aldo (13-1)
Having just wiped the sweat off from his Jan. 25 stoppage of Rolando Perez, Aldo will fight on a short turnaround when he takes on Chris Mickle at WEC 39 on March 1 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
9. Masakazu Imanari (15-6-1)
One of the favorites in Dream’s featherweight grand prix, the expert leglocker will look to start his tournament bid in style when he takes on Atsushi Yamamoto in his opening-round bout on March 8.
10. Takeshi Inoue (15-3)
In need of a far better 2009, the Shooto 143-pound king looked like he was going to be a part of Sengoku’s featherweight tournament. Unfortunately, Shooto brass has demanded “Lion Takeshi’s” services for a mandatory title defense at the promotion’s 20th anniversary show on May 10. No challenger has been named.
Other contenders: Rafael Assuncao, L.C. Davis, Yuji Hoshino, Hideki Kadowaki, Marlon Sandro.