Ringside Report

WEC 46 airs live from the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California tonight and is televised on Versus in he U.S. and The Score in Canada. Jamie Varner versus Benson Henderson for the undisputed WEC lightweight championship will be the main event. Urijah Faber will fight Raphael Assuncao, Dave Jansen takes on Kamal Shalorus, Mike Brown versus Anthony Morrison and Mackens Semerzier will take on Deividas Taurosevicius.

In the preliminary fights:

Will Campuzano defeated Coty Wheeler via unanimous decision

Eddie Wineland defeated George Roop via unanimous decision

Mark Hominick defeated Bryan Caraway via arm-bar submission in Round 1

Wagney Fabiano defeated Clint Godfrey via unanimous decision

Charlie Valencia defeated Akitoshi Tamura via split-decision

Main Card Fights

Mackens Semerzier v. Deividas Taurosevicius (145 lbs.)

Round 1

Taurosevicius leads with a right hand and pushes Semerzier against the cage and they lock-up. Semerzier attempts a guillotinte but Taurosevicius takes him down and escapes the hold. Taurosevicius throws some leg kicks to a downed Semerzier and pounces down, trying to pass the guard. Taurosevicius scores some elbows in side-control but goes bck into guard and tries to slam Semerzier, but Semerzier pushes away and stands up. Taurosevicius shot in for another takedown but gets blocked and Semerzier goes for a guillotine but gets slammed to the mat. Taurosevicius tries to work from the guard but Semerzier locks him up and the referee stands the fighters. Taurosevicius went for another shot and pushed Semerzier against the cage as the first round comes to its conclusion.  Ringside Report scores Round 1 for Deividas Taurosevicius: 10-9

Round 2

Semerzier landed a couple leg kicks and a punching combo in the first minute of the round. Taurosevicius was able to clinch-up and take down his opponent. Semerzier stood back up and scored a nice rolling takedown. Semerzier tried to lock in a triangle choke but Taurosevicius stayed aware and did not get caught. Taurosevicius tried to work some punches in Semerzier’s guard and kept him grounded for over two minutes in the round. Ringside Report scores Round 2 for Deividas Taurosevicius: 10-9

Round 3

Semerzier landed two body kicks in the first round but got his leg caught by his opponent and was taken down again. Semerzier was able to quickly get back to his feet and the fighters exchanged knees to the body. Taurosevicius landed a punch and tried a takedown which looked avoided but Taurosevicius held on to his opponent’s leg and took him down. Taurosevicius attempted a heel-hook but Semerzier escaped the hold and scored some punches standing over his grounded opponent. Semerzier managed to open a cut on his opponent’s forehead, he tried to land some hammer fists on the spot but got trapped in a body-lock. Semerzier attempted a guillotine with 30 seconds remaining but Taurosevicius was able to pop his head out and score some elbows from top position as the fight came to a close. Ringside Report scores Round 3 for Mackens Semerzier: 10-9

Deividas Taurosevicius defeats Mackens Semerzier via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Mike Brown v. Anthony Morrison (145 lbs.)

Round 1

Morrison lands some body kicks in the first minute of the fight and Brown clinches him up against the cage and scores a takedown. Mike Brown landed several punches from the crucifix position. Morrison rolled out of the predicament but Brown scored the mount and landed some punches. Morrison rolled and Brown took his back to lock in a rear-naked choke. Morrison could not escape the hold and was forced to tap.

Mike Brown defeats Anthony Morrison via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:54 in Round 1

Dave Jansen v. Kamal Shalorus (155 lbs.)

Round 1

Jansen landed a nice punching combination, Shalorus scored with a counter-right hand. Shalorus scored a leg kick and Jansen landed an overhand right. Shalorus scored a right hand, Jansen went for a shot but Shalorus blocked it easily. Jansen tried to land a punch but Shalorus countered with a hard left hand. Jansen tried for a takedown but Shalorus stopped him again. Jansen left himself momentarily open for a takedown but got back to his feet. Shalorus landed some big punches that opened up a cut below Jansen’s left eye. Shalorus landed a big punch that dropped his opponent to one knee as the fighters exchanged on their feet. Ringside Report scores Round 1 for Kamal Shalorus: 10-9

Round 2

Shalorus landed another counter-left hand as Jansen pushed forward. Shalorus continues to get the better of the exchanges as Jansen stays on the outside and gets hit when moving forward. Shalorus landed a takedown half-way through the round and tried to pass guard but Jansen got back to his feet. Shalorus ate a knee to the face and Jansen tried a takedown but was unable to score. Jansen landed an overhand right that rocked his opponent. Shalorus fought back with a nice right hand as a cut on Jansen’s forehead begins to open. Jansen tried a takedown in the final moments of the round but was stuffed by Shalorus. Ringside Report scores Round 2 for Kamal Shalorus: 10-9

Round 3

Shalorus landed a combination in the first 30 seconds and blocked two takedown attempts from his opponent. Shalorus continued to land punches and landed a hard leg kick. Jansen went for a takedown but Shalorus shrugged it off and stepped away. Jansen landed an uppercut that did not affect Shalorus. Jansen was taken down but Shalorus let him stand up and continue the fight. Jansen scored a nice knee on Shalorus but he came back with a right hand. Shalorus scored an easy takedown with just over one minute remaining in the fight. Jansen backed up against the cage and tried to avoid taking damage on the ground. Jansen got back to his feet and was pinned against the cage as the fight ended. Ringside Report scores Round 3 for Kamal Shalorus: 10-9

Kamal Shalorus defeats Dave Jansen via unanimous (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Urijah Faber v. Raphael Assuncao (145 lbs.)

Round 1

The two fighters squared off and Assuncao clinched Faber up against the cage with double under-hooks.  Faber escaped and threw a push kick. Faber tried to rush in but Assuncao evaded him like a bull fighter and pushed him against the cage. Faber landed a punch against the cage and Assuncao backed away. Faber landed a straight right hand and pushed his opponent against the fence. Assuncao reversed the position and they released. Assuncao landed a left hand and a leg kick to a charging Faber that knocked him down. Faber quickly got to his feet but was clinched up again into the fence. Faber pushed away and the two fighters exchanged punches. Faber landed an uppercut and Assuncao countered with a right hand. Faber landed another push kick and tried for a flying knee that was blocked. Assuncao scored a leg kick and a right hand as the fighters squared off in the final 30 seconds of the round. Ringside Report scores Round 1 for Raphael Assuncao: 10-9

Round 2

Faber lands a push kick early in the round and takes down his opponent. Faber works from Assuncao’s guard. Assuncao rolled away but Faber locked in a guillotine choke that turned into a north-south choke when Assuncao rolled. Assuncao was able to escape the choke and get back to his feet. Faber landed an overhand right and a body kick. Faber landed a huge overhand right hand that dropped Assuncao to the mat. Faber pounced on his opponent but Assuncao was able to close up his guard and tried to block Faber from landing his elbow strikes from the top. Faber did manage to score a big elbow and punch as Assuncao tried for an omoplata. Assuncao scored some elbows from the bottom and struggled back to his feet as the round came to a close. Ringside Report scores Round 2 for Urijah Faber: 10-9

Round 3

Faber scored a leg kick and a single-leg takedown in the first 30 seconds of the final round. Assuncao did not stay down for long and shot in for a takedown of his own. Faber fought off his opponent and avoided the takedown. Faber threw a push kick and Assuncao followed up with a leg kick that tripped Faber to the ground. Urijah Faber quickly got to his feet and dropped his opponent with a straight right hand. Faber worked some punches and elbows from Assuncao’s guard. Raphael Assuncao tried to roll out of the position but Faber took his back and locked in a rear-naked choke. Assuncao tried to escape but could not and was forced to submit.

Urijah Faber defeats Raphael Assuncao via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:48 in Round 3

Jamie Varner (C) v. Benson Henderson (I.C.) for the WEC Undisputed Lightweight Championship (155 lbs.)

Round 1

Jamie Varner scored a double leg takedown in the first minute of the fight and scored some punches from the top as Henderson attempted a knee-bar. Henderson tried to roll back to his feet but Varner locked him up in a guillotine attempt. Varner kept hold on Henderson’s neck and worked some knees to the body on his downed opponent. Henderson stood up but Varner wrenched back on his neck and scored a knee to the face. Henderson went back down to one knee and Varner held on, working his body with some knees. Referee Herb Dean decided to stand up the fighters after some inaction on the ground. Henderson scored a kick to the body and Varner walked to a neutral corner as if he was kicked in the groin. Henderson pounced on his opponent but Varner quickly realized the ref had not stopped the fight and clinched up with Henderson. Varner and Henderson traded some knees while they grappled against the cage and the round came to a close. Ringside Report scores Round 1 for Jamie Varner: 10-9

Round 2

Jamie Varner attempted a flying knee but Henderson avoided it and pushed him against the cage. Henderson landed a body kick and Varner replied with a leg kick and a head kick attempt. Varner tripped Henderson to the ground with a leg kick but Henderson popped back to his feet. Henderson landed a body kick but Varner rushed back with a punching combo that was mostly blocked. Henderson scored another clean body kick and rushed in with a leg kick and a kick to the face. Varner caught the kick and pushed Henderson down to the mat. Henderson got to his feet and rushed in with another leg kick. Henderson attempted a single-leg but Varner spun out and avoided the takedown. Varner pushed Henderson against the cage and landed some hammer fists as Henderson tied up his head. Ringside Report scores Round 2 for Benson Henderson: 10-9

Jamie Varner led with some punches to push Henderson into the cage. Varner got double under-hooks on Henderson who countered with some knees to the body. Varner backed off and the two fighters squared off. Henderson landed another roundhouse kick to the body and a knee to the body to catch a charging Varner. Henderson scored a body kick and a knee as Jamie Varner charged in for a takedown. Benson Henderson jumped into a guillotine as Varner attempted the double-leg. Henderson wrenched back on the neck of a standing Varner who quickly tapped out to the choke-hold.

Benson Henderson defeats Jamie Varner via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:41 in Round 3 to become the undisputed WEC lightweight champion