World Extreme Cagefighting travelled north of the border tonight for WEC 49: “Varner vs Shalorus” at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The event was headlined by a lightweight contender’s bout between former champ Jamie “The Worm” Varner and Kamal “Prince of Persia” Shalorus.
Also on the card, Canadian strikers Mark “The Machine” Hominick and Yves “Tiger” Jabouin squared off at 145 pounds, while Josh “The Fluke” Grispi made short work of L.C. Davis in a featured featherweight bout with title implications. MMARising.com has live-play-by-play for the event.
Jamie “The Worm” Varner vs Kamal “Prince of Persia” Shalorus
Round 1:
Varner landed a nice right hand to open the fight and Shalorus answered with a hard leg kick. Varner missed with a looping right hook and was cracked by a counter right in close. Varner connected with two punches and ate one in return. He landed a flurry that backed Shalorus up, but Shalorus landed three right hands that caused Varner’s face to swell. Varner continued to throw fastball-like right hands and one landed. A hard leg kick landed for Shalorus and Varner answered with a punch-kick combo.
Varner landed a big right hand and a second one soon after. Varner rocked Shalorus with a right hook behind the ear. He landed two more big rights as Shalorus staggered backwards. Shalorus quickly recovered and the fighters exchanged punches. Shalorus attempted a takedown, but Varner stepped free. A body kick and a right hand found the mark for Shalorus and he tagged Varner with two vicious hooks. Varner stayed on his feet and circled in the final seconds. 10-9 Varner.
Round 2:
Varner opened round two with a head kick and Shalorus answered with a hard kick to the leg. The fighters traded punches and Shalorus targeted the body. Time was called after a kick from Shalorus strayed low. The fight resumed and Shalorus threw a body kick. Another hard leg kick landed for Shalorus and Varner answered with a one-two and an overhand right. Shalorus maintained a game plan of kicks, but another one strayed low and Varner collapsed to the mat. Shalorus was penalised one point for the foul.
The fight resumed again and Shalorus kept the pressure on with leg kicks. He landed a series of kicks to the legs and body, but Varner answered with a head kick and a right hand. He rocked Shalorus with a big flurry of punches, but Shalorus stayed on his feet and recovered quickly. He landed a combination of his own and both fighters smiled. Shalorus connected with a counter left hook as Varner circled around the cage. A right hand and a leg kick landed for Shalorus. The fighters exchanged punches and kicks in the final seconds. Close round, but 10-8 Varner due to the point deduction.
Round 3:
Both fighters appeared to enter round three with broken right hands. A quick exchange began the round and time was called for a third time after a kick to the groin from Shalorus. Varner stayed down for a while, then got to his feet in considerable pain. Again, the fight continued and Shalorus threw body kicks. Varner answered with a leg kick and Shalorus began to target the upper body. He punched exclusively with his left hand, then took Varner down. Shalorus punched from the top and Varner threw elbows from the bottom.
Shalorus continued to throw short punches and hammerfists from the top, then added punches to the body. Shalorus threw palm strikes to the ribs and weak right hands as well. Varner landed more elbows from the bottom and tried to scramble to his feet, but Shalorus kept him down. Varner escaped to his feet on his second try and Shalorus threw a head kick. Varner dove for a takedown just as the bell sounded. Good fight, excluding the unfortunate fouls. 10-9 Shalorus.
Result: Fight ruled a Split Draw (29-27, 28-28, 27-29) after three rounds. Varner is now 17-3-1, 2 NC, while Shalorus moves to 6-0-2.
Mark “The Machine” Hominick vs Yves “Tiger” Jabouin
Round 1:
Jabouin landed a nice kick to the body and followed with one to the head, but Hominick answered with crisp punches. Jabouin was more active with kicks and punches, but Hominick countered well with single strikes. More kicks landed for Jabouin, but Hominick landed a nice right hand. The pace remained incredibly high as both fighters continued to throw strikes, with Jabouin landing repeatedly. Jabouin missed with a spinning back kick, but bloodied Hominick with a left hand. Non-stop offence continued for Jabouin, who kept Hominick guessing with all sorts of kicks and punches.
Hominick connected with single right hands in return and began to establish his jab. Jabouin threw a spinning backfist that landed with the forearm and both fighters threw body kicks. Hominick landed a knee from a Thai clinch and a stiff left jab. He backed Jabouin up with more punches and started to take over the exchanges. Jabouin returned fire with leg and body kicks, then a combination. Hominick drilled him with a left hook and a liver shot in the final ten seconds. Excellent round. 10-9 Jabouin.
Round 2:
The fighters immediately returned to non-stop striking in the second round as both landed kicks and punches. Jabouin scored with a pair of kicks to the body, but Hominick backed him up with a counter right hand. A liver punch landed for Hominick and Jabouin pulled off a spinning back elbow. Hominick landed a lead left hook and Jabouin replied with a standing elbow. Hominick floored Jabouin with a left hook to the liver.
Hominick battered Jabouin with big punches on the ground, but Jabouin held on and got back to his feet. Credit to referee Vern Gorman for not stopping the fight. Jabouin landed another spinning back elbow and dropped Hominick with a right hand. He worked from Hominick’s guard, but Hominick recovered and swept. From mount, Hominick teed off with punches until the fight was finally stopped. Outstanding performance from both fighters.
Winner: Mark Hominick by TKO (Punches) at 3:21 of round two. He improves to 18-8-0.
Josh “The Fluke” Grispi vs L.C. Davis
Round 1:
The fighters looked to find their range with jabs and single kicks early on. Davis put together two quick flurries of punches and Grispi replied with leg kicks. Davis landed another combination and Grispi followed with more kicks to the legs and body. Davis rushed in for a takedown and Grispi countered with a guillotine choke. The choke was in very deep and Davis could not fight out. Davis did not tap and was soon rendered unconscious. Big win for Grispi in his first fight in over a year.
Winner: Josh Grispi by Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:33 of round one. He improves to 14-1-0.
Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki vs Danny “Boy” Downes
Round 1:
Both fighters landed punches early on and Horodecki scored a takedown. Downes tried to scramble back to his feet, but found himself trapped in a guillotine choke. Horodecki released the choke and Downes got to a knee. Horodecki landed punches as Downes stood. The fighters exchanged knees to the body and Horodecki added knees to Downes’s leg.
Horodecki scored another takedown and landed punches from Downes’s half-guard. He moved to mount and Downes gave up his back. Horodecki worked for a rear-naked choke as Downes tried to roll out. Horodecki secured the choke, but Downes managed to roll to his side and escaped. The fighters stood and exchanged quick punches. Horodecki landed knees to the leg before the bell. 10-9 Horodecki.
Round 2:
Big punches were exchanged in the second round, with both fighters landing hard strikes. Horodecki scored with punches to the body and a nice right hand. Downes recovered, but ate a spinning back kick to the liver. Horodecki began to pick him apart with varied kicks and flurries of punches. The fighters clinched and both landed knees. Horodecki threw punches to the body in close and took Downes down.
Downes tried for a guillotine choke, but Horodecki easily escaped and looked to strike from the top. Downes got back to his feet and the fighters exchanged punches. Downes slowed way down and Horodecki put together quick combinations of punches to the head and body. The fighters clinched briefly and Horodecki scored with another flurry. Downes finally landed a solid left hook, but Horodecki answered with short punches in a clinch. 10-9 Horodecki.
Round 3:
Another big exchange opened the final round and Downes landed some hard punches, but Horodecki clinched and took him down. He worked from the top, then took Downes’s back in a scramble near the cage. Horodecki secured a rear-naked choke and Downes had nowhere to go. He tapped out just as he was losing consciousness. Dominant victory for Horodecki.
Winner: Chris Horodecki by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:09 of round three. He improves to 15-2-0.
Eddie Wineland vs Will Campuzano
Round 1:
The fighters traded leg kicks early on and Wineland displayed impressive head movement in ducking under Campuzano’s punches. More leg kicks were exchanged and Wineland caught a kick. He cracked Campuzano with a right hand and sidestepped a counterpunch. Wineland landed a jab and sent Campuzano off-balance with a right hand. Wineland landed more jabs and targeted the body, then scored with a combination.
Wineland landed a body kick and Campuzano answered with a right hook and a leg kick. Wineland floored him with a right cross, but Campuzano got back to his feet. Wineland kept the pressure on with a lead left hook, but Campuzano answered with a right and a body kick. The fighters traded punches late in the round and Wineland caught a kick. He knocked Campuzano down with a right hand. 10-9 Wineland.
Round 2:
Both fighters landed stiff jabs in the opening minute of round two and Wineland continued to evade right hands from Campuzano. Wineland landed a right of his own and mixed in kicks. More jabs were exchanged and Campuzano landed leg kicks. The crowd began to get behind Wineland and he drilled Campuzano with a right hand. The fighters exchanged punches in close and Campuzano landed a body kick. Wineland caught Campuzano’s leg and threw a right hand counter, but Campuzano backed away and landed a leg kick.
A pair of one-twos found the mark for Campuzano, but Wineland hurt him badly with a Superman Punch and a big one-two. Campuzano collapsed to the mat as Wineland teed off with punches. Campuzano defended and survived, then got back to his feet. He landed some solid kicks, but Wineland continued to batter him with vicious punches. Campuzano turtled against the cage and Wineland dropped him with a big right hand to the body. The referee finally stopped the fight. Very impressive win for Wineland.
Winner: Eddie Wineland by TKO (Punch To The Body) at 4:44 of round two. He improves to 17-6-1.
Erik “New Breed” Koch vs Bendy Casimir
Round 1:
The southpaws jabbed early on and Koch landed a hard leg kick that sent Casimir off-balance. He answered with a body kick and tried for a takedown. Koch defended and the fighters clinched against the cage. Casimir attempted a takedown, but wound up on the bottom. Koch worked from the top and landed short elbows and hammerfists. He moved to side-control and then mount, but Casimir swept.
Koch secured a guillotine choke and transitioned into a triangle choke from the bottom. Koch landed elbows and maintained the choke for nearly 30 seconds before Casimir, who tried valiantly to escape, finally tapped out. Impressive win for Koch.
Winner: Erik Koch by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 3:01 of round one. He improves to 10-1-0.
Will Kerr vs Karen Darabedyan
Round 1:
Kerr rushed in with quick punches and clinched against the cage. He threw short punches and knees, but Darabedyan landed an elbow over the top and scored a takedown. Within seconds, Kerr transitioned into a tight armbar against the cage wall. Darabedyan tried to fight it off, but could not and was forced to quickly tap out. Very impressive win for Kerr in a considerable upset.
Winner: Will Kerr by Submission (Armbar) at 1:20 of round one. He improves to 9-2-0.
Undercard Fights:
Wagnney Fabiano defeated Frank Gomez by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 14-2-0 with the win.
Diego “The Gun” Nunes defeated Raphael Assuncao by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 14-1-0 with the win.
Chris “Kamikaze” Cariaso defeated Rafael Rebello by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-1-0 with the win.
Renan Barao defeated Anthony Leone by Submission (Armbar) at 2:29 of round three. He improves to 23-1-0, 1 NC with the win.
While the event ended with questionable scoring in the headlining bout, WEC 49 was yet another stellar card for World Extreme Cagefighting, which consistently puts on many of the best fights in MMA. The all-Canadian war between Mark “The Machine” Hominick and Yves “Tiger” Jabouin lived up to the hype and then some, as the two strikers engaged in a back-and-forth war for nearly ten minutes.