WEC NEWS: WEC 53 garners 615,000 viewers on Versus, seventh most in organization's history

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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The final event for World Extreme Cagefighting was a successful finale for the organization. Not only was Anthony Pettis' remarkable kick off the wall in the fifth round of his bout with Ben Henderson plastered all over ESPN in the days following the event, but the organization brought in the second most viewers for a WEC event on Versus in 2010, and the seventh most viewers overall for the organization.

The Thursday night broadcast garnered a .62 household rating with an average of 615,000 viewers, just short of the mark set with the first WEC event of the year. The WEC 46 event in January, headlined by Henderson against then Champion Jamie Varner, brought 640,000 viewers to the network.

The number was still well short of the biggest WEC events on the network, as well as a few hundred thousand viewers less than the UFC's two forays onto the network in 2010. But the number was above average for the organization, and helped usher out the WEC as the organization is folded into the UFC in 2011.

Penick's Analysis: The numbers are good comparatively speaking, but overall it helps to illustrate why the WEC is folding into the UFC. Without the UFC branding the organization simply wasn't bringing in the numbers to the network. When the UFC ran two cards on Versus in 2010 - both of which were on the lower end of their televised events overall from a drawing power standpoint - that brought in more viewers than any of the WEC cards not headlined by Urijah Faber, it was clear that the WEC wasn't going to gain any more traction with the WEC brand. Still, the organization will be missed overall, but this was a great main event to finish out with.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/WEC/article_7915.shtml

John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves 

Updated Card For WWE-MSG Event Inside Here, More

Here’s the most recent card for WWE’s Madison Square Garden show on December 26th in New York City. *John Cena vs. Randy Orton vs. The Miz vs. Wade Barrett in a Steel Cage for the WWE title. *Roddy Piper returns to MSG to present Piper’s Pit with special guest Sgt. Slaughter. *12 Man Battle Royal: Zack Ryder, R-Truth, David Otunga, John Morrison, Vladimir Kozlov, William Regal, Alex Riley, Justin Gabriel, Goldust, Primo, Ezekiel Jackson, Ted DiBiase, Heath Slater, Michael McGillcutty, Husky Harris, DH Smith *Battle Royal winner to challenge WWE United States champion Daniel ...

Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2010/12/updated-card-for-wwe-msg-event-inside-here-more/

Dong Hyun Kim Kevin Knabjian John Kolosci Cheick Kongo Josh Koscheck

Full Jungle Fight 24 Results

<B>By MATT MOLGAARD<BR> MMANEWS.COM Staff Writer</B><BR><BR> Jungle Fight 24 got underway last night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The card touted a handful of promising Brazilian competitors, and featured an intriguing main event as Edilberto de Oliviera toed the line with the extremely experienced Luis Sergio da Fonseca Melo.<BR><BR> Oliviera began the bout strong, out-striking his foe and taking the early lead. Melo however, answered in the second frame by mixing up his attack and landing brutal leg kicks to even things up going into the third and final round. Round three looked similar to the two previous, but neither man had any give in him, and the two battled to a fair, albeit somewhat unsatisfying draw.<BR><BR> Giberto Galvao and Renato Moicano also picked up submission victories leading up to the evenings main event.<BR><BR> Full Jungle Fight 24 Results:<BR><BR> 1 Wendell Oliveira Def. Tadeu Mendonca TKO (Punches)<BR> 2 Nelson Martins Def. Bruno Capelosa DQ (Illegal Rabbit Punches)<BR> 3 Francisco Drinaldo Def. Bruno Lobato Submission (Anaconda Choke)<BR> 4 Ildemar Alcantara Def. Jackson Mora TKO (Punches)<BR> 5 Gilberto Galvao Def. Dimitri Burgo Submission (Kimura)<BR> 6 Renato Moicano Def. Eduardo Felipe Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)<BR> 7 Edilberto de Oliveira Draw Luis Sergio da Fonseca Melo<BR><BR>

Source: http://www.mmanews.com/home.php

Amar Suloev Mike Swick Takashi Sugiura Jung Chan Sung Minoru Suzuki

White stirring the pot with his GSP vs. Gretzky discussion

Mixed martial arts is a hot topic right now in Canada. UFC lands in Montreal again this weekend and expects a crowd in excess of 23,000 and a gate of over $5 million. The UFC also announced it's hitting Ontario for the first time in April. That event at Rogers Centre is expected to pull in a record crowd, in excess of 30,000. The Canadian fanbase has a lot of might, so much so that Dana White is convinced the nation's top fighter is bigger than any athlete in the country's history. From The Canadian Press:

"Georges St-Pierre is the most famous athlete to ever, ever -- in the history of the world -- come out of Canada," said White. [...]

"Let's fly Georges St-Pierre and Wayne Gretzky anywhere else in the world other than America and Canada. Who gives a [expletive] [about Gretzky]?"

White evens knows Gretzky. He's say it's nothing personal, but the truth is the truth. White continued:

"I like Wayne Gretzky. I was just with him, his wife and his kids a month ago over at one of the casinos here in Las Vegas. Super nice guy. Got nothing against him. Fly him over to England, fly him over to Asia, fly him to anywhere in Europe, Georges St-Pierre gets mobbed, nobody knows who the hell Wayne Gretzky is."

It's an awesome compliment for St. Pierre, but it also puts him in an odd position. How do you defend yourself without sounding like you're a braggart and dumping on Gretzky? Said St. Pierre:

"But the thing is hockey is not a popular sport in every country though. So it's hard to say, I don't know. Maybe global-wide because MMA is in every country of the world and hockey is not but I don't know."

GSP was asked about the topic several times during Thursday's UFC 124 prefight press conference. 

White's said this for a while, but now he's turning up the heat. Does he really believe what he's saying? Probably. Remember, he's also not a huge sports fan beyond fighting and has been immersed in MMA for a long time. That said, it doesn't hurt to get Canadians debating the GSP vs. Gretzky issue. It may even get a few non-MMA fans to buy UFC 124 on pay-per-view wondering, "who is this St. Pierre guy?"

It's an interesting debate. Can someone be the most famous athlete to come out of a nation if he's not even close to being the most popular in his own country?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/White-stirring-the-pot-with-his-GSP-vs-Gretzky-?urn=mma-293850

Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng David Heath

What's Next for the Winners and Losers of WEC 53: "Henderson vs. Pettis"?

It?s been a long time coming, but we?re finally here, fans and friends: the WEC is no more, WEC 53: ?Henderson vs. Pettis? now exists only in the hearts and minds of the countless legions of fans it entertained. In the main event, Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis fought a five-round war that gave birth [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/17/whats-next-for-the-winners-and-losers-of-wec-53-henderson-vs-pettis

Anthony Pettis Nam Phan Mike Pierce Mike Plotcheck Ross Pointon

Fedor Emelianenko Vs. Antonio Silva Expected For Jan. 29th Strikeforce

According to a report from MMAWeekly.com it looks like Strikeforce and M-1 Global have come to agreement on when Fedor Emelianenko's next Strikeforce bout will be.<br><br> On January 29th, Fedor will return to the cage for the first time since a submission loss to Fabricio Werdum earlier this year. His opponent will be none other than Antonio "Big Foot" Silva who is fresh off at second round TKO win over Mike Kyle.<br><br> Nick Diaz and Jason Miller are also expected to compete on the card, although not against each other.

Source: http://www.mmanews.com/home.php

Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia Jason Grace Crosley Gracie Gregor Gracie

Tom Wright on UFC 129 in Toronto ? It?s all about the fan experience

UFC Canada Director of Operations Tom Wright talks about their Toronto debut which is set for UFC 129 on April 30. The event will be held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario which can hold 69,000 spectators. Wright explains that the goal of the event is to showcase the sport, the athletes and the [...]

Tom Wright on UFC 129 in Toronto – It’s all about the fan experience is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News

Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/ufc-news/tom-wright-on-ufc-129-in-toronto-its-all-about-the-fan-experience-52674/

Luke Stewart Denis Stojnic Curtis Stout Sam Stout Georges St Pierre