Hello everyone. Hope you’re enjoying the play by play thread for the Facebook prelims. Here is the post for the main card headlined with a title fight in the bantamweight division. Champion Dominick Cruz defends his belt against number one contender Demetrious Johnson. Cruz is one of the most dominant champions in UFC history using constant movement and angles to keep his opponents off balance. Johnson has become one of the top fighters at 135 despite being a natural flyweight.
Also on the card is a heavyweight fight between Pat Barry and Stefan Struve. Both fighters have been exciting in their UFC careers but haven’t really been able to establish themselves in the division. This fight will be the largest height differential in company history.
Join us at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tune into UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs Johnson.
Matt Wiman vs Mac Danzig:
Round 1: Wiman out early with leg kicks. Wiman is already being super aggressive. Knee to the body by Wiman. Danzig with his own body-head combination. Big elbow by Matt Wiman. He drops down and gets the takedown. Mac works for a kimura and then a guillotine. He stands and has the standing guillotine. It’s tight. Wiman gets the thai clinch and is eating Mac Danzig elbows. Body kick by Wiman. Elbow from Danzig. He looks god in this first round. Left hand lands for Wiman. As does a body punch. They are working in the clinch. Danzig with a knee. Wiman with standing elbows. Body punches by Danzig. Knee by Wiman. Leg kick lands. Wiman is stalking but Danzig is defending well. Elbow by Wiman. And another. These are landing well on the inside. Body punch but Danzig. Hook by Danzig. Thirty second and this is ridiculous. Upper cut by Danzig. Elbow by Wiman. He shoots a takedown and Danzig drops to defend. Fantastic first round. 10-9 Wiman.
Round 2: Wiman aggressive early. Looks for the right and lands a leg kick. Danzig clinches and eats an inside elbow. He lands to Wiman’s body and backs away. Wiman comes forward with a heavy shot to the body. Elbows to the face again. Crazy how man of those are landing tonight. Danzig gets the trip takedown. He steps over into side control Wiman is trying to work his way back. Wiman throws up his legs for a triangle. He then switches to an armbar. This is tight. Danzig is stacking to defend and he survives and then opens up with ground and pound. That was some great ground work. Danzig steps to half guard. Wiman with a Kimura and he has nothing…Danzig is defending well and escapes. He throws three punches that land. Wiman stands up and is throwing elbows. Flurry by Danzig. This was a great round. Wiman survies. Danzig pushing forward. Leg kick by Wiman. He shoots from outside and then comes up with an elbow. Round ends with them trading on the inside. 10-9 Wiman. Danzig looked good though. Two deep submission attempts wins it for Wiman.
Round 3: Touch of the gloves. Happy they don’t brohug. Wiman comes forward first with punches. Danzing responds with his own. Wiman closes the distance and then lands on the inside. This is a very entertaining close fight. Elbows again by Wiman. Mac Danzig is finally bleeding after all those elbows. He lands a hard right that drops Wiman to a knee. This is a ridiculous pace. Danzig with more elbows. They are just throwing against the cage. Both landing and this is crazy. Wiman shoots for a takedown and Danzig reverses it. He has Wiman’s back and is landing short punches to the chin. Danzig is riding Wiman like a backpack. Wiman shrugs him off and has half guard. He lands some short elbows and is trying to step to side control. Vicious ground and pound by Wiman. Danzig defends and is trying to work his way to his feet. Wiman keeps it on the ground and there is some significant swelling on Mac Danzig’s head. Wiman is staying active keeping the fight on the ground. Danzig stands and they’re back to fighting on the inside. This is a ridiculous pace. We have 15 seconds left and they’re still going for it. WOW. Danzig drops for a guillotine and also has it. Wiman survives long enough to not submit. HOLY CRAP! 10-9 Wiman. I have it as a 30-27 Wiman card. I wouldn’t be disappointed in any score though. All could be defended.
Official Result: Matt Wiman by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x 3)
Anthony Johnson vs Charlie Brenneman
Round 1: They come out early and Johnson looks ginormous. How is this the same weight class? Johnson body kick is caught. He tries a front kick that just barely misses. Brenneman shoots and Johnson sprawls out. Brenneman is just eating punches. These are some big lefts from Johnson. Yikes those are landing hard. Knee to the body by Johnson. This is awful. Another. And another. Johnson switches to the back. Brenneman puts his back on the mat. Johnson in halfguard. Arm in guillotine form Brenneman in the half guard. Johnson surviging. Head kick from Johnson and Brenneman survives. Brenneman eats another head kick and he’s dropped. He’s not out but Mario Yamasaki stops the fight. Brennaman is maaaad.
Official Result: Anthony Johnson by Knockout (Head Kick)
Pat Barry vs Stefan Struve
Round 1: This looks hilarious with the size difference. Struve with a jab. Barry slips it. Body kick by Struve. Barry is having difficulty getting inside. He lands a nice inside leg kick. He’s finding a home for the kick. He lands to the outside. High kick by Struve. Barry is stalking. Struve is circling and he eats a leg kick. Struve shoots forward and is pushed away. Leg kick by Barry. Struve uses a teep to keep distance. Another leg kick by Barry. THis has been a slow fight. Body punch by Barry. Body kick by Barry. Knee by Struve. Struve is having a hard time to find his punching range. Barry misses a hook. This is ridiculous how hard of a time both fighters are having finding range. This has been boring really. 10-10 since it’s been so boring. Crowd is restless.
Round 2: Barry throws heavy early. Uppercut almost lands. He’s looking to finish this fight. Head kick by Barry. Kick to the knee by Struve. 1-2-3-kick by Struve lands beautifully. Struve is really awkward with his kicks. Barry have found a home for the kicks. Struve attempts to clinch but Barry backs off. Struves comes foward but won’t commit. He jumps for a knee and eats a right hook. He looks for a standing D’arce and then an arm in guillotine. This looks tight and Barry finds himself in a triangle choke. He tries to powerbomb his way out and it just sinks it in tighter. He’s forced to tap and Struve picks up a big win.
Official Result: Stefan Struve but Submission (Triangle Choke)
Dominick Cruz vs Demetrious Johnson
Round 1: Cruz is off to a start landing his crazy kicks. Demetrious Johnson lands. This is going to be impossible to live blog. Demetrious shoots and Dominick defends. He starts landing punches and then works for a trip. Johnson is back up and eats a knee. Dominick gets the fight to the ground and is working to escape from butterfly guard. Johnson is working to escape but Cruz keeps his weight. He scoops as Demetrious’ butt out as he tries to cage walk. Demetrious stands and punches his way out. Head kick by Demetrious and he’s tripped. He’s looking for a leg and Dom survives and steps over. He has Demetrious’ back and eats a left hook on the escape. Demetrious with a takedown and Dom is right back up. Super busy first round and I wouldn’t expect anything less. Knees inside by Johnson and Cruz. Cruz ducks down and can’t score the right hand. They trade rights and Demetrious is getting better of the exchanges. Cruz resets and throws a body kick. He pushes forward with a jab. 10 seconds left and Cruz looks to have settled. Man I dunno, I’ll say 10-9 Cruz for the takedown and control.
Round 2: Cruz tries to come in with a jab and is answered with a combination that backs him up against the cage. Cruz ducks under and gets the fight to the ground. Cruz landing knees to the body on the way up. Big knee to the head for Cruz. Johnson gets the takedown and immediately Cruz is up on his feet. Johnson landing from the clinch. Cruz with knees. Cruz takes a big breath. Shot from outside by Johnson is stuffed. Knees from the clinch to the body from Cruz. This pace is incredible. I feel like I’ve watched 3 rounds already. Knee to the head for Johnson. Cruz with a knee to the body. Cruz tries to use a whizzer but can’t get it to the ground. Head fighting and Johnson tires to hoist Cruz up. He fails and Cruz withe a knee from the Thai clinch barely misses. Cruz has reset and takes another big gasp. Upper cut lands for Cruz. Johnson walks through it. Minute left and Cruz lands a jab. He’s failed so far with slowing Johnson down. Knee to the body by Cruz and then a defense with a whizzer. Cruz gets the takedown and is working from butterfly guard. Landing some punches but can’t really open up. He’s looking to keep Johnson on the mat. 10-9 Cruz in another super close round. Side note: My cousin is now snoring. He isn’t a MMA fan. What a bummer.
Round 3: They trade early body kicks. Johnson comes forward with a combination and Cruz flung himself back against the cage to avoid the kick. Cruz is trying to find an angle and lands a jab. He’s turning this into his type of fight. He shoots from outside and is shrugged off. He gets Johnson’s back and drops back in a Zangief style suplex. He gets his hooks and is working to finish with a choke. Wow this is a great sequence from the champion. He has the Gable grip and Johnson spins out. Cruz back to working for it. Again Demetrious spins out. He stands and is pushing cruz against the fence. Cruz looks exhausted trying to finish the fight. Big uppercut missed for Cruz. He gets the double and is back in butterfly guard. He’s stepping for a mount but again hasn’t been able to do anything with the position. This pace has been too much for Cruz who is looking to regain some energy with the position. Johnson is constantly looking to stand up. Johnson with under hooks and gets his butt under under. He stands! Fifteen seconds left and they are trading knees to the body in the clinch. 10-9 for Cruz but he’s tired as hell. Johnson is in a great spot to win this fight.
Round 4: Johnson’s first time in the championship rounds and he looks great. He lands two leg kicks and if I didn’t know any better I’d think he was the champion. Cruz comes forward but can’t find range. Lands a left hook. Leg kick from Cruz lands. Nice jab as well. Cruz ducks down to land to the body and eats a hook on the way up. Johnson is finding a home for his left hook. Cruz is being forced to turn this into a wrestling match. He gets the fight to the ground again. This won’t win Dominick Cruz any fans even though he’s been dominant with the takedowns. Punches to the body and Cruz is stuck in half guard. He steps over and gets full mount. Johnson has Cruz’s body locked down to stop Cruz from creating space. Cruz is landing arm punches to the face. He scoots up and gets full guard again. Johnson scoots back up and is standing again. He comes forward but doesn’t land any punches. Johnson lands a kick to the body. He lands a jab. Cruz drops again for a takedown and lands some knees to the head before muscling Johnson to the ground. Open half guard and they trade on the way up. Cruz looks for another takedown as Johnson comes forward. 10-9 Cruz on the takedowns and control. He’s dying for air though. This has been the most intense fight of his career.
Round 5: Final round they touch gloves. Cruz with the leg kick and Johnson comes forward throwing Dominick avoids most of them. He gets Johnson’s back and again has a big suplex like Miyata. He uses it for side control and is more active on the ground. Johnson hips to half guard. And then to full guard. Cruz steps over to half but is back in the closed guard. Busy on the ground and Lloyd Irvin is telling the ref they’re being busy. Cruz has Johnson’s back against the cage. Halfway through the round and this is a wrestling match. Johnson stands is trying to get out of the clinch. He throws a combination and eats an uppercut on the escape. Cruz ducks under a kick. Johnson clinches and uses a whizzer for the takedown but Cruz is right back up. Cruz lands two judo throws. Minute and a half left. Cruz is exhausted. Johnson is landing on him and comes forward to try and end the fight. Cruz drops down and scores the double leg. He hops right to mount and Johnson gives his back. Cruz loses his hooks and Johnson stands. Johnson lands and Cruz is hurt. He survives and gets the takedown. Cruz should win this with 5 straight rounds but damn that was entertaining. 10-9 Cruz.
Official Result: Dominick Cruz by Unanimous Decision. Fantastic fight.
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