Dana White
UFC President Dana White called together journalists from all over the world, this Thursday (28), for a Press Conference in which he would announce big news. The top hat announced the merger of the UFC and WEC organizations in 2011, adding the featherweight and bantamweight categories to Ultimate.
With the merger, the Brazilian José Aldo, owner of the WEC under-66 kilos belt, becomes the new UFC featherweight champion. Beyond, Dominick Cruz takes over the bantamweight belt.
“The timing is the best possible. With the UFC growing worldwide, it makes sense to bring these lighter categories to us. Everyone knows that lower weight fights are exciting… Tell me the last time you saw a boring fight in the WEC. And we increased the promotion as we grew the event around the world,” said Dana.
Understand how it all happened
2006: ZUFFA, the company that runs the UFC, bought the WEC and maintained the event in parallel with Ultimate
2008: The WEC closes the light heavyweight, middleweight and welterweight categories. All fighters from these divisions are transferred to the UFC. The WEC only maintains the bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight categories.
2010: The merger of events was announced today, October 28th. The champions of the WEC featherweight and bantamweight divisions, who did not exist in Ultimate, pass and hold the UFC belt. Already Ben henderson, owner of the WEC lightweight title, will compete for the UFC belt against the winner of the duel between Frankie Edgar e Gray Maynard.
The WEC-52 and WEC-53 events, scheduled for November 11th and December 16th, remain scheduled and conclude the organization's history.
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