THE CANADIAN PRESS
LAS VEGAS — Former featherweight champion Urijah (The California Kid) Faber, moving down a weight class to bantamweight, looked impressive in choking out Japan’s Takeya Mizugaki in the first round at WEC 52 on Thursday night.
The 31-year-old from Sacramento, Calif., used his speed and striking before setting up a submission at four minutes 50 seconds of the first round.
Faber (24-4) grabbed Mizugaki’s neck and transitioned to his back as the Japanese fighter stood up. They slumped to the ground and Faber improved position until he had the rear naked choke. Mizugaki (13-5-2) refused to tap and was choked unconscious.
"This guy’s known for being a guy who goes until the very end so I knew I had to do something drastic and put him out," said Faber. "So I did."
Mizugaki introduced himself to the WEC in April 2009 when he took then 135-pound champion Miguel Angel Torres to a gruelling five rounds before losing a unanimous decision.
The mixed martial arts card at the Palms Casino Resort was the penultimate for World Extreme Cagefighting, whose three weight classes are being absorbed by parent company UFC after WEC 53 on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Ariz.
It was a good night for Faber’s Team Alpha Male with wins for Faber, featherweight Chad (Money) Mendes and bantamweight Joseph Benavidez.
Faber, who says he walks around at 152 to 155 pounds, wrestled in college at 133 pounds. He held the WEC featherweight title at 145 pounds.
The win came in his 12th WEC bout, nine of which have been title fights. And it will put him up in contention for the 135-pound crown, which champion Dominick Cruz defends against Chad Jorgensen on the last WEC card. The winner becomes the UFC bantamweight title-holder.
In the co-main event Thursday, Mendes took a unanimous 30-27 decision over Javier (Showtime) Vazquez.
Mendes (9-0) used his wrestling skills to overcome the 34-year-old Vazquez (15-5), who was busy on his back but unable to blunt Mendes’ relentless attack. Mendes cut Vazquez under the right eye in the third round.
Benavidez submitted 35-year-old jiu-jitsu ace Wagnney Fabiano at 2:45 of the second round. Fabiano (14-3) fought off two previous guillotine chokes but Benavidez got him in the end.
A 3-1 favourite, Benavidez (13-2) was coming off a loss to Cruz at WEC 50 in August.
Earlier, bantamweight Demetrious (Mighty Mouse) Johnson upset Damacio (The Angel of Death) Page via guillotine choke at 2:27 of the third round.
Pace (12-5) started well but faded, perhaps understandably since it was his first fight in 13 months due to shoulder surgery. In contrast, the five-foot-three Johnson (12-1) fought Sept. 30, defeating Nick Pace at the last WEC card.
Pace was more than a 3-1 favourite.
On the undercard, Montreal featherweight Yves Jabouin rebounded from two straight WEC losses to defeat Brandon Visher. Jabouin (15-6) won a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) over Visher (13-2).
Featherweight Erik (New Breed) Koch (11-1) stopped WEC debutante Francisco Rivera by TKO after stunning him with a high kick to the jaw at 1:36 of the first round
Rivera (5-1) was a late replacement for Josh (The Fluke) Grispi, who was shifted to face featherweight champion Jose Aldo on Jan. 1 at UFC 125.
Featherweight Cub Swanson won a split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) decision over Mackens Semerzier in a back-and-forth all-action bout.
In other action:
— Lightweight Anthony Njokuani defeated Edward (Falo) Faaloloto via TKO at 4:54 of the second round.
— Featherweight Raphael Assuncao won a unanimous decision over L.C. Davis.
— Bantamweight Michael McDonald stopped Clint Godfrey via submission (arm lock) at 2:42 of the first round.
— Lightweight Dustin Poirier defeated Zack Micklewright via TKO 53 seconds into the first round.
