WEC to launch flyweight division in 2009
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:32 pm
After contracting from six weight classes to four in 2008 following the elimination of its light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, World Extreme Cagefighting is on the verge of furthering its commitment to lighter weight fighters with reported plans to launch a flyweight division in 2009.
The news was first reported by MMA Weekly.
The addition of a 125 pound weight class would allow the WEC to expand its total number of divisions from four to five. According to MMA Weekly, March appears to be the earliest we will see fights contested in the WEC at flyweight.
As of now, no further details are known and it is uncertain whether the promotion has begun the process of signing fighters for the soon-to-be launched division. Top candidates that could be signed include Palace Fighting Championships veteran and Thai fighter Ramba “M-16″ Somdet and Strikeforce veteran Darren Uyenoyama.
Also, the online site for the UK-based magazine Fighters Only also is reporting that there is a rumor circulating that the WEC could be looking at Henry Cejudo for the division. Cejudo was a member of the U.S. Olympic team this past summer at the Beijing Games and won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling. He is currently training in boxing and has expressed a desire in the past to cross over into MMA.
5 ounces
The news was first reported by MMA Weekly.
The addition of a 125 pound weight class would allow the WEC to expand its total number of divisions from four to five. According to MMA Weekly, March appears to be the earliest we will see fights contested in the WEC at flyweight.
As of now, no further details are known and it is uncertain whether the promotion has begun the process of signing fighters for the soon-to-be launched division. Top candidates that could be signed include Palace Fighting Championships veteran and Thai fighter Ramba “M-16″ Somdet and Strikeforce veteran Darren Uyenoyama.
Also, the online site for the UK-based magazine Fighters Only also is reporting that there is a rumor circulating that the WEC could be looking at Henry Cejudo for the division. Cejudo was a member of the U.S. Olympic team this past summer at the Beijing Games and won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling. He is currently training in boxing and has expressed a desire in the past to cross over into MMA.
5 ounces