UFC to subsume WEC

This week’s announcement that the UFC will subsume its sister company, the WEC, has generated a lot of buzz. It’s a poignant end to an entertaining promotion, though the road always seemed bound for here.

Ever since the UFC absorbed half the WEC’s divisions (welterweight, middleweight and light-heavyweight) in 2008, a belief persisted that they’d one day return for the other half. Meanwhile, the WEC enjoyed a reasonably successful two year stint as a tri-divisional show: lightweight, featherweight and bantamweight.

Not only were bite-sized fighters the show’s novelty, but the lack of overlapping weight classes (lightweight being the only commonality) lessened fan confusion about how the WEC and UFC relate. Or so it was thought.

“Not having to explain the difference, or lack of difference, to the fans is going to be nice,” said WEC superstar Urijah Faber. “I’m looking forward to the satisfaction of there finally being no difference between the UFC and the WEC.”

Fellow fan-favourite Miguel Torres was of a similar mind. "We've sort of been viewed as second-tier fighters, and now we've got the opportunity to show the world that we belong in the UFC."

The UFC has long benefited from the clarity of its barebones divisional palette. Its five weight classes were a deliberate foil to boxing’s unwieldy 17.

Five divisions simply don’t produce enough UFC superstars to sustain the number of live events that the UFC now aspires to stage.

But the company’s expanding ambition demands an expanded schedule of shows. Five divisions simply don’t produce enough UFC superstars to sustain the number of live events that the UFC now aspires to stage. More divisions mean more champions, and more champions mean more title fights.

WEC veterans such as Urijah Faber, Jose Aldo and Miguel Torres are readymade stars that can immediately begin bolstering otherwise threadbare UFC cards. And there are plenty of other exciting prospects en route from the WEC.

Belt-wise, UFC president Dana White has already confirmed WEC bantamweight kingpin Jose Aldo as the inaugural holder of the UFC championship. Similarly, featherweight champ Dominic Cruz or contender Scott Jorgensen will be crowned the UFC’s first featherweight champion, dependant on the outcome of their 16 December showdown (at the last ever WEC show).

MMA fans can look forward to seeing the likes of Jose Aldo on UFC fight cards:

All that’s causing the merger to lose a little of its sheen, is Dana White’s bizarre decision to award the WEC lightweight champion an immediate title shot against the UFC lightweight champion. That will be Ben Henderson if he successfully defends his belt one last time on 16 December. If not, it’ll be Anthony Pettis. Neither is a top 10 ranked fighter.

How would you feel if you were Kenny Florian, BJ Penn, Nate Diaz, Clay Guida, or any other UFC lightweight incumbent who has fought tooth and nail for their standing?

Being circumspect, a manoeuvre of this scale was never likely to pass without some turbulence. When the dust settles, and the lightweight landscape clears, the UFC will be in a stronger position to stage better cards for the fans. Other considerations, though troublesome, pale beneath that endgame.

Alan Murphy