11 Matchups Greenlit for WEC 52

Nigerian-born muay Thai practitioner Anthony Njokuani will lock horns with World Extreme Cagefighting newcomer Edward Faaloloto in a preliminary lightweight duel at WEC 52 “Faber vs. Mizugaki” on Nov. 11 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Eleven fights are now official for the event, which will air live on the Versus network.

Njokuani will carry a two-fight losing streak into the match, his first since a surprising technical knockout defeat to Maciej Jewtuszko at WEC 50 in August. Spawned by the Janjira Muay Thai camp, the 30-year-old striker has secured more than half (seven) of his 12 career victories by knockout or TKO. Njokuani owns notable wins over the resurgent Bart Palaszewski, 2007 International Fight League lightweight grand prix finalist Chris Horodecki and EliteXC veteran Muhsin Corbbrey. He has not gone the distance in nearly four years.

Unbeaten in two professional appearances, Faaloloto last competed in May, when he submitted Justin Babbs with a first-round kimura under the X-1 banner. The lightweight has never fought outside of his home state of Hawaii.

Meanwhile, Firas Zahabi protégé Yves Jabouin will collide with the once-beaten Brandon Visher in a preliminary matchup at 145 pounds.

Jabouin, who has trained with current UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, will enter the cage on a two-fight losing streak. The 31-year-old Haitian-born Canadian has not fought since WEC 49 in June, when he was victimized in a second-round TKO loss to Mark Hominick at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. A potent stand-up fighter, Jabouin has posted 11 of his 14 wins by KO or TKO.

Visher finds himself on the rebound for the first time. Unblemished through his first 13 professional appearances, the 26-year-old Hawaiian succumbed to first-round elbows from Tyler Toner at WEC 48 in April. One of Hawaii’s top MMA exports, he sports 10 finishes among his 13 victories.

A bantamweight showdown pairing former featherweight king Urijah Faber with Japanese standout Takeya Mizugaki will headline WEC 52, along with a key featherweight duel pitting the world-ranked Josh Grispi against Erik Koch. Meanwhile, two-time bantamweight title challenger Joseph Benavidez will return to the cage in a featured 135-pound tilt against former International Fight League champion Wagnney Fabiano.

WEC 52 “Faber vs. Mizugaki”
Thursday, Nov. 11
Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas

Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Josh Grispi vs. Erik Koch
Joseph Benavidez vs. Wagnney Fabiano
Chad Mendes vs. Javier Vazquez
Damacio Page vs. Eddie Wineland
L.C. Davis vs. Raphael Assuncao
Anthony Njokuani vs. Edward Faaloloto
Zachary Micklewright vs. Dustin Poirier
Michael McDonald vs. Clint Godfrey
Cub Swanson vs. Mackens Semerzier
Yves Jabouin vs. Brandon Visher