CARLSBAD, CA — No Fear Energy will be watching the action this Sunday night as their sponsored mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, Joseph Benavidez puts his undefeated record on the line at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Benavidez will square off in the cage against San Diego transplant Dominick Cruz, whose record (13-1) has only one blemish — a submission loss at the hands of Urijah Faber in March 2007. As the fight card’s co-main event, the Benavidez-Cruz bout will directly precede the World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC®) bantamweight title fight between reigning champ Miguel Angel-Torres (36-1) and undefeated challenger, Brian Bowles (7-0).

The 24-year-old Benavidez (10-0) came to the WEC promotion in December 2008 with a lot of hype due to his raw talent and impressive previous performances, and he immediately lived up to the expectations with a big win over Danny Martinez. On April 5th of this year, Benavidez added Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran to his list of victims — by unanimous decision — in front of Curran’s home crowd in Chicago.

Benavidez trains at Urijah Faber’s Ultimate Fitness gym in Sacramento, California. Sunday night’s clash against Cruz should prove a pivotal step on his quest for a title fight. A win could garner a match-up with one of the other two top bantamweight (135 lbs.) contenders on Sunday night’s card — Brian Bowles or Japan’s Takeya Mizugaki, who proved to be a formidable opponent against Torres when the two warriors went the distance in Chicago in April. read more »

WEC Chicago, JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ VS. JEFF CURRAN, text courtesy of WEC®

Time to bury the hype: Joseph Benavidez is for real. The diminutive 5’3 fighter made that crystal clear when he produced the biggest win of his career Sunday night, outhustling veteran Jeff Curran en route to a unanimous decision win. With the fight on Curran’s home soil, disappointed local fans showered Benavidez with boos, though the verdict was well-deserved and beyond reproach. 

“I feel like I’m prepared for anyone,” Benavidez said afterward. “I’m not totally satisfied with my performance but I’m really happy to get the win over a great opponent like Jeff. I owe it all to Urijah Faber and the rest of my team.” 



Benavidez was busier and more aggressive than Curran for much of the contest, even dropping “The Big Frog” with a right hand in the first round that landed on the bridge of Curran’s nose (Curran seemed to have all of his mental faculties after the blow, and may have fell partially due to being off-balance). Curran was competitive throughout, tagging Benavidez with a beautiful straight right hand that stopped him dead in his tracks. But the speedy Benavidez scored several takedowns and controlled the action on top, occasionally landing some decent punches and elbows. 

The judges scored it 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 for Benavidez. Curran, meanwhile, dropped his third straight fight.

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – With the upcoming WEC: TORRES VS. MIZUGAKI headed to the Windy City, World Extreme Cagefighting® is holding a Pre-Fight Press Conference beginning at 12:00pm CT on Friday, April 3 at The ESPN Zone in downtown Chicago.  WEC: TORRES VS. MIZUGAKI takes place Sunday, April 5, 2009 live from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL.

About Torres vs. Mizugaki

 Chicago’s Miguel Angel Torres (35-1) defends the WEC bantamweight title against striker Takeya Mizugaki (11-2-2)

With four straight WEC wins, Torres has rapidly become one of the most feared fighters in the sport. The 28-year-old’s blend of speed, striking, and submissions will be on display when he takes on renowned Japanese star Mizugaki.

Unbeaten since 2007, Mizugaki is heralded for his Muay Thai striking and willingness to trade. The 5’7”, 135-pound challenger makes his U.S. debut in Chicago on April 5 and has vowed to knock out the hometown champion.

In the co-main event, Island Lake, Illinois’ Jeff Curran looks to make his case for a shot at the belt when he battles undefeated phenom Joseph Benavidez.

A longtime favorite of the Midwest fight scene, former WEC featherweight contender and title challenger Jeff “Big Frog” Curran (31-10-1) has long had his sights set on Miguel Torres, and he has even dropped down to the bantamweight division to chase his local rival. There is business to take care of for both men first though, and for Curran, that means his clash with Joseph Benavidez on April 5^th. So expect the 30-year old Curran to come out with guns blazing in order to move forward in the crowded bantamweight division. read more »

Benavidez Vs. Curran: Co-main Event at WEC BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
 MIGUEL ANGEL TORRES vs. TAKEYA MIZUGAKI

 Live From UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Sunday, April 5



Las Vegas, NV (USA) – When Japanese star Takeya Mizugaki (11-2-2) challenges Miguel Torres (35-1) for the WEC bantamweight title on April 5, he expects to be rudely welcomed to the United States by hordes of the hometown champion’s fans. However, when the 25-year-old steps inside the cage at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, he plans on silencing the crowd the only way he knows how: by knocking Torres out.



 “Torres just keeps coming at you with almost no expression on his face so he is intimidating,” Mizugaki said. 

“But I’m not intimidated. He is a great fighter and awesome champion. But regardless of opponent, I’m going to stick with my style and strike. I’m honored and excited for this opportunity.”

In the co-main event, Island Lake, Illinois’ Jeff Curran looks to make his case for a shot at the belt when he battles undefeated phenom Joseph Benavidez.

 A longtime favorite of the Midwest fight scene, former WEC featherweight contender and title challenger Jeff “Big Frog” Curran (31-10-1) has long had his sights set on Miguel Torres, and he has even dropped down to the bantamweight division to chase his local rival.

There is business to take care of for both men first though, and for Curran, that means his clash with Joseph Benavidez on April 5th. So expect the 30-year old Curran to come out with guns blazing in order to move forward in the crowded bantamweight division.

 The 24-year old Joseph Benavidez (9-0) came to the WEC last December with a lot of hype due to his raw talent and impressive previous performances, and he lived up to the expectations with a big win over Danny Martinez.

Now the stablemate of former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber is ready for the next step in his career, and for him, there would be nothing better than to add the name Jeff Curran to his victims list.

 For more information about current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. All bouts live and subject to change. read more »