MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Some people are better when they play from behind.

Miguel Torres is most dangerous when he's fighting from his back.

Such was the case when the East Chicago resident defeated Chase Beebe of Chicago for the World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight championship during a WEC Live on Versus card Wednesday night at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M.

Torres, the challenger, began the fight with a couple of stiff kicks to the back of Beebe's legs. Torres later landed a hard right-handed punch to Beebe's head. Beebe responded with chute takedown and proceeded to land several glancing elbows and forearms through Torres' prone guard.

With impressive ground and close-quarters agility, Torres nearly caught Beebe with a leg-triangle choke hold. Beebe was able to slither free, but sustained a jarring kick to the head right after escaping.

Beebe, a seasoned grappler, again took Torres down to mat. That's when Torres put on a jiujitsu clinic, first nearly hooking a reverse arm bar, and then applying a series of choke holds. When an inverted version of a "guillotine choke" was secured, Beebe tapped out 3:59 into the five round-scheduled bout.

"Jiujitsu, jiujitsu, jiujitsu," Torres told the audience by way of microphone when asked about his mode of fighting.

Torres improved his WEC-sanctioned record to 20-1-0. Beebe fell to 13-2-0.