While you could be forgiven for not having even a passing interest in extreme cage fighting, its current WEC champion, Jose Aldo, seems worth knowing. Despite making a living from beating the living daylights of other men, he is a shy, polite individual and a supreme athlete. One of his trademarks is his ear-splitting grin, which has become beloved of his fans across the world.
Pass him on the street and you wouldnt know hes arguably the third-best mixed martial artist (behind UFC champions Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva) on a planet that contains roughly seven billion people. Hes the perfect concoction of natural talent, world class training, and exquisite execution.
Defending his title against Manny (The Anvil) Gamburyan at WEC 51 was projected to be a difficult bout. Despite that, Aldo finished the challenge in the second round. The quick finish solidified the Brazilian's reputation as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts.
After a slow first round, Aldo (18-1) caught Gamburyan with a combo. The challenger tried to shoot in for a takedown and was caught with an uppercut. Gamburyan (13-6) fell to the mat and Aldo finished it with ground strikes. Referee Herb Dean stepped in at one minute 32 seconds.
The quick finish solidified the Brazilian's reputation as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts. While the sport might not be everyones cup of tea, its nice to see at least some of its proponents to be nice people.
