ATT
01-20-2009, 08:41 AM
http://mmajunkie.com/news/13764/miguel-torres-vs-brian-bowles-set-to-headline-wec-40-in-chicago.mma
A long-rumored title fight between WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (35-1 MMA, 4-0 WEC) and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles (7-0 MMA, 4-0 WEC) is now set for WEC 40.
Sources close to the bout notified MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that bout agreements had been issued for the as-yet-unannounced event.
WEC 40 is scheduled for April 5, and while an exact venue has not yet been determined, the event will represent the WEC's first trip to Chicago.
MMAjunkie.com first reported the possibility of a Torres vs. Bowles titile fight shortly after Bowles' submission win over Will Ribeiro at "WEC 37: Torres vs. Tapia" in December 2008. Sources close to the organization indicated at that time that Bowles had been tagged as the No. 1 contender to Torres' 135-pound title.
Now Bowles will get the chance to tackle the WEC's hottest commodity on Torres' home turf.
Hailing from East Chicago, Ind., just across the Indiana state line from Chicago, Torres has a nine-year history of fighting in around the Chicago metropolitan area.
In addition to the hometown crowd's vocal support, Torres will also bring a 16-fight win streak with him into the cage. Torres last -- and only -- taste of defeat came in November 2003.
Additional sources also told MMAjunkie.com that a No. 1 contender bout in the bantamweight division has also been added to the WEC 40 card.
Eleven-year veteran Jeff Curran (29-10-1 MMA, 2-2 WEC) and undefeated 24-year-old Joseph Benavidez (9-0 MMA, 1-0 WEC) have agreed to meet in a bout to determine who will be the next challenger to the 135-pound title.
Curran will be dropping to 135 pounds after consecutive losses to the WEC's best featherweights, Mike Brown and Urijah Faber.
Benavidez has reeled off nine-straight wins since his 2006 debut. The streak includes six submission and two TKO victories.
A long-rumored title fight between WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (35-1 MMA, 4-0 WEC) and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles (7-0 MMA, 4-0 WEC) is now set for WEC 40.
Sources close to the bout notified MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that bout agreements had been issued for the as-yet-unannounced event.
WEC 40 is scheduled for April 5, and while an exact venue has not yet been determined, the event will represent the WEC's first trip to Chicago.
MMAjunkie.com first reported the possibility of a Torres vs. Bowles titile fight shortly after Bowles' submission win over Will Ribeiro at "WEC 37: Torres vs. Tapia" in December 2008. Sources close to the organization indicated at that time that Bowles had been tagged as the No. 1 contender to Torres' 135-pound title.
Now Bowles will get the chance to tackle the WEC's hottest commodity on Torres' home turf.
Hailing from East Chicago, Ind., just across the Indiana state line from Chicago, Torres has a nine-year history of fighting in around the Chicago metropolitan area.
In addition to the hometown crowd's vocal support, Torres will also bring a 16-fight win streak with him into the cage. Torres last -- and only -- taste of defeat came in November 2003.
Additional sources also told MMAjunkie.com that a No. 1 contender bout in the bantamweight division has also been added to the WEC 40 card.
Eleven-year veteran Jeff Curran (29-10-1 MMA, 2-2 WEC) and undefeated 24-year-old Joseph Benavidez (9-0 MMA, 1-0 WEC) have agreed to meet in a bout to determine who will be the next challenger to the 135-pound title.
Curran will be dropping to 135 pounds after consecutive losses to the WEC's best featherweights, Mike Brown and Urijah Faber.
Benavidez has reeled off nine-straight wins since his 2006 debut. The streak includes six submission and two TKO victories.