Dominick Cruz (red trunks) will defend his UFC Bantamweight Championship for the fourth time against "Mighty Mouse" Johnson at UFC on Versus 6. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
Saturday, October 1 the UFC returns to VS for UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson. Kicking things off for the card is a lightweight tilt as ”Handsome” Matt Wiman (13-6) looks to get back on track with a second win over the TUF veteran Mac Danzig (20-8-1). Next on tap are super-sized welterweight ”Rumble” Anthony Johnson (9-3) and Charlie Brenneman (14-2). ”HD” Pat Barry (5-4) and “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (18-5) will look to stay above .500 in the UFC in a heavyweight co-headliner and then the main event pits current seemingly unstoppable UFC Bantamweight Champion “The Dominator” Dominick Cruz (17-1) against the red hot ”Mighty Mouse” Demetrious Johnson (12-1). The card has everything the fans have come to expect from the UFC and should be a stellar night of unarmed combat.
Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig: The first fight of the night is a rematch of a UFC 115 bout that saw “Handsome” Matt Wiman submit Mac Danzig in very controversial fashion. Danzig had not tapped out and was still conscious, but he failed to respond to the referee and the bout was halted. He was injured and missed an immediate rematch and now he gets a second crack at Wiman. Unfortunately though for the TUF alum Danzig, Wiman will likely prevail again. He has been more active and didn’t suffer the inactivity of being shelved by an injury and proved during their first fight that he can beat Danzig in his own wheelhouse. Danzig is an excellent submission fighter, but Wiman is at least his equal and has shown superior stand-up in the past. In this bout, Danzig will need the stars to align unless he has made big changes since December. Wiman via Submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 2
Anthony Johnson (red trunks) will have several distinct advantages over Brenneman, not the least of which is his massive size. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman: The upset artist himself, Charlie Brenneman will face another tall task as he faces yet another high level welterweight competitor who is heavily favored over him. “Rumble” Johnson is a behemoth welterweight who cuts from almost 230lbs. and has shown time and again that he knows just how to use his size to punish his opponents. While “Rumble” has had a history of missing weight and has suffered before due to coming in drawn and wain, he is a favorite over Brenneman for a very good reason. “Rumble” is much larger and has a high octane wrestling game background with vicious power that has seen him finish six of his nine victims in violent fashion. Brenneman has managed to squeeze past a few blue chippers, but has never been an elite fighter. The potential for an upset is there, but it is not a good bet to count on, especially after “Rumble” has bullied his foe into exhaustion. Johnson via TKO (Strikes), Round 2
Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve: Both Pat Barry and Stefan Struve have had a rocky career in the UFC and each needs a solid win to prove they still have what it takes to be relevant in their respective division. Each man has had flashes of brilliance that brought thousands of fans to their feet, and each has had several losses that had those same fans questioning if they belonged on MMA’s biggest stage at all. In this fight, each man holds the key to destroying the other. Struve has lengthy limbs and vicious bottom submissions, making him a prime candidate for submitting the ground game novice Barry. He also has a soft chin, however, and Barry’s brutal power in both his kicks and punches could easily end Struve’s night in a flash. For Barry, this is just what the doctor ordered. Struve has the submissions, but he lacks the wrestling ability to get to the mat in a way other than being sent there by Barry’s left hook. Barry via TKO (Punches), Round 2
Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson: The night’s marquis bout puts two high powered, ultra-fast paced bantamweights into the cage to battle for the UFC Bantamweight Championship of the World. Current champion Dominick Cruz hasn’t lost since 2007 and has never dropped a bout at 135lbs. In his reign, he has lived up to his moniker and dominated four straight top ten bantamweights with his high energy stand-up offense. Against the champ is perhaps the only man in the division who can match his energy, “Mighty Mouse” Demetrious Johnson, a natural flyweight who has destroyed four consecutive top 135ers of his own, including a former champ and a warrior once considered the best little man in the world. The two are total opposites. Cruz is a tall, lanky striker with an eclectic style that has made him a dominant force. Johnson is a textbook wrestler whose pure athleticism makes him dangerous anywhere the fight goes. Unfortunately for “Mighty Mouse”, Cruz has proven more than able to handle even the best wrestlers and has a distinct advantage standing that will see him through to a successful defense. Cruz via Unanimous Decision
