By: William Holmes
The UFC brings a bantamweight title fight to Versus in what may be their last show on the cable network. Tonight features the return of former Ultimate Fighter winner Mac Danzig, heavyweight contenders Stefan Struve and Pat Barry, welterweight contender Anthony Johnson, and the title fight between Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson. Round by round results are as follows.
Matt Wiman (13-6) vs. Mac Danzig (20-8-1); Lightweight
Round 1:
Wiman and Danzig quickly touch gloves, and Wiman gets off two quick inside leg kicks. Fighters are clinched in the center of the ring, and Danzig gets off a few uppercuts. Wiman tags Danzig with a short elbow. Fighters separate and Danzig connects with a head kick. Wiman takes Danzig down and is in the full guard of Mac Danzig. Danzig gets back to his feet and Wiman is in on an outside single. Danzig goes for a guillotine attempt and releases and flurries with a plethora of hooks. Wiman connects with a cross that sends Danzig pacing backwards. Danzig connects with an uppercut in the clinch. Wiman throws a headkick that is partially blocked, then comes rishing in with hooks and finishes off his combination with a hard elbow strike. Fighters clinch and exchange blows. Danzig getting the better of the exchanges while clinched. Wiman connects with a lead left hook and Danzig answers with body punches of his own. Wiman connects with a knee to Danzig’s body that causes him to get on his bike and circle away. Wiman connects with another body shot and they exchange hard shots against the fence. Both fighters are throwing caution to the wind and exchanging hard shots. Wiman shoots in on an outside single as the round ends. Close, fast paced round, should be 10-9 for Wiman.
Round 2:
Wiman comes out and lands an outside leg kick and Danzig connects with a punch of his own. Fighters clinch against the fence again and Wiman connects with elbows and Danzig connects with uppercuts. Danzig lands a straight right, and Wiman rushes in with a hook to the body. Wiman connects with two more short elbows. Danzig lands an upper body clinch takedown. Danzig briefly slides into side control but Wiman sqirums back into full guard. Wiman throws his legs up into a triangle attempt and transitions to an armbar. Wiman has the armbar in very tight and Danzig tries to stack Wiman up. WIman lets go of the armbar and Danzig takes advantage of the release to unload some vicious ground and pound. Danzig transitions to half guard and Wiman attempts a kimura. Wiman releases the kimura and Danzig lands some hammer fists. Wiman gets baco to his feet and Danzig lands a flurry of punches against the fence. Wiman responds with a hard right hand. WIman comes in on the offensive now but Danzig stops it with a straight right hand. Wiman lands a hard knee to the body of Danzig. Danzig is starting to breathe heavily. Wiman shoots in and Danzig sprawls out of the way and lands an uppercut. Wiman with another hard elbow strike to the head of Danzig. Wiman lands a hard elbow as the round ends. 10-9 round for Wiman.
Round 3:
Danzig lands a two punch combination to start round 3. Wiman lands a hard body kick. Danzig eats an outside leg kick Danzig lands two straight rights in a row, but Wiman lands a hard straight right to the head of Danzig. They are clinched against the fence and and Wiman lands multiple hard elbows. The standing elbows of Wiman are really doing damage, and Danzig has blood on his cheek. Danzig lands a hard body shot to Wiman. Danzig lands a hard right hook to the head of Wiman and dirty boxes with Wiman against the fence. Wiman lands a hard knee and elbow while clinched with Danzig. Wiman connecting with some very hard elbows on Danzig against the fence and Danzig answers with punches of his own. WIman shoots in on an outside isngle leg but Danzig gets on top and lands a few left hands. Wiman is now bleeding from his nose. Danzig has the back of Wiman and lands some uppercuts. Danzig now has the back and two hooks in on Wiman is able to shake Danzig off and get into Danzig’s half guard. Danzig’s face is swelling pretty bad, and Wiman lands some hard elbow shots on Danzig. Wiman lands some more vicious elbows. Danzig struggles to get back to his feet and Wiman continues his assault with short elbows on Danzig against the fence. Wiman shoots back in on an outside single as the round ends and Danzig locks in a guillotine choke just as the round ends. If there was thirty more seconds in the round Danzig may have pulled off a submission. 10-9 round for Matt Wiman.
Official scores are 29-28, 29-28 and 29-28 for Matt Wiman.
Charlie Brenneman (14-2) vs. Anthony Johnson (9-3); Welterweight
Round 1:
Johnson and Brenneman come out to touch gloves. Johnson lands a kick to the ribs of Brenneman. Johnson throws a kick and Brenneman shoots in for a single but Johnson is able to sprawl and avoid the takedown. Johnson lands some shots on Brenneman while sprawled out on the ground. Johnson landing some more uppercuts and hammer fists. Johnson is able to keep his weight on Brenneman, and lands a hard knee to the ribs of Brenneman. Johnson lands another hard knee to the body of Brenneman. Johnson spins and gets the back of Brenneman. Brenneman turns to his back and Johnson is in the half guard of Brenneman. Brenneman tries to lock in a guillotine choke but doesn’t have the leverage to finish. Brenneman back to his feet and Johnson lands a hard head kick to the head of Brenneman. Brennaman with his back to the fence and eats another head kick by Johnson, and the referee stops the fight. A very hard kick landed by Johnson, but Brenneman appears to have still been conscious.
Anthony Johnson wins by first round TKO at 2:49.
Stefan Struve (21-5) vs. Pat Barry (6-3); Heavyweight
Round 1:
Struve and Barry come out to the center of the ring, and the height difference between the two looks like David vs. Goliath. Not many strikes have been thrown so far. Barry lands an inside leg kick. Struve lands a hard jab. Barry throws a lunging uppercut. Barry lands a jab. Struve throws out a head kick that Barry partially blocks. Barry tries to throw some strikes on the inside but they are blocked. Struve lands a few punches of his own. Struve comes forward with a lead left hook. Struve throws out a front kick to the head of Barry. Struve lands a straight right hand. Barry lands an inside leg kick. Struve lands a jab. Barry lands a straight right to the body of Struve. Barry throws a high kick that is partially blocked. Struve connects with a push kick, then a kick to the body of Struve. Struve with a two punch combination. Struve throws a head kick that is blocked by Barry. Struve with a two punch combination. Struve throws a front kick to the head that is blocked. Struve lands a jab. Barry lands an inside leg kick. Struve lands a head kick towards the end of round 1. 10-9 round for Struve.
Round 2:
Struve lands a push kick, and Barry lands an uppercut that definetly catches the attention of Struve. Struve lands a head kick. Struve partially blocks a head kick by Barry. Struve with another kick to the head of Struve. Struve eats two hard leg kicks from Barry. Struve lands a leg kick of his own. Barry leg checks a kick from Struve. Barry with another hard outside leg kick. Struve briefly had Barry in a muy thai clinch and barry is able to escape from it. Struve lands with a hard straight right hand. Barry catches Struve with a hard left hook. Struve catches Barry in a Darce choke position and tries to switch to a guillotine. Barry is now caught in the triangle of Pat Barry, and Barry picks up Stefan Struve and power bombs him. Struve keeps the triangle choke locked in and switches to armbar attempts and tightens the triangle to get the tap. Exciting finish to the fight.
Stefan Struve defeats Pat Barry by triangle choke submission at 3:22 of round 2.
Dominick Cruz (18-1) vs. Demetrious Johnson (9-1); Bantamweight
Round 1:
Even at the bantamweight division Demetrious Johnson looks incredibly small. Cruz lands an outside leg kick. Johnson throws out two hooks and a high leg kick. Johnson pressing the attack, and lands a straight right to the body of Cruz. Johnson comes forward with four hooks. Johnson shoots in on a takedown and Cruz sprawls out. Cruz attemps to throw Johnson and Johnson quickly attempts a switch. Cruz passes to side control on Johnson. Cruz lands some knees to the body of Johnson. Cruz is staying tight on the body of Johnson. Johnson is able to get into butterfly guard and backs up to the fence. Johnson explodes back to his feet and is able to separate. Johnson is coming forward with combinations with head kicks and punches. Fighters fall to the ground and Johnson attempts a leg lock on Cruz. Cruz easily passes into side control. Johnson gets back to his feet and lands a left hook. Cruz lands a knee to the body. Johnson with a double leg takedown but Cruz pops up back to his feet. Johnson connects with a short right hook. Cruz attempts to duck under Johnson but Johnson gets out and lands a very nice left hook. Cruz connects with an uppercut on Johnson as he shots in on an outside single leg. Cruz throws a high leg kick that is partially blocked. Cruz connects with a straight left hand. 10-9 round for Cruz.
Round 2:
Johnson comes forward with a four punch combination and finishes off with a high kick to the head of Cruz. Cruz in on a deep double leg with Johnson’s back against the fence. Johnson and Cruz locked up against the cage, and Johnson is able to switch position and put Cruz’s back against the fence. Cruz is starting breathe heavily. Cruz throws out a high right kick that is partially blocked. Johnson shoots in on a very quick shot that Cruz is able to stuff. Fighters are clinched against the fence exchanging short knees. Johnson lands a knee to the head of Cruz. Johnson executes a perfect wizard to block a Cruz takedown attempt. Johnson shoots in on a takedown attempt but Cruz is able to stuff it. Johnson barely escapes a knee strike attempt by Cruz. Johnson comes forward with a three punch combination. Johnson lands a right hand and attempts a flying knee. Fighters are fighting at a very fast pace. A high kick by Johnson is partially blocked. Cruz lands a knee to the body and stuffs a Johnson takedown attempt. Cruz is now in Johnson’s butterfly guard. 10-9 round for Cruz.
Round 3:
Cruz throws out a quick jab that misses. Fighters exchange leg kick simultaneously. Johnson comes forward with a four punch combination. Johnson lands a decent right jab. Johnson lands a hard two punch combination on Cruz. Cruz lands a quick jab. Cruz in on a takedown attempt and is shucked off by Johnson. Cruz takes the back of Johnson and lands a beautiful german suplex on Johnson that stuns him. Johnson with both of his hooks in on Johnson and has him flattened out. Cruz tries to lock in a rear naked choke and gets it locked in. Johnson is able to spin out of the choke attempt. Cruz sinks in a neck crank but Johnson is able to escape and get to his feet. Johnson backs Cruz against the fence and lands a knee to the body and a straight right hand. Cruz looks up at the clock and the fighters separate. An uppercut for Cruz misses but he lands a knee to the body. Cruz gets a double leg takedown on Johnson. Johnson’s back is against the fence and Cruz has his body in a waistlock. Johnson is attempting to push down the head of Cruz. Cruz throws an elbow strike attempt. Johnson back to his feet and lands some knees to the body of Cruz. Cruz responds with a knee to the body of his own. 10-9 round for Cruz.
Round 4:
Johnson lands an outside leg kick on Cruz, and then follows up with an inside leg kick. Johnson and Cruz exchange leg kicks again. Cruz throws out a straight right hand. Croz throws out a lead right hook but misses. A hard jab lands for Cruz. Johnson tags Cruz with a quick hook. Cruz shoots in on a double leg takedown and drags him down. Johnson tries to throw his legs up over Cruz’s head but lets go. Cruz now in half guard position and lands some strikes to the body of Johnson. Cruz is able to transition into full mount position on Johnson. Cruz lands some short strikes on Johnson. Johnson able to scoot back into full guard position. Johnson gets his back to the fence and back to hisfeet. Johnson comes forward with short punches. Cruz is able to stay out of the range of Johnson. Fighters clinch against the cage again and Cruz lands a knee to the head of Johnson. Cruz into half guard position and lands an uppercut on Johnson as he gets back to his feet. Round ends with Cruz in on an outside single leg attempt. 10-9 round for Cruz.
Round 5:
Fighters touch gloves before the start of round five. Johnson comes forward with multiple punch combinations and has Cruz against the fence. Cruz gets the back of Johnson and executes another beautiful german suplex on Johnson. Cruz gets into side control on Johnson. Cruz gets caught in half guard while attempting to transition into full mount. Johnson able to get himself back into full guard position. Cruz lands two short elbows to the chin of Johnson. Cruz lands two short elbows on Johnson. Johnson gets his back against the fence. Cruz in deep on a waist lock and Johnson is able to get back to his feet. Johnson lands a knee to the body of Cruz and connects with a right hand to his chin. Johnson comes forward and connects with a straight right hand, the fighters clinch and Cruz executes a nice judo hip toss. Fighters are back against the fence again and Cruz executes another judo takedown. Johnson lunges forward with a hook but misses. Cruz takes Johnson down with a double leg as he comes forward. Cruz gets into full mount position. Johnson turns to his belly and gets back to his feet. Johnson gets tagged with an uppercut Cruz back in on another double leg takedown. 10-9 round for Cruz in a very entertaining fight.
Official scores are 50-45, 49-46, and 50-45 for Dominick Cruz as he retains his Bantamweight belt.
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