LAS VEGAS - There were stars shining inside and outside of the Octagon at WEC 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
In the front row, Paris Hilton, along with her sister and their dates, attracted plenty of attention. Stars of another variety were also present. Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell of the UFC and the IFL's Justin Levens were just a few of the fighters in attendance.
And then, of course, there were some rising stars inside the cage for the March fight.
• Using spry standup capped off with a slick sequence of grappling to finish the job, Carlos Condit took the vacant WEC welterweight title with a second-round submission over John Alessio.
• In the semi-main, Urijah Faber registered his third title defense with an impressive guillotine submission over previously unbeaten Dominic Cruz at 1:38 of the first.
• WEC bantamweight champ Eddie Wineland made a game five-round stand against challenger Chase Beebe, but he dropped a unanimous decision.
In other action ...
• Brock Larson defeated Erik Apple at 3:43 of the first.
• Dave Terrel scored a TKO over Tiki Ghosn at 1:46 of the second.
• Cub Swanson defeated Tommy Lee at 3:17 of the first with a guillotine.
• At 3:12 of Round 1, Charlie Valencia scored a TKO over Antonio Banuelos.
• Using a guillotine, Alex Serduykov defeated Scott Norton at :57 of the second.
• Micah Miller scored a triangle submission over Jesse Moreng at 3:29 of the third.
• At :41 of the first, Brian Stann defeated Steve Cantwell by TKO.
- The WEC contributed to this report.
Quotes
• "I punished his ribs and knew he was hurt." - Carlos Condit
• "I knew I was at a different level than this guy." - Urijah Faber
• "I'm training day and night. I know there's a lot of young studs out there." - Faber
• "He hit hard as hell." - Chase Beebe
Meet the New Boss
By Robert Monroe
Here's your chance to get to know Carlos Condit, the new WEC welterweight champion.
Do you have any pre-fight superstitions?
Condit: Not really, but the afternoon before the fight I like to have a nice lunch with my family if they're in town.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself with a family and a gym of my own. I will probably still be fighting but getting ready to retire, hopefully as one of the greats.
What is your ultimate goal in the sport?
To fight and beat the best in the world. To be a world champion, make my mark, and then get out with my brain and my body intact.
Who is the most influential person in your life?
My dad. He instilled in me a hard-nosed, never-say-die, warrior spirit. But above all else, he taught me to be a kind and gentle person and to always treat others with respect. That is more important to me than being a great fighter.
Who is your favorite fighter?
Ramon Dekker, because he had a perfect balance of technique and aggression.
Does your family support you in the sport?
Absolutely, of course they are concerned for my well-being, but they are proud of me.
How do you spend your free time?
I like to hang out with my friends, most of whom are fighters. We watch fight tapes and brainstorm ways to hurt people-in the ring of course. Mostly I enjoy spending time with my lovely girlfriend and our rowdy little Jack Russell Terrier.
What is the difference between fighting in Japan vs. America?
The rules vary a bit, and the crowds in Japan are more reserved but better informed. You would never hear Japanese fans booing two fighters who were engaged in a ground battle.
Numbers, Stats, Figures
Carlos Condit
Age: 22
Record: 20-4
Total Career Submissions: 14
Total KOs: 9
John Alessio
Age: 28
Record: 18-11
Total Career Submissions: 9
Total KOs: 6
Urijah Faber
Age: 27
Record: 18-1
Total Career Submissions: 8
Total KOs: 7
Dominic Cruz
Age: 21
Record: 9-1
Total Career Submissions: 1
Total KOs: 4
A Moment With Urijah Faber
FULL HEAT
I am not like Chuck [Liddell] in which I protect against the takedown. I will come right at a guy because I feel really, really comfortable on the ground. Grappling is my thing. I'll punch and kick a guy until he gets desperate and tries to take me down. Then I'll choke him out, and that's exactly what happened.
NO DELAY
I knew it would be quick. This guy [Dominic Cruz] had gone the distance with guys who I felt were not in my caliber, and I just knew I'd be a step above.
GAMEPLAN
I wanted to be in his face and be real aggressive. That is my strategy in general. I was coming at him full bore.
AGGRESSIVENESS
That's [aggressiveness] just me. I don't modify my style too much for my opponent. I see openings and go for them. I did not see tape of this guy, so what it came down to is that I imposed my will on him and was not worried about him at all.
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