WEC arrives in Columbus, OH tonight with a packed card at the Nationwide Arena.  Prelminary bouts begin at 7:00pm, with the televised card airing on Versus at 10pm EST.   Brian Bowles and Domenick Cruz will square off for the bantamweight title while Miguel Torres and Jens Pulver return to the cage looking to rebound from recent losses.  Also featured on the card is rising star LC Davis and the debuts of Chad Mendes and Eric Koch.

Benchwarmers United will bring you the play-by-play call of the action throughout the evening:

Preliminary Results:

• Ricardo Lamas over Bendy Casimir by knockout at 3:43 of Round 1
• Fredson Paixao over Courtney Buck by rear naked choke at 2:39 of Round 1
• Leonard Garcia and George Roop declared split draw
• Anthony Pettis over Danny Castillo by KO at 2:17 of Round 1
• Chad Mendes over Erik Koch by unanimous decision (30-27 on all cards)
• Scott Jorgensen over Chad George by guillotine choke at 0:31 of Round 1

Bart Palaszewski Vs. Karen Darabedyan

Round 1

The fighters feel each other out in the middle of the cage.  Palaszewski lands a left hook.  Leg kick lands for Palaszewski.  Darabedyan lands a vicious combination of shots that hurts Palaszewski.  Darabedyan takes Palaszewski down and Palaszewski stops the assault.  Palaszewski goes for armbar but Darabedyan defends.  Darabedyan lands a few hammerfist, postures up and lands a few more.  Palaszewski lands an upkick and Darabedyan comes back down for a mount.  Palaszewski is now in closed guard preventing Darabedyan from posturing up.  Darabedyan breaks the closed guard and unleashes another barrage of punches.  Darabedyan  begins landing elbows.  Palaszewski goes for an armbar and cinches it tight.  Darabedyan  fights it off, but Palaszewski digs his hips in harder, stays on the arm and forces the tapout.

Official Result
Palaszewski by armbar submission at 4:40 of Round 1

Deividas Taurosevicius Vs. LC Davis

Round 1

The fighters come out cautiously.  Davis attempts a leg kick, Taurosevicius counters with a head kick attempt.  Davis grabs a clinch and backs Taurosevicius against the cage.  Davis lands a few knees.  Taurosevicius works off the cage and now has Davis backed up against the cage.  Davis turns the table back around and lands some knees.  Ref breaks the clinch.  Taurosevicius lands inside leg kick.  Davis lands a stiff jab.  The fighters clinch again with Davis pushing Taurosevicius against the wall.  Taurosevicius attempts a knee lift and Davis times it perfectly with a right hook.  Taurosevicius turns it around and drops for a single leg.  David sprawls and turns Taurosevicius back into the cage wall in the clinch.  Taurosevicius works off cage and goes for the single leg again.  Taurosevicius works his way up into a body lock but Davis defends as round comes to an end.

Close round goes to Davis as he was the aggressor and controlled the pace.

Round 2

The fighters come out aggressively both missing leg kicks and punches.  Taurosevicius goes underneath for a takedown attempt, but Davis easily defends.  Taurosevicius circles Davis to cage and attempts another single leg, but Davis sprawls out and drops Taurosevicius flat to canvas.  Taurosevicius doesn’t give up on it and gets the takedown.  Davis uses the cage to stand back up and the fighters clinch again.  Taurosevicius lands a knee to the groin of Davis and it appears low.  Davis is hurt, but ref will not stop action.  Taurosevicius goes to work on Davis to the body and Davis finally recovers from the low blow.  Davis works Taurosevicius to the cage in the clinch and Taurosevicius lands another obvious knee to the groin. Davis complains and ref tells him he didn’t see it.  Ref breaks the clinch.  Davis lands a nice right to the head and Taurosevicius reaches in for a body lock.  Taurosevicius drops for a single leg, but Davis defends well again.  Round comes to an end.

Due to referee not calling low blows, round has to go to Taurosevicius

Round 3

Davis lands quickly with a left and Taurosevicius counters back with his own.  Davis grabs the clinch and backs Taurosevicius into the cage again.  The crowd begins to boo.  Taurosevicius shifts to a body lock and lands knee to Davis’ head.  Taurosevicius lands an elbow to the head.  The fighters break the clinch, back to the center.  Davis blocks a head kick.  Davis shoots for a takedown, but Taurosevicius pulls him back up into a clinch.  The fans begin to boo again.  Taurosevicius grabs another body lock along the cage, trying to bring Davis to the mat.  The referee breaks the clinch.  Davis lands a straight left and shoots underneath for a double leg takedown.  Davis has his left arm pinned underneath Taurosevicius and cannot take advantage before referee stands them up.  Thirty seconds left and the fighters are very cautious.  Taurosevicius comes forward for a clinch, Davis circles him into cage wall one last time before the fight comes to an end.

Final round goes to Davis in an uneventful defensive affair.

Official Result
Davis by majority decision of 29-29, 29-28 and 29-28.

Jens Pulver Vs. Javier Vazquez

Round 1

Fan favorite Pulver enters the cage to an excited crowd that is clearly in his corner.  The bell sounds and Vasquez lands first with a solid left to the head and Pulver backs away.  Vasquez goes under and Pulver catches him in guillotine.  Vasquez breaks the choke and they are on their feet.  The fighters scramble on the mat and Vasquez takes Pulver’s back.  Vasquez lands a few shots before Pulver turns tables and gets a mount.  Pulver postures up, landing a few shots on in his way up.  Pulver attempts to come back down, but Vasquez reverses and gets side mount.  Vasquez gets a crucifix and begins raining down shots.  Pulver scrambles, Vasquez gets his back and cinches a rear naked choke.  Pulver defends and scrambles to get to his back.  Vasquez gets a mount position, Pulver extends his arm and Vasquez makes him pay for it as he locks in an arm bar.  Vasquez stretches the arm tight and Pulver taps out.

Official Result
Vasquez by arm bar submission at 3:41 of Round 1

Miguel Torres Vs. Joseph Benavidez

Round 1

Torres lands inside leg kick.  Lots of caution between the fighters as Torres circles around the cage.  The fighters both miss with kicks.  Benavidez blocks a head kick.  Leg kick lands for Torres.  The fighters trade shots to the head.  Torres lunges in with a shot to the head, but Benavidez backs him of with a right.  Torres leaps in for a lower leg kick and Benavidez drops him to mat with a straight right.  Torres looks for an upkick but Benavidez refuses to be drawn in. The fighters clinch and Torres nails Benavidez with a knee.  Benavidez scrambles and gets a takedown.  Torres is in guard and lands heels into Benavidez’ lower back and and legs.  Benavidez has side mount, but Torres has solid guard.  Torres back to full guard.  Benavidez pulls out of mount as the round comes to an end.

Round goes to Torres with his defensive scoring.

Round 2

Benavidez lands a leg kick. Benavidez lunges in and connects with a few hard shots.  Wild punches by Benavidez miss.  Torres lands a leg kick.  Kick to body by Benavidez.  Leg kick by Benavidez.  Torres is pecking away with the jab consistently.  Benavidez gets a takedown with a leg trip and lands a few elbow shots to the head.  Torres is cut real bad and bleeding all over the place from the elbow blows.  Benavidez pounces and Torres scrambles.  Benavidez grabs a guillotine choke, cinches it tight and Torres taps out.

Official Result
Benavidez by guillotine choke submission at 2:57 of Round 2

Brian Bowles Vs. Dominick Cruz

Round 1

Cruz connects first with leg kick.  Bowles responds with a left to the chin.  Bowles misses a looping right and Cruz counters with a right.  Cruz misses with a kick and Bowles counters with a combination of punches.  The fighters trade blows with each scoring.  Bowles lunges and misses, Cruz nails him with a counter right that hurts Bowles.  The fighters trade blows again.  Bowles steps in and lands a left.  Cruz sticks a jab and Bowles lunges forward.  Cruz scrambles to score a takedown.  Bowles is in guard and defends well.  Cruz pulls out and they are back on their feet.  Combination followed by a leg kick for Cruz.  The fighters trade blows as the round comes to an end.

Solid round goes to Cruz

Round 2

Cruz connects with a counter right hook.  Cruz sticks the jab.  Leg kick by Cruz.  Bowles connects with a straight right.  Bowles catches a body kick and lunges but doesn’t score.  Cruz hits Bowles with jab as he falls backwards.  Combination by Cruz and lower leg kick sweep drops Bowles.  Cruz allows Bowles to get back up.  Leg kick by Cruz, but Bowles sticks a right to head.  Bowles is bleeding heavily from his nose.  Cruz nails another hard leg kick.  Bowles goes for a clinch and Cruz lands a kick to the groin.  Timeout in ring as Bowles catches his wind.  Flurry by Bowles as action begins again.  Cruz misses with looping right and Bowles counters with a combination.  Cruz goes underneath and easily lands a double leg takedown as the round comes to an end.

Another solid and clear round for Cruz.  During break, the fight doctor reviews Bowles and calls a halt to the action due to a broken hand.  Cruz is the new champion.

Official Result
Cruz by TKO due to injury at 5:00 of Round 2