Eddie Wineland is expected to face promotional newcomer Ken Stone at WEC 53 on Dec. 16. Sources close to the fight told MMA Fighting on Tuesday that the bout has been agreed to and contracts are expected to be finalized soon.
Wineland, the first bantamweight champion in WEC history, was scheduled to fight Damacio Page on Thursday at WEC 52 in Las Vegas. But as first reported by MMA Fighting, he had to pull out of that bout with a shoulder injury.
Instead, he gets Stone (9-1), an American Top Team product fighting out of Massachusetts who has all nine of his career wins by stoppage. Stone's last win came against Jason Bennett at an American Fighting Organization event in Massachusetts – a first-round guillotine submission. His only loss was a split decision setback to Jason McLean at an AFO show in 2009.
Wineland (17-6-1, 4-2 WEC) is on a three-fight winning streak that includes a Knockout of the Night win over Will Campuzano at WEC 49 and two sweeps of the judges scorecards against Manny Tapia and George Roop.
WEC 53 will be the final event for the promotion before merging into the UFC in 2011. The card will take place at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz., outside Phoenix – a location chosen by fans in a promotional campaign with Amp Energy.
WEC 53 is headlined by a pair of title fights. Champion Ben Henderson puts his lightweight title up against Anthony Pettis. The winner of that fight will fight the winner of the UFC lightweight title fight between Gray Maynard and champion Frankie Edgar to unify the two belts. And bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz defends his title against Scott Jorgensen. In addition, Donald Cerrone meets Chris Horodecki, Jamie Varner fights Shane Roller and Bart Palaszewski fights Kamal Shalorus.
Wineland, the first bantamweight champion in WEC history, was scheduled to fight Damacio Page on Thursday at WEC 52 in Las Vegas. But as first reported by MMA Fighting, he had to pull out of that bout with a shoulder injury.
Instead, he gets Stone (9-1), an American Top Team product fighting out of Massachusetts who has all nine of his career wins by stoppage. Stone's last win came against Jason Bennett at an American Fighting Organization event in Massachusetts – a first-round guillotine submission. His only loss was a split decision setback to Jason McLean at an AFO show in 2009.
Wineland (17-6-1, 4-2 WEC) is on a three-fight winning streak that includes a Knockout of the Night win over Will Campuzano at WEC 49 and two sweeps of the judges scorecards against Manny Tapia and George Roop.
WEC 53 will be the final event for the promotion before merging into the UFC in 2011. The card will take place at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz., outside Phoenix – a location chosen by fans in a promotional campaign with Amp Energy.
WEC 53 is headlined by a pair of title fights. Champion Ben Henderson puts his lightweight title up against Anthony Pettis. The winner of that fight will fight the winner of the UFC lightweight title fight between Gray Maynard and champion Frankie Edgar to unify the two belts. And bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz defends his title against Scott Jorgensen. In addition, Donald Cerrone meets Chris Horodecki, Jamie Varner fights Shane Roller and Bart Palaszewski fights Kamal Shalorus.
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