As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results and commentary for WEC 53: . The live blog will start with the beginning of the Versus broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
This event, the last ever WEC card, is headlined by a bout between lightweight champion Ben Henderson taking on Anthony Pettis. The winner will earn a shot at the UFC lightweight title in the near future. Co-main eventing the event is a bout between bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and challenger Scott Jorgensen. The winner will earn the right to call himself the first ever UFC bantamweight champion.
As always we have our one rule: NO SPOILERS! In the interest of not ruining anything from the undercard that may make the broadcast we ask that you do not discuss the results of the undercard in the comments until either the broadcast ends or the fight makes the air.
The Versus broadcast is live. First fight up shortly.
Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus – Round 1 – Bart tries to throw some kicks to keep distance but Kamal is throwing hard punches and now he grabs ahold of Bart and throws him to the mat. Kamal on top in the guard of Palaszewski and he is throwing some heavy shots from the top. Huge punches to the body, not just the head now. Bart throws up his legs for an armbar and Kamal stands up and is throwing huge punches down. Bart is defending as well as one can but these are heavy punches. Finally Bart gets back to his feet and he eats a big left. Bart throwing some kicks to the legs. Heavy low kicks by Shalorus. A few more low kicks from Kamal as the round ends. 10-9 Shalorus.
Round 2 – Hard leg kicks by Kamal early and Bart misses a head kick. Kamal having trouble finding his range with his winging punches now and Bart is starting to get comfortable with shorter punches and leg kicks. Bart is really establishing himself this round. Kamal is starting to back straight up when Bart pressures him. Kamal shoots in now and gets the single leg with about 90 seconds left in the round. Back to the body he goes with the punches. Bart is able to get up but eats a left hand. Kamal is getting popped a little as the round ends. Bart won that round on my card. 10-9 Palaszewski.
Round 3 – Kamal lands a left and a right as he walks forward. Left hand lands for Kamal. Kamal shoots in and gets a quick takedown but Bart bounces back up. Kamal going backward a little bit more now. Head kick lands for Bart and Kamal backs up and Bart lands a nice combo and then a hard right hand. Kamal with a slow shot but he’s able to use enough power to get it down. Kamal staying busy with the ground and pound and he passes to half guard. Bart using elbows off the bottom and he briefly regains guard but Kamal goes right back to half. Kamal with a few nice short elbows. Bart manages to get up with a minute left. Hard flurry of punches and kicks by Bart. Big knee to the head by Bart and he’s coming forward. Nice right hand by Bart. Hard low kick by Bart. Very close round where both men had their moments. I’d go 10-9 Kamal for a 29-28 win but Bart did well.
Official Scorecards: 30-27 Shalorus, 29-28 Bart, 29-28 Shalorus. Kamal Shalorus wins by split decision
Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki – Round 1 – Cerrone throws a hard left and Horodecki throws a few hard shots in return. As they trade shots Horodecki eats an accidental shot to the groin by Cerrone. Horodecki lands a few nice punches as does Cerrone and now Cerrone tries to jump to mount and Horodecki shrugs him off and ends up standing up. Nice left hand by Horodecki. Horodecki doing a nice job countering the kicks of Cerrone so far. Cerrone is working the jab and low kick. Cerrone clinches him up and lands a knee to the body. Nice knee by Cerrone. Jab to the body by Horodecki. Uppercut by Cerrone and a counter right misses in return from Horodecki. Horodecki keeps throwing a nice jab to the body and he throws two hooks to the body also. Spinning back kick by Horodecki. Horodecki shoots, Cerrone scrambles, Cerrone throws a high kick and Horodecki catches it and almost takes him down. Cerront looking for a takedown and Horodecki ends up on top. Cerrone with a shot and he takes the back. The round ends and I’d say 10-9 Cerrone, but it wasn’t pretty.
Round 2– Horodecki with a takedown early and Cerrone looks to lock up an omoplata and now he’s throwing a crossface with it also. Now he transitions to a triangle. Horodecki accidentally puts a finger in Cerrone’s mouth. Cerrone connecting with some elbows. Finally, Horodecki is forced to tap out. Donald Cerrone wins by submission (triangle choke), round 2.
Dominick Cruz vs. Scott Jorgensen – Round 1 – A lot of feints early. Jorgensen with a nice jab as Cruz comes in. Now Cruz with a right hand that lands. Jorgensen looks like he really wants to use the jab tonight. Cruz with a nice flurry. Nice uppercut by Cruz now. Cruz comes forward with another flurry and Jorgensen clinches him and has his back standing but has to separate. Cruz is throwing some looping ugly punches here, he’s lucky he is quick enough to not get countered. Hard punches and low kicks by Cruz. Cruz is just so active and aggressive that it is clearly bothering Jorgensen. Jorgensen briefly had his back but lost it. Round over. 10-9 Cruz
Round 2 – More of the same early. Jorgensen is trying to get close and Cruz is getting in and out quickly landing hit shots. Now Cruz shoots in and gets the takedown. Big elbows from the top by Cruz. Cruz really working the elbows and now he passes to half guard. Jorgensen wall walks and is back to standing. Jumping knee by Cruz. 10-9 round for Cruz again.
Round 3 – Right hand early briefly drops Jorgensen. Nice four strike combo by Cruz is finished with a hard leg kick. Head kick by Cruz now and another leg kick. Jorgensen just has no answer for the speed and it’s leading to a lot of punches landing for Cruz and nothing for Jorgensen. Nice takedown by Cruz again. Jorgensen with a good sweep and he briefly has the back but Cruz pops back to standing. Round ends. 10-9 Cruz.
Round 4 – Cruz landing hard early and now he lands another takedown. More ground and pound before they end up standing again. Jorgensen with a leg kick but 4 rounds in is a bit late for that to slow Cruz down. And another takedown by Cruz but Jorgensen gets right up. Hard knee to the body by Cruz. 10-9 round for Cruz again.
Round 5– Nice counter right by Cruz. A nice hard left hook later on by Cruz. Jorgensen keeps trying to walk him down but he just can’t get close enough. Cruz deserves credit for continuing to attack even though he is clearly winning this fight. Jorgensen briefly puts Cruz on his back with a takedown but Dominick stands up and ends up getting a takedown of his own. The fight and round ends and if Cruz isn’t given every round by all three judges it would be horrible.
Official Scorecards: 50-45 across the board. Dominick Cruz wins by unanimous decision.
Ben Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis – Round 1 – Switch kick by Henderson and it’s blocked by Pettis. Pettis tries the same kick in return. Henderson with a really good combination of strikes and he now clinches Pettis up against the cage. Now Henderson with a trip takedown. Henderson working the ground and pound with heavy punches. Pettis throws his legs up but can’t lock it in. Head kick by Pettis just misses. Henderson gets stung by a shot from Pettis and Ben just pushes forward and gets a takedown and lands a pair of hard shots. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 2 – Hard shot from Pettis hurts Henderson badly. Pettis tries to take his back but can’t. Pettis with a takedown and Henderson bounces up and pushes Pettis into the cage. They’re back to space now. Hard right by Pettis. Bonnar says the replay showed that the initial punch didn’t land, Pettis stepped on Henderson’s foot and he tripped. Henderson pushes him into the cage again. Accidental low blow by Pettis but Henderson is fine. Pettis starting to work to the legs now. 10-9 round for Pettis.
Round 3– Henderson tries to attack but Pettis takes him down. Pettis works to Henderson’s back. Henderson is trying to stand up with Pettis on his back and Pettis is hanging on. Pettis continuing to ride the back of Henderson. Pettis continuing to ride the back of Henderson for the rest of the round as Henderson elbows the thighs. 10-9 Pettis.
Round 4 – Henderson with a nice flurry of strikes and a takedown. Pettis locks in a guillotine and Henderson spins out. Now Henderson takes the back. Body triangle by Henderson. Extremely quick lock of the rear naked by Henderson and Pettis defends. Now Pettis reverses and passes and now he takes Henderson’s back but Henderson stands up. They continue to go at it and now Henderson drops down and Pettis looks for the guillotine again. The round ends and I’d go 10-9 Henderson to even it up.
Round 5– This is the last round ever in the WEC. Accidental low blow by Pettis and Henderson says he’s ready. Nice right hand by Pettis. Pettis tries to take the back again but they’re back to standing. Knee by Pettis and Henderson is working for a single leg. Takedown by Henderson. Henderson working from top for a bit and Pettis manages to escape. Back to standing with 90 seconds left. …Pettis just ran up the cage wall and threw a kick that dropped Henderson. That kick probably just won the fight for Pettis. Henderson survived to the final bell but that was insane. 10-9 Pettis for the 48-47 win on my card.
Official Scorecards: 48-47, 48-47, 49,46 all for Anthony Pettis. Anthony Pettis wins by unanimous decision.
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