THE CANADIAN PRESS
LAS VEGAS — Brazilian Jose Aldo stopped World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion Mike Brown in the second round at WEC 44 on Wednesday night.
It was a decisive ending as the 23-year-old Aldo took Brown’s back and punched away at the turtled champion until referee Steve Mazzagatti stepped in at 1:20 of the round.
“We’re all very impressed by Mr. Aldo,” said WEC general manager Reed Harris, who called the stoppage “timely.”
“After Aldo’s performance tonight, whoever’s going to fight him next had better prepare,” he added.
Aldo (16-1) was quicker and, when the opening came, was clinical in his finish. It was his ninth straight win — sixth straight in the WEC –and earned him US$10,000 for knockout of the night.
“I’ve got to look at the tape, do my homework and try to improve obviously,” said Brown, who never got his game on track. “He did a great job.”
Brown, who worked odd jobs for years to support his fighting habit, walked out to “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
But it was Aldo who got down to business in the first round, showing no fear of Brown (22-5), who was making the third defence of the 145-pound title.
And in the second, Aldo took Brown’s back and then his belt. The loss ended Brown’s 10-fight winning streak dating back to December 2005.
“We don’t stop here. We keep working, keep improving,” Aldo said through an interpreter.
In the co-feature at the Palms, featherweight Manny (The Anvil) Gamburyan won a unanimous decision over Leonard Garcia.
Garcia staved off most of Gamburyan’s takedowns and was crisper on his feet in the early going. But the five-foot-five Gamburyan kept coming and began to wear Garcia (13-5) down. The two showboated midway through the final round, daring the other to hit him. Gamburyan finished strongly.
The scores were 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 for Gamburyan (12-5).
Earlier, WEC newcomer Karen Darabedyan won a split decision over former lightweight champion (Razor) Rob McCullough.
Darabedyan (9-1) got McCullough’s attention with punches in the first round and, after taking him down, hurt him with some big elbows in the second. But McCullough rallied to open a cut under Darabedyan’s right eye.
The judging was all over the map, with Junichiro Kamijo giving all three rounds to Darabedyan and Tony Weeks awarding three to McCullough. Adalaide Byrd decided it by giving the first two rounds to Darabedyan.
McCullough (17-6) is now 2-2 since losing his title to Jamie Varner.
Tito (The Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz, who takes on Forrest Griffin at UFC 106 on Saturday, walked out with McCullough and cornered the ex-champion — wearing sunglasses.
L.C. Davis (15-2) looked impressive in handing Brazilian featherweight Diego Nunes (13-1) his first loss via 30-26 decision. Nunes lost a point for grabbing the fence.
Featherweight Cub Swanson (14-3), bouncing back from an eight-second KO loss to Aldo last time out, finished John Franchi (5-2) off via guillotine choke at 4:30 of the third round.
Swanson, who fractured his left index finger and broke his right hand, and Franchi picked up $10,000 each for fight of the night.
A bloody Antonio Banuelos (18-5) finished with a flurry to win a unanimous decision over Japanese bantamweight Kenji Osawa (15-9-2), who sported a Mohawk mullet for the occasion.
Lightweight Shane Roller (7-2) outlasted Danny Castillo (8-2), eventually locking on a rear naked choke at 3:32 of the third round. He picked up $10,000 for submission of the night.
Lightweight Kamal (The Prince of Persia) Shalorus (5-0-1) made short work of Will Kerr (8-2), knocking him down with a right to the head of the first round in a battle of WEC debutantes.
Despite giving up six inches in height, lightweight Ricardo Lamas (7-1) won a unanimous decision over six-foot-two James Krause (10-2).
Bantamweight Frank Gomez (8-1) won a unanimous decision over Seth Dikun (7-4).
