The Versus-televised event also features a lightweight co-main event between former IFL standout Chris Horodecki and Anthony Njokuani and a featured bout between bantamweight contenders Joseph Benavidez and Rani Yahya.

“Four of our top lightweights are going to be competing on Dec. 19, each with his sights set on securing a coveted shot at the world title,” WEC GM Reed Harris said in a release announcing the card. “Cerrone vs. Ratcliff has the potential to be an explosive standup war. We can expect much of the same from Njokuani and Horodecki as well. This is the perfect holiday gift for fans.”

“On Dec. 19, we are showcasing two of the world’s most dynamic bantamweights,” Harris continued. “Benavidez-Yahya has the potential to steal the show. We are really excited to bring this card to The Palms.”

Tickets, priced from $50 to $175, go on sale to the general public this Saturday, October 31 at 12 pm PT and are available online at Ticketmaster.com.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest WEC 45 news and WEC 45 rumors.

Though he came out on the losing end of a unanimous decision to Ben Henderson for the interim title earlier this month in the WEC 43 headliner, Cerrone (10-2) was impressive both on the ground and on his feet in the bout. “Cowboy’s” only other career loss came in January, as Cerrone dropped a controversial decision to lightweight champ Jamie Varner, who remains on the horizon as a likely future opponent.

Ratcliff (7-1) has gone 3-1 in 4 bouts with the WEC since mid-2007, including a unanimous decision victory over Phil Cardella in August at WEC 42.

The matchup is the first rumored for WEC 45, which is expected to take place at The Joint at The Hard Rock.

For the latest WEC 45 rumors check out the MMAFrenzy.com MMA rumors section.

The Versus-televised event follows November’s WEC 44 card, which will be held at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas and is headlined by featherweight champ Mike Brown vs. challenger Jose Aldo.

Originally expected to feature the return of lightweight champ Jamie Varner against recently-crowned interim title-holder Ben Henderson as well as the return of former featherweight champ Urijah Faber, it remains to be seen what matchup will headline the event as Henderson’s injuries suffered in last weekend’s win over Donald Cerrone will sideline him until early next year and Faber’s return is currently slated for January.

During the latest installment of ESPN’s “MMA Live,” Cerrone’s teammate Rashad Evans said “The Cowboy” could get his anticipated rematch with Varner with Henderson hurt, and the Cerrone-Varner matchup appears to be a possibility to headline WEC 45, though a non-title bout, including the return of former bantamweight king Miguel Torres, could be tapped for the WEC 45 main event.

One confirmed participant for WEC 45 is Bart Palaszewski, who returns to the WEC after scoring a knockout win outside the promotion earlier this month.

For the latest WEC 45 news and WEC 45 rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

“I think [Henderson] won the fight. Some people will say it might have gone the other way, but he definitely won the fight.

I just don’t get started. It’s something I’m trying to work on. I’d like to just go out there and get going right from the start, but I didn’t. I just got my ass kicked for the first two rounds and then decided I’d get fired up. I’m obviously disappointed in myself. I didn’t go out there and show what I had the first couple of rounds. I asked my coach, ‘What round are we in?’ He said, ‘Fourth.’ I said, ‘Oh, [expletive], I better get going.’”

Click here for more WEC 43 news.

Pictured: Donald Cerrone

Henderson and Cerrone were each awarded $20,000 for their electrifying “Fight of the Night,” and potential “Fight of the Year,” that saw Henderson edge Cerrone for a unanimous decision victory.

Semerzier upset Wagnney Fabiano to win “Submission of the Night” at WEC 43, submitting the former IFL champ with a triangle choke in the opening-round of their preliminary card bout to pocket an extra $10,000.

A $10,000 “Knockout of the Night” bonus went to Njokuani, who stopped Muhsin Corbbrey with strikes in the second-round of their prelim matchup.

Click here for more WEC 43 coverage.

Pictured: Anthony Njokuani

The matchup started with a frenzied pace and rarely slowed, as Cerrone strung together several submissions early in the opening round that appeared close to ending the fight, but Henderson managed to escape and turn the tide with takedowns and ground and pound to steal the frame. Henderson repeated the formula in rounds two and three, escaping more Cerrone submissions while taking the fight to the ground and largely cominating on the canvas.

Cerrone rebounded in the later rounds, shrugging off several takedowns in the fourth while connecting on the feet before finishing strong in the fifth and final round with more striking and several near-submissions.

With Henderson winning the second and third frames, and Cerrone taking the final two, the bout ultimately came down to the opening round and the judges sided unanimously with Henderson’s escapes and ground and pound, earning him 48-47 scores across the board, the interim title, and a future matchup with lightweight champ Jamie Varner.

Henderson improves to 10-1 with his victory in the “Fight of the Year” candidate, while Cerrone falls to 10-2.

The night’s other notable result took place on the preliminary card but made it onto the Versus broadcast, as newcomer Mackens Semerzier upset Wagnney Fabiano, submitting the former IFL featherweight champ with a triangle choke early in the opening round.

Dave Jansen, Raphael Assuncao, and Damacio Page also picked up main card wins, while Anthony Njokuani, Scott Jorgensen, Eddie Wineland, Charlie Valencia, and Deividas Taurosevicius were victorious on the WEC 43 prelims.

The official results for WEC 43 were:

• Ben Henderson def. Donald Cerrone via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
• Dave Jansen def. Rich Crunkilton via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Raphael Assuncao def. Yves Jabouin via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
• Damacio Page def. Will Campuzano via submission (rear naked choke) — Round 1, 1:02
• Anthony Njokuani def. Mushin Corbbrey via TKO (strikes) — Round 2, 1:24
• Scott Jorgensen def. Noah Thomas via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:13
• Mackens Semerzier def. Wagnney Fabiano via submission (triangle choke) — Round 1, 2:14
• Eddie Wineland def. Manny Tapia via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Charlie Valencia def. Coty Wheeler via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Deividas Taurosevicius def. Javier Vazquez via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

For the latest WEC news and WEC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

Pictured: Ben Henderson

MMAFrenzy.com will have live results from the WEC 43 preliminary card beginning at approximately 7pm ET, followed by live updates from the Versus-televised main card at 10pm.

Discuss the event in the comments below, follow along with our live results, and stop back after the fights conclude for post-event coverage.

WEC 43 LIVE RESULTS

• Ben Henderson def. Donald Cerrone via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
• Dave Jansen def. Rich Crunkilton via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Raphael Assuncao def. Yves Jabouin via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
• Damacio Page def. Will Campuzano via submission (rear naked choke) — Round 1, 1:02
• Anthony Njokuani def. Mushin Corbbrey via TKO (strikes) — Round 2, 1:24
• Scott Jorgensen def. Noah Thomas via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:13
• Mackens Semerzier def. Wagnney Fabiano via submission (triangle choke) — Round 1, 2:14
• Eddie Wineland def. Manny Tapia via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Charlie Valencia def. Coty Wheeler via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Deividas Taurosevicius def. Javier Vazquez via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)*

* Decision was met with boos from the crowd and many observers scored the fight in favor of Vazquez.

Click here for more WEC 43 coverage.

Cerrone (154.4) and Henderson (155) meet for the WEC interim lightweight title in the WEC 43 main event, which airs live tomorrow on Versus.

The official weigh-in results for WEC 43 were:

• Donald Cerrone (154.5) vs. Benson Henderson (155)
• Rich Crunkilton (156) vs. Dave Jansen (156)
• Raphael Assuncao (146) vs. Yves Jabouin (146)
• Damacio Page (136) vs. Will Campuzano (135)
• Anthony Njokuani (156) vs. Mushin Corbbrey (156)
• Noah Thomas (136) vs. Scott Jorgensen (136)
• Mackens Semerzier (146) vs. Wagnney Fabiano (145.5)
• Manny Tapia (135.5) vs. Eddie Wineland (135.5)
• Cody “Ox” Wheeler (135) vs. Charlie Valencia (134.5)
• Javier Vazquez (145) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (144.5)

The entire card has been rescheduled for Saturday, October 10 at a venue to-be-announced and is still set to air live on Versus.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest WEC news and WEC rumors.

Pictured: Ben Henderson

WEC lightweight contender Donald Cerrone (right) poses with WBO/WBC middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik during an open workout at Jack Loew’s South Side Boxing Club in Youngstown, OH on July 9. Cerrone conducted a 60-minute workout for members of the media in preparation of his Sept. 2 interim title fight against Ben Henderson at the Covelli Centre. During the course of the training session, Cerrone chatted with Pavlik regarding the intricacies of the fight game.

[Photo courtesy of the WEC]