WEC 43

{{short description|WEC MMA event in 2009}}

{{Infobox MMA event

|name= WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson

|image= Wec-43-san-antonio-poster.jpg

|promotion=World Extreme Cagefighting

|date=October 10, 2009

|venue=AT&T Center

|city=San Antonio, Texas

|attendance=5,176{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/16456/wec-43-draws-5176-spectators-harris-says-hes-sure-promotion-will-return-to-texas.mma|title=WEC 43 draws 5,176 spectators; Harris says he's "sure" promotion will return to Texas|publisher=MMAjunkie.com |access-date=October 11, 2009}}

|gate=$297,990

|buyrate=

|previousevent=WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles

|followingevent= WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo

}}

WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting on October 10, 2009, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.com/2009/08/wec-43-cerrone-vs-henderson-secures-new-site-in-san-antonio-texas|title=New site secured in San Antonio, Texas, for "WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson"|date=2009-08-29|website=MMA Junkie|language=en|access-date=2019-05-13}}

Background

The event was scheduled to take place on September 2, 2009, at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. However, due to headliner Benson Henderson having eye surgery, the event was later rescheduled.{{cite web|url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/wec-43-rescheduled-for-oct-10-19285|title=WEC 43 Rescheduled for Oct. 10|access-date=August 24, 2009|publisher=Sherdog.com}}

The main event was expected to be a WEC Lightweight Championship bout between current champion Jamie Varner and challenger Donald Cerrone. This was to be a rematch of their bout at WEC 38 which ended in a controversial technical split decision, but Varner was deemed medically unable to return to competition. Instead, the WEC had Cerrone face Benson Henderson, for the WEC Interim Lightweight Championship, with the winner fighting Varner in a title unification bout when he was medically cleared. The Varner/Cerrone rematch would later take place at WEC 51 the following year (though after Varner lost the title), where Cerrone won by unanimous decision.

A previously announced bout between Alex Karalexis and Anthony Pettis has been cancelled due to an injury suffered by Karalexis while training.{{cite web|last=Stupp |first=Dann |url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/15885/alex-karalexis-vs-anthony-pettis-scrapped-from-wec-43-main-card-replacement-not-determined.mma |title=Alex Karalexis vs. Anthony Pettis scrapped from WEC 43; main-card replacement not determined |publisher=MMAjunkie.com|access-date=August 18, 2009}} The fight was rescheduled for WEC 48.

Mark Hominick was expected to face Deividas Taurosevičius at the event, but was forced from the bout with an injury and replaced by Javier Vazquez.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/16265/wec-43-javier-vazquez-replaces-mark-hominick-meets-deividas-taurosevicius.mma |title=WEC 43: Javier Vazquez replaces Mark Hominick, meets Deividas Taurosevicius |publisher=MMAjunkie.com|access-date=September 21, 2009}}

Erik Koch was expected to face Wagnney Fabiano at the event, but was forced from the bout with an injury and replaced by promotional newcomer Mackens Semerzier.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/16333/newcomer-mackens-semerzier-replaces-injured-erik-koch-on-wec-43-prelims.mma |title=Newcomer Mackens Semerzier replaces injured Erik Koch on WEC 43 prelims |publisher=MMAjunkie.com|access-date=September 29, 2009}}

Rafael Rebello was originally scheduled to face Scott Jorgensen at this event, but was removed from the bout and replaced by Noah Thomas.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/16231/noah-thomas-replaces-rafael-rebello-meets-scott-jorgensen-at-wec-43.mma |title=Noah Thomas replaces Rafael Rebello, meets Scott Jorgensen at WEC 43 |publisher=MMAjunkie.com|access-date=September 18, 2009}}

Akitoshi Tamura was expected to compete against Damacio Page at this event, but was pulled from the card due to injury and replaced by WEC newcomer Will Campuzano.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/16299/texas-product-will-campuzano-replaces-injured-akitoshi-tamura-at-wec-43.mma |title=Texas product Will Campuzano replaces injured Akitoshi Tamura at WEC 43 |publisher=MMAjunkie.com|access-date=September 24, 2009}}

The event drew an estimated 419,000 viewers on Versus.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/wec-43-cerrone-vs-henderson|title = WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson | MMA Event}}

Results

{{MMAevent}}

{{MMAevent card|Main card}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Lightweight

|Benson Henderson

|def

|Donald Cerrone

|Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 48–47)

|5

|5:00

|For the interim WEC Lightweight Championship.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Lightweight

|Dave Jansen

|def

|Richard Crunkilton

|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Featherweight

|Raphael Assunção

|def

|Yves Jabouin

|Decision (split) (30–27, 27–30, 29–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Bantamweight

|Damacio Page

|def

|Will Campuzano

|Submission (rear naked choke)

|1

|1:02

|

}}

{{MMAevent card|Preliminary card|header=no}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Lightweight

|Anthony Njokuani

|def

|Muhsin Corbbrey

|TKO (punches)

|2

|1:42

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Bantamweight

|Scott Jorgensen

|def

|Noah Thomas

|TKO (punches)

|1

|3:13

|This bout was aired on the live broadcast.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Featherweight

|Mackens Semerzier

|def

|Wagnney Fabiano

|Submission (triangle choke)

|1

|2:14

|This bout was aired on the live broadcast.

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Bantamweight

|Eddie Wineland

|def

|Manny Tapia

|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Bantamweight

|Charlie Valencia

|def

|Coty Wheeler

|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent bout

|Featherweight

|Deividas Taurosevičius

|def

|Javier Vazquez

|Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)

|3

|5:00

|

}}

{{MMAevent end|notes=yes}}

Bonus Awards

Fighters were awarded $10,000 bonuses, with the Fight of the Night earners having their bonuses doubled to $20,000 each.{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/16454/wec-43-bonuses-henderson-cerrone-semerzier-and-jorgensen-earn-25k-awards.mma|title=WEC 43 bonuses: Henderson, Cerrone, Semerzier, Njokuani earn $20K and $10K awards|publisher=MMAJunkie.com|access-date=October 10, 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714151335/mmajunkie.com/news/16454/wec-43-bonuses-henderson-cerrone-semerzier-and-jorgensen-earn-25k-awards.mma|archive-date=July 14, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

  • Fight of the Night: {{flagicon|USA}} Donald Cerrone vs. {{flagicon|USA}} Benson Henderson
  • Knockout of the Night: {{flagicon|Nigeria}} Anthony Njokuani
  • Submission of the Night: {{flagicon|USA}} Mackens Semerzier

See also

References