WEC 47: Jens Pulver loses again, but that's OK
Javier Vazquez, left, beats Jens Pulver by submission armbar in the first round at WEC 47. (March 6, 2010) Credit: WEC Photo
That makes seven losses in the last eight fights for Jens Pulver, but how can you root against "The Little Evil"?
He's an instant crowd favorite, an adoration earned over all the fights and all the years in UFC and WEC. But it's more than that. He's got charisma and an infectious personality. He may only weigh 145 pounds, but you'll feel he's the biggest dude in the room if you're ever in that room.
The 35-year-old Pulver probably shouldn't fight anymore, but we're not going to be upset the next time we see him in the Octagon.
"I would have been in his corner, too" his opponent Javier Vazquez said. "I'm a Jens Pulver fan, too. It was an honor to fight him. You'll never hear me say a bad word about Jens Pulver."
As for the actual fight at WEC 47 in Columbus, Ohio (not too far from his hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa), Pulver nearly had the guillotine choke in the first round but Vazquez was able to roll out of it. Later in the round, Vazquez held Pulver (22-13-1) down in a crucifix but Pulver was able to squirm out of it.
But the fight remained on the ground and Vazquez (14-3) locked in an armbar, forcing Pulver to tap out with 1:19 left in the first round.
"I just wanted to land those leg kicks, and I wanted to try and keep it fight exciting," Pulver said. "The fight right before mine probably put everybody to sleep and I wanted to come out and fix something."
Pulver hinted at this being his last fight, though he wouldn't actually say the words. But he gave what amounted to a farewell speech, thanking everyone from the fans to his family to UFC president Dana White.
