WEC boss: Once you see a show, you’ll be a fan

'Cowboy' Cerrone works out in Youngstown

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Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, WEC interim lightweight title contender, works out at Jack Loew's South Side Boxing Club for his Sept. 2 fight against Ben Henderson at the Covelli Centre.

By John Kovach

YOUNGSTOWN — Reed Harris, the founder and general manager of World Extreme Cagefighting, predicts that the growing popularity of the sport will attract a sellout to the Sept. 2 show at the Covelli Centre that will be televised live by the Versus Network.

“In our last show in Sacramento, we had 13,500 fans. We are expecting a sellout in Youngstown. The town has a history of boxing. We will be charging only $25 a ticket so it will be affordable and it will bring people in,” said Harris on Thursday morning at South Side Boxing Club.

Harris was on hand during a training session and press preview for the WEC No. 1 lightweight contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

“The sport is popular because it is a combination of boxing, martial arts and wrestling,” said Harris. “It answers the age-old question: Who is the toughest guy in the ring? There are so many ways to win. Nothing is predictable. Someone can be winning three rounds and make a mistake in seconds and get tapped out [forced to give up].”

Harris said that because the sport consists of several forms of combat, that “it appeals to a broad spectrum of people.”

In addition, “The sport requires training and discipline. The fighters are very fast and in good condition. Cerrone trains three times a day and then he has a fourth workout for cardio by running,” he added.

Harris and Cerrone were in town this week to promote the Sept. 2 show that will feature Cerrone’s elimination bout against Ben “Smooth” Henderson. The winner will fight champion Jaime Varner in December for the WEC lightweight title.

Harris said he was honored that Loew and protege Kelly Pavlik, the WBO and WBC middleweight champion, allowed him and Cerrone to visit the gym to share their boxing success in their hometown.

Loew, the 2007 boxing trainer of the year who helped to mold Pavlik’s career when Loew’s original gym was located on Erie Street, and Pavlik were on hand to observe Cerrone’s training session.

“Pavlik is a hero in Ohio. He also is well-known in Las Vegas. He has great boxing ability and it means a lot to train and fight here. It is an honor for us,” said Harris of Las Vegas, a Chicago native who founded the WEC in 2001.

The WEC has evolved into the sister organization of the well-established Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and into a very successful venture.

“I had 20 sellouts in a row and then I sold out to Zuffa which already owned UFC which was founded in 2001,” explained Harris. “UFC focuses on the heavier fighters, WEC on the lighter fighters [125-to-155 pounds].”

Zuffa, LLC, is an American sports promotion company specializing in mixed martial arts and founded in 2001.

Harris said that cagefighting continues to grow in popularity because people like it when they see it and come back for more. And, of course, because of television.

“This will be my 43rd event. I have never been disappointed,” said Harris. “Our growth has been exponential. It attracts a lot of people even if you don’t have big-name fighters. They like the sport. It answers the question who is the toughest.”

He said television also has spread the word to millions.

“We have a weekly show on the Versus Network. In our Sacramento show that drew 13,500 fans, 6 million people saw the replay on Versus. That is a big advantage. The idea is to get the fan in to see it the first time, and then they will come again.”

Harris is confident the fans will turn out at the Sept. 2 show at the Covelli Centre.

“I think we can fill it. I know this region and the TV ratings. Plus, we are charging only $25 a ticket,” said Harris. “This can be good for Youngstown, good for the economy. We can fill the hotel rooms like we did in Sacramento.”

Eric Ryan, executive director of the Covelli Centre, also is optimistic that the WEC event will succeed.

“We had about 3,000 fans for last year’s [King of the Cage] show. We can seat 7,000. I expect we will be near-capacity. It will be televised live,” said Ryan.

kovach@vindy.com

SEE ALSO: King of the Cage