It has recently been reported that a welterweight contest between Paulo Thiago and Mike Pyle has been added to the rapidly awesomingUFC 142 card, which goes down January 14th in Rio. Thiago, a Brazilian superhero of sorts, last competed in the UFC’s return to Brazil at UFC 134, notching a unanimous decision victory over David Mitchell. It was Thiago’s first win in his past three contests, so a win over Pyle is likely necessary if he wants to keep his job that doesn’t involve Brazilian gangs, which, according to this one documentary I saw, are fucking terrifying. Pyle, on the other hand, just saw a three fight win streak (one that included an upset win over British prospect John Hathaway) snapped at the hands of Canadian wrecking machine Rory MacDonald.
It has recently been reported that a welterweight contest between Paulo Thiago and Mike Pyle has been added to the rapidly awesomingUFC 142 card, which goes down January 14th in Rio. Thiago, a Brazilian superhero of sorts, last competed in the UFC’s return to Brazil at UFC 134, notching a unanimous decision victory over David Mitchell. It was Thiago’s first win in his past three contests, so a win over Pyle is likely necessary if he wants to keep his job that doesn’t involve Brazilian gangs, which, according to this one documentary I saw, are fucking terrifying. Pyle, on the other hand, just saw a three fight win streak (one that included an upset win over British prospect John Hathaway) snapped at the hands of Canadian wrecking machine Rory MacDonald.
Coming off a close decision loss to bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz at UFC on Versus 6, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will be looking to get back in the win column against the first ever WEC bantamweight champion, Eddie Wineland. Wineland is in a similar position as Thiago, having dropped two straight unanimous decisions to Team Alpha members Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez at UFC 128 and UFC Live: Lytle vs. Hardy, respectively, and will be a huge underdog coming into this bout.
UFC on FOX 2 is set to transpire January 28, 2012 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Filed under: DREAM, UFC, Rankings, BantamweightsOne of the things that demonstrates Dominick Cruz’s dominance over the bantamweight division in mixed martial arts is also one of the problems that the UFC is going to have promoting him going forward: He…
One of the things that demonstrates Dominick Cruz‘s dominance over the bantamweight division in mixed martial arts is also one of the problems that the UFC is going to have promoting him going forward: He has already handily beaten most of the best 135-pound fighters in the world, and there aren’t a lot of big fights for him out there.
Cruz’s latest conquest was Demetrious Johnson, and that fight went a lot like most of Cruz’s other fights: It wasn’t a vicious, violent beatdown, but it was a one-sided display of technical dominance, a fight in which we knew within the first minute or two that we were going to see Cruz win a unanimous decision.
As much as MMA fans recognize Cruz’s skill, it’s going to be hard for the UFC to get the general public excited about his fights because the public likes guys who destroy their opponents better than guys who win through their technical mastery. Still, there’s no doubting that Cruz is by far the best in the bantamweight division: He’s already beaten most of the other Top 10 bantamweights, as you’ll see below.
Top 10 Bantamweights in MMA (Number in parentheses is the fighter’s rank in the last bantamweight list.)
1. Dominick Cruz (1): One of the really impressive aspects of Cruz’s current run is the quality of the competition he’s facing. As we’ll discuss below, there are a lot of really good bantamweights in the UFC right now — Johnson, Joseph Benavidez, Brian Bowles, Urijah Faber, Scott Jorgensen — and Cruz has beaten them all handily.
2. Joseph Benavidez (2): Benavidez is 15-0 when he’s not fighting Cruz, and 0-2 when he is fighting Cruz. If the UFC ever adds a flyweight class, Benavidez could easily make the cut to 125 pounds and would likely be the division’s first champion. Instead he languishes as the second-best fighter in a division where he’s already lost twice to the best.
3. Brian Bowles (3): After losing the bantamweight belt to Cruz in March of 2010, Bowles missed a year because of injuries. Now he’s 2-0 in 2011, and if he makes it 3-0 by beating Faber at UFC 139, he’ll probably get another shot at Cruz.
4. Urijah Faber (4): If Faber gets by Bowles at UFC 139, the UFC will probably give him his rubber match with Cruz. But that says more about Faber being the UFC’s most marketable bantamweight than it says about Faber’s chances of taking the bantamweight belt from Cruz: The way Cruz beat Faber at UFC 132 leaves little doubt that Cruz would be a heavy favorite if they fight again.
5. Bibiano Fernandes (NR): The former Dream featherweight champion, Fernandes is now fighting at 135 pounds in the Dream bantamweight tournament, and he looks great there: He’s better off fighting at a lower weight. He’s the best bantamweight outside the UFC, and he could be a great future opponent for Cruz if the UFC ever signs him.
6. Demetrious Johnson (5): Mighty Mouse is undersized at 135 pounds, and he would benefit from a move down to flyweight. The UFC has been talking about creating a flyweight class for a long time (and the WEC talked about it for a long time before that), and with guys like Johnson and Benavidez around, there’s no better time than now.
7. Scott Jorgensen (6): Jorgensen was thoroughly outclassed by Cruz last year, but he bounced back with a big knockout win over Ken Stone in June. He draws Jeff Curran next at UFC 137.
8. Miguel Torres (7): The former WEC bantamweight champion, Torres is the best UFC bantamweight who hasn’t yet fought Cruz. I also think Torres could be an interesting opponent for Cruz because he has height and reach that match up well with Cruz, and because he’s good at fighting off his back, and Cruz showed against Johnson that he can at times be sloppy on top. Torres is coming off a loss to Johnson, and he probably needs to go on a two-fight winning streak before the UFC would give him a crack at Cruz. He can start that streak at UFC 139, when he fights Nick Pace.
9. Brad Pickett (8): After putting together some very impressive performances in the WEC, the British Pickett will finally make his UFC debut on his home turf at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England, where he’ll face …
10. Renan Barão (9): Barao is on an incredible run, having won 26 straight fights (with one no contest) since dropping his professional MMA debut in 2005. However, all but the last three of those fights have been against little-known opponents on small Brazilian shows. Going to England to face Pickett represents a big step up in quality of competition for Barao, and the fight represents a very good match-up to determine which one of them really deserves to be considered a Top 10 bantamweight.
Filed under: UFCIt’s not often that we see a title fight on free TV. As expected, Saturday night’s bantamweight contest at UFC on Versus 6 provided the full 25 minutes, and maybe showed some fans the difference between the lumbering heavyweights at the…
It’s not often that we see a title fight on free TV. As expected, Saturday night’s bantamweight contest at UFC on Versus 6 provided the full 25 minutes, and maybe showed some fans the difference between the lumbering heavyweights at the top of the MMA food chain and the swift little hummingbirds in the lighter divisions.
The 135-pounders may not be long on finishing power, but at least they keep coming without slowing down. They don’t overwhelm, but they also don’t run out of gas halfway through. Either you appreciate that or you don’t. After the performances of some of the heavyweights last weekend at UFC 135, I’m guessing a lot of fight fans do.
But now that another one is in the books, it’s time again to sift through the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between from UFC on Versus 6.
Biggest Winner: Anthony Johnson
He said he wanted an exciting finish to silence the critics who weren’t too pleased about his strategy in the Dan Hardy fight. Kicking Brenneman in the face until he fell down was a good way to go about that. Fight fans have short enough memories that a good TKO win will make them forget all about the time you promised a slugfest and delivered a wrestling match instead. All it took was him placing his foot across another man’s face in as violent a fashion as possible. A very simple and reliable formula for changing public perception if there ever was one.
Biggest Loser: Charlie Brenneman
Fresh off his big win over Rick Story, he gets TKO’d by “Rumble” Johnson in a fight he was never really in. He can complain all he wants about the stoppage, but even before he got kicked in the face he was on wobbly legs, clinging to the fence rather than guarding his head. Maybe he could have fought on, but he wasn’t doing much fighting when he took a foot to the grill. I can’t blame a referee for watching that scene unfold and then deciding Brenneman was done. Now he goes from late-notice hero to just another welterweight in a crowded field. The fall was only slightly quicker than the rise, but looked far more painful.
Most Perfunctory Title Defense: Dominick Cruz
Okay, so it wasn’t the most dominant or impressive victory of his career. He looked mildly vulnerable at times and, most shockingly, even a little bit tired. Still, Cruz controlled the fight down the stretch and did what he had to do, so he goes home with the hardware. Was it a breakout performance that will make him a huge star? Probably not, but any night you leave with the title that you showed up with is a good night indeed. Cruz remains the best 135-pounder in the world, and he showed that he can dig down and gut one out when he needs to. In fact, the only thing he lacks at the moment is fresh, compelling challengers. Unfortunately for him, there’s not a lot he can do about that.
Worst Use of a Reach Advantage: Stefan Struve
While the fight stayed standing, he did very little to keep Barry at a distance. Despite having arms and legs that were about the size of Barry’s entire body, he just kept letting the smaller man walk him down. In fact, of all the problems Barry had in the fight, getting within striking distance seemed to be the least of his troubles. It was only once the fight hit the mat and Struve was on his back that he managed to put his long limbs to good use, locking up a triangle choke that Barry really should have seen coming. Again, Struve’s submissions game continues to sneak up on opponents, though it honestly shouldn’t. He’s won more fights that way than he has by any other method, so when will people stop thinking that it’s a good idea to grapple with him? As long as he uses his range so much better on the ground than he does on the feet, there’s little reason to take the Dutchman down.
Mr. Consistency: Paul Sass
I’ve heard MMA trainers say that what they really want is not a guy who can pull off every submission in the book, but a guy who has one or two good ones that he can nail on command. Sass has the triangle choke and the heel hook, and he doesn’t need anything else. With his heel hook of Michael Johnson he remained unbeaten in twelve pro fights, and he’s ended with a submission in eleven of those. You’d think that any opponent would be able to take a quick look at his record and know what to watch out for, and you’d be right. The fact that he keeps pulling those moves off anyway tells you just how good he is.
Most in Need of a Ground Game: Pat Barry
He’s a great kickboxer and a likeable guy, but at times it seems he can be finished by the merest suggestion of a submission. I don’t care how vicious your leg kicks are, if you can’t defend against a triangle choke any better than that you have a very limited future in the UFC. Barry’s had plenty of time to develop his overall game, and he has improved. Just not enough. The UFC has been somewhat kind to him in terms of matchmaking, largely keeping him away from the better grapplers in the heavyweight division, but still he finds ways to get submitted. It’s a shame, because he’s a lot of fun to watch when he’s in his element. It’s when he’s not that it gets ugly in a hurry.
Most in Need of an Ice Pack: Demetrious Johnson
He showed a lot of heart and did much better than most expected, but he’s still going home with a lump the size of a cueball in his face. That’s not something you can cover with a pair of sunglasses, either. All it takes is for you to roll over on it once in your sleep and your whole night is ruined. Though of course, losing a title fight probably has a similar effect.
Narrowest Margin of Victory: Matt Wiman
Watching him bounce around while the decision was read, I had a flashback to Wiman’s mini-freakout after the judges sided with Dennis Siver over him at UFC 132. That night he bolted from the cage like he’d left his car running out front. If the decision had gone the other way this time, he might have taken off through the streets of D.C. and been halfway to Florida by now. Fortunately for Wiman, he got the nod from the judges, but just barely. A guy who can’t take it when a squeaker doesn’t go his way should really learn to stop leaving it up to the judges. Or if he is going to go the distance, he could at least make it a little clearer who the winner and the loser was. Keeping it that close is a good way to go home disappointed.
You ever get really lazy while liveblogging and decide to just use a picture of the fighters in the main event and offer nothing clever in the caption? Yeah, me neither. Props: Pennyjomma.net
You know why you’re here. You know what to expect. Let’s just jump right into this. Also, weekend editor Seth Falvo is handling tonight’s liveblog duties, so please direct all of your hateful comments at him. And hit “refresh” early and often.
You ever get really lazy while liveblogging and decide to just use a picture of the fighters in the main event and offer nothing clever in the caption? Yeah, me neither. Props: Pennyjomma.net
You know why you’re here. You know what to expect. Let’s just jump right into this. Also, weekend editor Seth Falvo is handling tonight’s liveblog duties, so please direct all of your hateful comments at him. And hit “refresh” early and often.
We have the obligatory pre-fight hype for tonight’s main event. Yushin Okami was hyped as “the strongest opponent that Anderson Silva has ever faced”, while Demetrious Johnson is being hyped as “the fastest opponent that Dominick Cruz has ever faced”. Foreshadowing much? You tell me, comments section. Here we go…right into a commercial break.
Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig cut his hair, and arguably packed on mass. Okay, maybe not. I just wanted to make a Mac from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia reference, and wanted to get it out of the way as early as possible. This one begins after we return from commercials.
Round One:
Leg kick Wiman. They clinch in the center of the cage, with Danzig landing some nice elbows and knees. Danzig goes for a head kick, and gets taken down by Wiman. Danzig looking for a guillotine, but can’t get his arm under Wiman’s neck. They stand, with Danzig landing some good shots before clinching again. Wiman lands an elbow from the clinch. Wiman lands another leg kick. More clinching, as they exchange elbows and hooks. They separate, with Wiman pushing the pace. Wiman lands another elbow, and Danzig’s nose is bleeding. Nice body kick by Danzig. Wiman is landing some nice elbows and knees from the clinch. Wiman goes for a takedown, but Danzig stuffs it as the first round ends.
Round Two:
Leg kick Wiman. And another. Danzig pushes Wiman into the cage, but Matt Wiman lands some elbows from the clinch. They separate, and now Wiman has Danzig against the cage. More elbows, before they separate and Danzig gets the takedown. Danzig attempts to pass guard, but Wiman stuff it. Wiman works for a triangle, but it doesn’t work. He transitions into an armbar, but Danzig manages to stack him up. Wiman attempts a kimura, but Danzig defends. They stand and exchange punches, with Danzig getting the better of the exchange. Another leg kick by Wiman. He shoots for a takedown, but Danzig avoids it. They exchange, with neither guy landing anything, as this round ends.
Round Three:
Wiman comes out swinging, but not really landing anything. Wiman lands a straight right before pushing Danzig into the cage. Another elbow from Wiman. And another. Danzig’s nose is a mess, but he counters and manages to escape. Failed takedown attempt from Wiman, and he looks gassed. They exchange, with Danzig getting the better of the exchanges. Wiman goes for a takedown, then pulls guard. Danzig gets control of Wiman’s back and throws punches before going for a rear naked choke. Wiman defends, and transitions to side control. Wiman begins raining down elbows. Danzig manages to stand up, and eats more elbows from the clinch. Wiman works for a takedown against the cage…but Danzig manages to catch him in a guillotine! Can Wiman hold out until the end of the round? Yes, yes he can. This one will go to the judges.
Great show from both fighters, but the judges give this one to Matt Wiman, 29-28 on all cards. The crowd is not impressed. Fight of the Night? We’ll see.
Some obligatory shots of the Washington Monument and the White House before a three way interview with Joe Rogan, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. Both fighters chose to give incredibly safe answers. Seriously, think of the safest thing you could say about if you were either of them about their last fight and predictions for their next fight, and you’ll probably come up with their responses verbatim. Not that anyone should be surprised by this.
Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman
Anthony Johnson violates our ban about “bringing your old self back”. He promises a knockout by either head kick or a straight right. Hmm…when have we heard him say that before?
Round One:
Nice knee by Johnson. Brenneman shoots for a takedown, but Rumble sprawls. Some punches from Johnson while Brenneman turtles up. Nice knees to the body by Johnson. Brenneman needs to do something quickly. Brenneman manages to pull half guard and attempts a guillotine. Johnson moves into side control and stands up. Johnson grazes Brenneman with a head kick, but Brenneman manages to fall back to his knees. The second head kick from Johnson lands as Brenneman stands up, and this one is waved off, with Brenneman sitting up arguing about the stoppage. Premature stoppage? I’ll leave that for the comments section to discuss.
Rumble tells Joe Rogan that after everything that people were saying after the Dan Hardy fight, he knew he’d have to make a statement. He then says that Charlie Brenneman was the first fighter he’s faced that actually had him nervous. He then asks the crowd to give it up for Brenneman, because “he’s a beast”. I honestly can’t tell if he’s being facetious or not.
Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve
Before the fight, Pat Barry sums it up by saying “This is a Dutch kickboxer versus an American kickboxer. We’re going to punch and kick each other until one of us gives up.” Struve hints at possibly using his jiu jitsu, but I’m inclined to believe that Barry’s pre-fight prediction will be more accurate. We’ll see.
Round One:
They feel each other out before Struve lands a body kick against Barry. Leg kick Barry. And another. Not a lot of action, as they feel each other out while the crowd begins to boo. Leg kick Barry, as Struve answers with a teep. Leg kick Barry, as Struve jabs. The crowd begins booing louder. Head kick attempt from Barry, but Struve avoids it. Struve utilizes a few teeps before throwing a leg kick. Barry is doing a good job ducking under Struve’s punches, but he isn’t landing any opf his counter punches. Leg kick Barry before completely missing a Crane Kick as the round ends. Okay, so it wasn’t a Crane kick so much as a jumping kick that completely misses, but I need SOMETHING to entertain me.
Round Two:
Barry with a nice uppercut to start the round. Barry throws another head kick, but Struve blocks it. Leg kick Struve. barry checks a kick before answering with a leg kick of his own. Barry lands another leg kick. And another. Struve attempts to clinch, but Barry escapes. Struve attempts a knee, but Barry answers with a hook. Struve attempts a standing guillotine, and then takes the action to the matt. Struve transitions to guard and locks in a triangle. Barry with an impressive slam, but Struve hangs on. Barry taps. Very interesting ending to an otherwise forgettable fight.
Tough break, Pat. Struve calls Barry “one of the coolest dudes in MMA” and says he couldn’t have done it without him. Submission of the Night honors, or does Paul Sass deserve it more for his heel hook over Michael Johnson? And to think that you thought I wasn’t watching the prelims.
Bantamweight Championship: Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson
More talk about how Demetrious Johnson may be the fastest man in MMA before we’re reminded by Mike Goldberg that there is ANOTHER title on the line tonight in…Cruz vs. Johnson? Did I miss the first title fight, or am I just misinterpreting that one? We’re also reminded that both men are 9-1 in their last ten fights, with only one loss in their careers.
Cruz walks out to Hell’s Bells, but is wearing headphones. Joe Rogan wonders out loud what Cruz can possibly be listening to, and Goldberg speculates that he’s listening to AC/DC. I’m officially lost, so let’s just jump into this.
Round One:
Johnson comes out swinging, but doesn’t land much of anything. He shoots for a takedown, but Cruz stuffs in nicely before getting Johnson down and working for the mount. The crowd begins booing immediately, apparently still angry with the lack of action in the last fight. Cruz transitions to side control. Johnson escapes and eventually stands up. He pushes the action again, but is taken down while attempting a head kick. Cruz transitions to side control before briefly taking Johnson’s back. Johnson escapes, and manages to take down Cruz. Cruz gets back to his feet, but Johnson keeps him against the cage. Cruz escapes, but Johnson is really pressing the action. We’re once again reminded that Johnson is, in fact, the fastest guy that Cruz has faced as the round ends. Interesting start.
Round Two:
Johnson comes out swinging again, but Cruz takes him down against the cage. Some knees to the body by Cruz, but Johnson escapes. Johnson rushes in with jabs and crosses, and attempts a takedown. Cruz stuffs it, and pins Johnson against the cage. Some knees to the body from Cruz before attempting a takedown. Johnson stuffs it and reverses position. Cruz is breathing heavy now. Huge knee by Cruz, but Johnson narrowly manages to escape. Leg kick Johnson. Flying knee attempt from Johnson as he continues to press the action. Johnson attempts a takedown, but Cruz answers with a takedown of his own. Cruz in top position as this round comes to an end.
Round Three:
Johnson continues to come out swinging, but doesn’t land anything. Cruz works his jab while the crowd begins to boo. A brief scramble sees Cruz taking Johnson’s back and suplexing him. He attempts a rear naked choke, but Johnson escapes. Another choke attempt by Cruz, but Johnson gets back to his feet and presses Cruz against the cage. Cruz reverses, and manages to take Johnson down. Cruz appears gassed as Johnson attempts to stand back up. Johnson gets up and clinches with Cruz. They exchange knees against the cage as this round comes to an end.
Round Four:
Nice leg kick by Johnson. They feel each other out for a bit, with Cruz landing a few jabs. Cruz trips, but recovers with a jab. Johnson rushes the champion, but doesn’t land anything. Cruz pushes Johnson against the cage, and eventually gets a takedown. Cruz mounts Johnson, but Johnson escapes and tries to stand. He eventually succeeds. They feel each other out some more, but Cruz manages to push Johnson against the cage and work for a takedown. He succeeds, but can’t keep Johnson down for long. Johnson rushes in with a kick, but it’s caught by Cruz as this round comes to an end.
Round Five:
They touch gloves, and then Johnson presses the action. He throws a head kick, but Cruz escapes. Cruz manages a takedown in the center of the cage, and ends up in side control. Johnson gets Cruz in full guard, with Cruz throwing elbows to Johnson’s head. The ref warns them to “get busy”. Johnson scoots towards the cage and attempts to stand up. He succeeds, but Cruz keeps him against the cage. Johnson eventually escapes and lands an uppercut. He misses a head kick as Cruz circles away. Johnson pushes Cruz against the cage, but Cruz gets a takedown. He can’t keep Johnson down though, and he uses his jab to keep Johnson away. Cruz slips a punch and gets a takedown with one minute left. Cruz mounts Johnson, but Johnson turns over to escape. Johnson catches Cruz with a cross, but Cruz recovers and works for a takedown as this fight comes to an end.
I’d like to emphasize while we wait for the official decision that this was one of the most fast paced fights I’ve ever seen. The ref told these two to “get busy” when the fight slowed down to a slightly more normal pace. The judges see this one for Dominick Cruz, 50-45 (x2), 49-46.
They plug the return of the NHL, and we’re done for the evening. We’ll discuss this more tomorrow, but for now, have at it in the comments section.
Filed under: UFCDominick Cruz showed once again on Saturday night that he’s the best 135-pound fighter in mixed martial arts, beating Demetrious Johnson by unanimous decision to retain the UFC bantamweight title.
Dominick Cruz showed once again on Saturday night that he’s the best 135-pound fighter in mixed martial arts, beating Demetrious Johnson by unanimous decision to retain the UFC bantamweight title.
It was an exciting, action-packed fight, and a bout that demonstrated just how ruthlessly effective Cruz’s fighting style is. The win improved Cruz’s professional MMA record to 19-1, and there’s no question that he’s one of the best fighters in the world, in any weight class.
“It was a tough fight — the kid’s got a sick pace,” Cruz said of Johnson. “He didn’t surprise me. I was ready for a wicked pace. I knew I had to slow him down by using my strength and my size.”
The judges scored it 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 for Cruz.
Most of the first round was fought on the ground, starting when Johnson clinched Cruz against the cage and Cruz responded by throwing him to the ground, then got on top and transitioned into side control. Johnson was able to land a couple of punches standing, and Johnson did get one takedown of his own, but overall the first round was Cruz’s: He controlled the action on the feet and the position on the ground.
Johnson charged in quickly at the start of the second round and hit Cruz with a punch and a kick, but it was soon Cruz who secured the takedown and got on top against the fence. For most of the rest of the round it remained Cruz who was in control, largely controlling the fight standing but also finishing the round on top of Johnson against the fence.
After a couple minutes of battling in the third round, Cruz used a great belly-to-back suplex to get Johnson down and get on top of him, then attempted to sink in a rear naked choke. It appeared that Cruz was close to finishing the fight, but Johnson managed to break free and get back to his feet.
In the fourth round Cruz got his best position on the ground of the fight, taking Johnson down and transitioning into full mount. Cruz wasn’t able to do much with that dominant position, but the positional control alone was enough to win him the fourth round and ensure that he’d keep his title as long as he could survive the fifth.
Within the first 30 seconds of the third round, Cruz had another belly-to-back suplex and another dominant position. Johnson got up and kept attacking on his feet, but he had no answer for Cruz in the clinch, and in the final minute of the fight Cruz took Johnson down and got into full mount on the ground. Johnson did manage to get back up for a last flurry of strikes, but Cruz finished the fight on top — right where he belongs, as the top bantamweight in the sport.
This is the UFC on Versus 6 live blog for Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson, the main event bantamweight title fight of tonight’s UFC Live card from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
Cruz (18-1, 1-0 UFC) defends his bantamweight title for the fourth time. His first three successful defenses were decision wins over Joseph Benavidez, Scott Jorgensen and Urijah Faber. The win over Jorgensen came at the final WEC event, after which Cruz’s WEC title became a UFC belt. Johnson (9-1, 2-0 UFC) has won three straight, including a somewhat controversial unanimous decision win over former champion Miguel Torres at UFC 130 in May. That win got him a shot at Cruz’s belt.
Round 1: They’re saying this may be the fastest-paced fight in the the history of the UFC, and it’s hard to argue. It will be hard to keep up. Both fighters throw some kicks, and Johnson comes forward as Cruz backs up. Johnson shoots for a takedown 50 seconds in, but Cruz stuffs it and lands some shots. Cruz then gets off a nice throw as Johnson hits the canvas, and Cruz works to the top and tries to pass to side control. Johnson defending nicely so far as he looks to escape. Johnson continues to defend and gets to half guard, then butterfly guard. Finally, Johnson quickly gets out and back to his feet. Head kick from Johnson is caught by Cruz and Cruz takes the fight to the ground. Short-lived leg lock from Johnson turns into an escape from Cruz and side control. Back on the feet, Johnson lands a short takedown against the fence, but Cruz gets back up quickly and Johnson ties him up with a clinch, looking for short knees and elbows. Cruz ducks under nicely and gets out, but Johnson makes him pay with a couple shots as they break. Nice kick from Cruz. It’s a close first round, but it’s a round for the champ – 10-9 Cruz.
Round 2: Johnson comes forward very quickly again, and Cruz has to tie him up and it leads to a good takedown. Cruz has Johnson backed against the fence. As Johnson gets back up, Cruz lands a nice knee to the head. But Johnson shakes it off and pushes Cruz’s back to the fence. Another good knee from Cruz on the break. High kick from Cruz misses, and one from Johnson is blocked. Johnson shoots quickly, but Cruz stuffs it and we trade positions on the fence. They trade knees in the clinch on the fence. Halfway through, it’s another fast-paced and close round. Johnson drops down for a takedown, but it’s not there. Cruz just misses a big knee, and they split apart. Johnson lands a nice right, then comes with a flying knee that just misses, then a head kick that just misses. Good knee from Cruz, and Johnson shoots for a takedown that is mostly stuffed. Cruz then gets a soft takedown on the fence, and Johnson goes into butterfly guard. Cruz isn’t doing much from the top, but it probably gives him the round. We’ll give Round 2 to Cruz, 10-9.
Round 3: Good kick from Cruz, but Johnson still comes forward and throws a kick of his own. Nice right-left from Johnson inside. Cruz throws a jab, then goes for a takedown that Johnson stops. But Cruz ties him up, then throws a gorgeous suplex. Cruz takes Johnson’s back and flattens Johnson out. He’s got a right arm under and is looking for a rear naked choke to end it. He’s got it, both palms clenched together. But Johnson gets out, and Cruz gets the hold back immediately, then tries to turn it to a neck crank. But miraculously, Johnson escapes, gets to his feet, and gets off some offense along the fence. Cruz looks tired from the choke, but with 1:40 left, he shoots and gets another takedown and settles into Johnson’s butterfly guard on the fence. We’ve seen this spot before, and Cruz has done very little with the position. Johnson will look to wall walk back up. Crauz works some minor ground and pound and keeps Johnson pinned down. Finally, with 20 seconds left, Johnson gets back up. They trade some knees to the body along the fence as the round closes. It’s a 10-9 round for Cruz as we move into the championship rounds.
Round 4: Cruz has been this deep before. Johnson has not. He looks fresh as ever, though. Maybe fresher than Cruz. Inside leg kicks land for each. Spinning kick from Johnson misses. Looping left grazes Johnson, and he follows with a leg kick. They trade jabs and uppercuts that mostly just miss. Johnson appears to sting Cruz with a left, but Cruz moves in for a takedown along the fence – and gets it again. More butterfly guard for Johnson against the fence. Johnson continues to defend well from here, but as Cruz tries to pass, it is able to get his left leg out and gets to full mount. Johnson is holding on to Cruz to defend, and Cruz isn’t doing much with the position. Johnson quickly gets back to guard. Johnson gets back up with 90 seconds left and pushes forward look ing for some hands to the face. Cruz takes a deep breath with a minute left, and then is nipped by a Johnson right. They clinch up again, but Cruz bullies his way to half guard on the mat. When Johnson powers up, Cruz lands a nice kick and a punch, and Johnson just misses a couple shots as the round closes. It’s another 10-9 round for Cruz, and we have him up 40-36 going to the final round.
Round 5: Johnson comes hard to open, and JUST misses a big head kick that had all kinds of bad intentions. After a short potential flurry of just-misses, Cruz ties him up again, then lands another big suplex that might have been better than his first one that came in the third round. Johnson works to get back to full guard, and he gets there. Cruz tries to work some elbows from up top and shots to the body. The referee tells them to stay busy, and Johnson works back over to the cage to try to wall walk. Cruz is keeping him down, but halfway through Johnson gets back up. He has a half-round to land a knockout punch or a submission, is what it comes down to. And he does land a couple uppercuts and a kick as they break. But Cruz is like the mothership in “Independence Day”: Target remains. Another takedown from Cruz, but Mighty Mouse pops back up and looks for a tie up. But Cruz throws him again. Cruz has to survive 90 seconds to retain, and Johnson needs to swing for the home run ball. He comes forward, Cruz ducks under and shoots for an easy takedown. He then quickly passes and gets to full mount with 50 seconds left. He looks for Johnson’s back and Cruz is looking for a rear naked choke to end it. But Johnson gets out, and Cruz gets a knee in as they break taht seems to hurt. Cruz gets one final takedown to end things. We have it 10-9 for Cruz and 50-45 for Cruz in the fight. We might hear a 49-46, but this should be fairly unanimous and a sweep or near sweep for the champion.
Result: Dominick Cruz def. Demetrious Johnson, unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-45) “I’ve been putting in a lot of work, and it was a tough fight,” Cruz told Joe Rogan after the fight. “The kid’s got a sick pace, so I had to outwrestle him. He didn’t surprise me. I was ready for a wicked grind, and a wicked pace. You’ve got to be able to switch up – you can’t fight everyone the same. I was looking for the finish – I had the choke in twice, and he toughed it out. He was gurgling and he just toughed it out, but that’s what you do for title fights.”
This is the UFC on Versus 6 live blog for Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson, the main event bantamweight title fight of tonight’s UFC Live card from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
Cruz (18-1, 1-0 UFC) defends his bantamweight title for the fourth time. His first three successful defenses were decision wins over Joseph Benavidez, Scott Jorgensen and Urijah Faber. The win over Jorgensen came at the final WEC event, after which Cruz’s WEC title became a UFC belt. Johnson (9-1, 2-0 UFC) has won three straight, including a somewhat controversial unanimous decision win over former champion Miguel Torres at UFC 130 in May. That win got him a shot at Cruz’s belt.
Round 1: They’re saying this may be the fastest-paced fight in the the history of the UFC, and it’s hard to argue. It will be hard to keep up. Both fighters throw some kicks, and Johnson comes forward as Cruz backs up. Johnson shoots for a takedown 50 seconds in, but Cruz stuffs it and lands some shots. Cruz then gets off a nice throw as Johnson hits the canvas, and Cruz works to the top and tries to pass to side control. Johnson defending nicely so far as he looks to escape. Johnson continues to defend and gets to half guard, then butterfly guard. Finally, Johnson quickly gets out and back to his feet. Head kick from Johnson is caught by Cruz and Cruz takes the fight to the ground. Short-lived leg lock from Johnson turns into an escape from Cruz and side control. Back on the feet, Johnson lands a short takedown against the fence, but Cruz gets back up quickly and Johnson ties him up with a clinch, looking for short knees and elbows. Cruz ducks under nicely and gets out, but Johnson makes him pay with a couple shots as they break. Nice kick from Cruz. It’s a close first round, but it’s a round for the champ – 10-9 Cruz.
Round 2: Johnson comes forward very quickly again, and Cruz has to tie him up and it leads to a good takedown. Cruz has Johnson backed against the fence. As Johnson gets back up, Cruz lands a nice knee to the head. But Johnson shakes it off and pushes Cruz’s back to the fence. Another good knee from Cruz on the break. High kick from Cruz misses, and one from Johnson is blocked. Johnson shoots quickly, but Cruz stuffs it and we trade positions on the fence. They trade knees in the clinch on the fence. Halfway through, it’s another fast-paced and close round. Johnson drops down for a takedown, but it’s not there. Cruz just misses a big knee, and they split apart. Johnson lands a nice right, then comes with a flying knee that just misses, then a head kick that just misses. Good knee from Cruz, and Johnson shoots for a takedown that is mostly stuffed. Cruz then gets a soft takedown on the fence, and Johnson goes into butterfly guard. Cruz isn’t doing much from the top, but it probably gives him the round. We’ll give Round 2 to Cruz, 10-9.
Round 3: Good kick from Cruz, but Johnson still comes forward and throws a kick of his own. Nice right-left from Johnson inside. Cruz throws a jab, then goes for a takedown that Johnson stops. But Cruz ties him up, then throws a gorgeous suplex. Cruz takes Johnson’s back and flattens Johnson out. He’s got a right arm under and is looking for a rear naked choke to end it. He’s got it, both palms clenched together. But Johnson gets out, and Cruz gets the hold back immediately, then tries to turn it to a neck crank. But miraculously, Johnson escapes, gets to his feet, and gets off some offense along the fence. Cruz looks tired from the choke, but with 1:40 left, he shoots and gets another takedown and settles into Johnson’s butterfly guard on the fence. We’ve seen this spot before, and Cruz has done very little with the position. Johnson will look to wall walk back up. Crauz works some minor ground and pound and keeps Johnson pinned down. Finally, with 20 seconds left, Johnson gets back up. They trade some knees to the body along the fence as the round closes. It’s a 10-9 round for Cruz as we move into the championship rounds.
Round 4: Cruz has been this deep before. Johnson has not. He looks fresh as ever, though. Maybe fresher than Cruz. Inside leg kicks land for each. Spinning kick from Johnson misses. Looping left grazes Johnson, and he follows with a leg kick. They trade jabs and uppercuts that mostly just miss. Johnson appears to sting Cruz with a left, but Cruz moves in for a takedown along the fence – and gets it again. More butterfly guard for Johnson against the fence. Johnson continues to defend well from here, but as Cruz tries to pass, it is able to get his left leg out and gets to full mount. Johnson is holding on to Cruz to defend, and Cruz isn’t doing much with the position. Johnson quickly gets back to guard. Johnson gets back up with 90 seconds left and pushes forward look ing for some hands to the face. Cruz takes a deep breath with a minute left, and then is nipped by a Johnson right. They clinch up again, but Cruz bullies his way to half guard on the mat. When Johnson powers up, Cruz lands a nice kick and a punch, and Johnson just misses a couple shots as the round closes. It’s another 10-9 round for Cruz, and we have him up 40-36 going to the final round.
Round 5: Johnson comes hard to open, and JUST misses a big head kick that had all kinds of bad intentions. After a short potential flurry of just-misses, Cruz ties him up again, then lands another big suplex that might have been better than his first one that came in the third round. Johnson works to get back to full guard, and he gets there. Cruz tries to work some elbows from up top and shots to the body. The referee tells them to stay busy, and Johnson works back over to the cage to try to wall walk. Cruz is keeping him down, but halfway through Johnson gets back up. He has a half-round to land a knockout punch or a submission, is what it comes down to. And he does land a couple uppercuts and a kick as they break. But Cruz is like the mothership in “Independence Day”: Target remains. Another takedown from Cruz, but Mighty Mouse pops back up and looks for a tie up. But Cruz throws him again. Cruz has to survive 90 seconds to retain, and Johnson needs to swing for the home run ball. He comes forward, Cruz ducks under and shoots for an easy takedown. He then quickly passes and gets to full mount with 50 seconds left. He looks for Johnson’s back and Cruz is looking for a rear naked choke to end it. But Johnson gets out, and Cruz gets a knee in as they break taht seems to hurt. Cruz gets one final takedown to end things. We have it 10-9 for Cruz and 50-45 for Cruz in the fight. We might hear a 49-46, but this should be fairly unanimous and a sweep or near sweep for the champion.
Result: Dominick Cruz def. Demetrious Johnson, unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-45) “I’ve been putting in a lot of work, and it was a tough fight,” Cruz told Joe Rogan after the fight. “The kid’s got a sick pace, so I had to outwrestle him. He didn’t surprise me. I was ready for a wicked grind, and a wicked pace. You’ve got to be able to switch up – you can’t fight everyone the same. I was looking for the finish – I had the choke in twice, and he toughed it out. He was gurgling and he just toughed it out, but that’s what you do for title fights.”
One of the things that demonstrates 
It’s not often that we see a title fight on free TV. As expected, Saturday night’s bantamweight contest at 
Johnson charged in quickly at the start of the second round and hit Cruz with a punch and a kick, but it was soon Cruz who secured the takedown and got on top against the fence. For most of the rest of the round it remained Cruz who was in control, largely controlling the fight standing but also finishing the round on top of Johnson against the fence.
This is the 