Jens Pulver is a little less evil

Tonight’s WEC 47 card is tight. Undefeated bantamweight champ Brian Bowles (8-0) headlines against challenger Dominick Cruz (14-1). It’s Bowles’ first title defense since taking the belt from Miguel Torres last August. Torres (37-2) is also on the card. He’ll face Joseph Benavidez (11-1) in a 135-pound tilt that will fast-track the winner to a title shot.

But the fight I’m really eyeing is Jens Pulver (22-12-1) against Javier Vazquez (13-4). Some say the former UFC lightweight champ is washed up and maybe he is. Pulver has dropped six of his last seven, after all. But consider who those six winning opponents were – BJ Penn, Urijah Faber (twice), Josh Grispi, Leonard Garcia and Joe Lauzon. It’s not as though Pulver is taking the easy way out of the game. And I’m curious to see what he still has left.

Jonathan Snowden over at Brawl Sports has a good interview with Pulver that covers the ups and downs of his entire career. Pulver is a lot smarter, or at least a lot more self-aware and introspective, than his cage persona indicates. And if you’re at all familiar with his abusive white-trash upbringing, you’ve got to respect what he’s done with his life.