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WEC 42: Brian Bowles KOs Miguel Torres, Wins Bantamweight Title

In one of the biggest MMA upsets of the year, Brian Bowles defeated Miguel Torres Sunday night at WEC 42, winning the bantamweight title with a shocking first-round knockout.

"I was just confident that I could win," Bowles said. "I convinced myself that I could beat him."

Bowles was patient in the early going, barely even trying to go on the offensive for the first minute of the fight. But Bowles landed a hard right hand that knocked Torres down in the second minute of the first round, and after that Torres looked like he was wobbly.

Bowles later took Torres to the ground and landed some strikes, and when they stood back up, Bowles knocked Torres to the ground once again, this time landing several more punches to Torres' face while the two were on the ground, eventually knocking Torres out cold.

To see Torres unconscious on the canvas is an absolutely stunning sight; Torres came into the fight with a 37-1 record, and the only loss was by decision. Now he's 37-2, and no one will be calling him the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world anymore.

Bowles, however, has just become a star among MMA fans. He's still relatively inexperienced, with an 8-0 record -- but one of those eight is against Torres, and that makes Bowles the bantamweight champion of the world. It's a championship that Bowles doesn't plan to relinquish any time soon.

"I won this belt," Bowles said. "I earned it, and I want to keep on defending it."

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Massive Upset at WEC 42
Brian Bowles punches Miguel Torres during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.
Josh Hedges, WEC
Josh Hedges, WEC

WEC 42 Images

    Miguel Torres and Brian Bowles stare each other down before their bantamweight title match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles punches Miguel Torres during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles punches Miguel Torres during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles punches Miguel Torres during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles punches Miguel Torres during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Miguel Torres punches Brian Bowles during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles punches Miguel Torres during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles punches Miguel Torres during their match at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles celebrates his victory at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

    Brian Bowles celebrates his victory at WEC 42 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2009.

    Josh Hedges, WEC

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