MMA-URLS

With James Vick (4-0) and Mike Chiesa (7-0) waiting in the semifinals episode 11 of The Ultimate Fighter Live featured the final two quarterfinal fights. The first match-up featured Team Cruz's Vinc Pichel (6-0) versus Team Faber's Chris Saunders (9-2). Pichel controlled round one with takedowns and aggressive striking combos. The second round was much closer but Pichel earned the nod on two judge's scorecards with heavy knees and punches against the cage.The final quarterfinal fight pitted preseason favorite Al Iaquinta (5-1-1) versus teammate Andy Ogle (8-1). Iaquinta would control much of round one and would finish off Ogle with less than a minute to go. A well timed punch from Iaquinta dropped Ogle but the Britt would fight back to his feet. The fight would end moments later when Iaquinta put Ogle out with a power right hand. Next week the semifinal match-ups will feature Iaquinta versus Pichel and Vick versus Chiesa. ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode eleven edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury, W vs. Ogle2. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank, W vs. Proctor 3. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen, W vs. Lawrence 4. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer, W vs. Saunders 5. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/306. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello *Eliminated by Chiesa 5/118. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber-W vs. Rio *Eliminated by Iaquinta 5/18 9. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Ogle 5/510. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia *Eliminated by Pichel 5/18 11. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle *Eliminated by Vick 5/1112. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2313. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/614. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Saunders 4/2715. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Pichel 4/2016. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Proctor 4/13ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury, W vs. Ogle3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Ogle5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello *Eliminated by Chiesa 5/116) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank, W vs. Proctor 8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Saunders 4/279) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/610) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber-* Eliminated by Pichel 4/2011) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia *Eliminated by Pichel 5/18 12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle *Eliminated by Vick 5/1113) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen, W vs. Lawrence 14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Proctor 4/1315) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber-W vs. Rio *Eliminated by Iaquinta 5/18 16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer, W vs. SaundersTeam Faber 6 Team Cruz 5Vinc Pichel def. Chris Saunders via majority decisionAl Iaquinta def. Andy Ogle via TKO (punches) 4:44 R1Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode ten recap and rankings

Posted in: vs, team, cruz, iaquinta, ogle

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will finish his coaching duties on The Ultimate Fighter: Live before he opts for surgery to repair his torn ACL, according to Ariel Helwani. Helwani confirmed on a recent edition of “UFC Tonight” that Cruz has yet to set a date for the operation. “The Dominator” tore his knee ligament [...]

Posted in: ufc, cruz, dominick cruz, repair, coaching duties

Read the full article at MMA Convert

When Shanon Slack first met Dominick Cruz, he was asked to make a phone call. Cruz discovered that Slack, through wrestling connections, knew Henry Cejudo, who in 2008 had been a 55-kilogram Olympic gold medalist wrestler. Slack placed a call to Cejudo's brother and put them in touch. Cruz was looking for wrestling help, but Cejudo knew something the future UFC didn't. The guy that made the phone call was every bit as capable of helping as the guy than won the medal.

Posted in: cruz, cejudo, henry cejudo, dominick cruzs, cejudos brother

Read the full article at MMA Junkie

Episode ten of the Ultimate Fighter Live featured not one , but two Team Cruz vs. Team Faber match-ups. The first quarterfinal fight pitted Team Cruz's James Vick (4-0) versus Team Faber's Joe Proctor (7-1). Both men left the first round bloody but it was Vick who got the better of the stand-up exchanges. Vick continued to use his range to out point a game Proctor in round two. All three judges scored the fight in favor of Vick. With tourney wins via KO Team Cruz's Justin Lawrence (3-0) came out of nowhere to become a TUFL favorite. Team Faber's Mike Chiesa (7-0) was the better ground fighter and he dictated where the fight went versus Lawrence. After a two round draw Chiesa mounted and pounded out Lawrence early in round three for the upset win. Next week will feature Chris Saunders (9-2) versus Vinc Pichel (6-0) and Al Iaquinta (5-1-1) against teammate Andy Ogle (8-1).ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode ten edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury2. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank, W vs. Proctor 3. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen, W vs. Lawrence 4. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer5. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia 6. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber-W vs. Rio 7. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/308. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/169. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello *Eliminated by Chiesa 5/1110. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Ogle 5/511. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle *Eliminated by Vick 5/1112. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2313. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/614. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Saunders 4/2715. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Pichel 4/2016. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Proctor 4/13ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Ogle5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello *Eliminated by Chiesa 5/116) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank, W vs. Proctor 8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Saunders 4/279) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/610) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber-* Eliminated by Pichel 4/2011) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia 12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle *Eliminated by Vick 5/1113) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen, W vs. Lawrence 14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Proctor 4/1315) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber-W vs. Rio 16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer Team Faber 6 Team Cruz 4James Vick def. Joe Proctor via unanimous decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18)Michael Chiesa def. Justin Lawrence via TKO (punches) 1:02 R3Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode nine recap and rankings

Posted in: vs, team, cruz, faber, vick

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The two key players involved in putting together an elite match-up for the UFC bantamweight championship both appear to be on the same page. Now the only remaining part of the equation is allowing the organization’s matchmaking team to hammer out terms. According to Renan Barao, a 28-1 Brazilian who hasn’t lost since his professional debut, he would be honored to fight Urijah Faber at UFC 148 in order to crown an interim title-holder in the wake of Dominick Cruz’s knee injury. It would be great,” said an excited Barao when asked about facing Faber in an interview with TATAME. “Actually, I fight any guy UFC tells me to. I’m prepared and I can fight anyone.” Barao is currently scheduled to mix it up with Ivan Menjivar at the July 7 show where Faber was originally paired with Cruz. When Cruz’s status was revealed last week “The California Kid” immediately released a video pointing to Barao as the most deserving competitor out there. Apparently he wasn’t alone in his assessment. Faber Talks Barao “People on Facebook and Twitter want me to be in this fight and Faber himself pointed me out. The champion got injured and Faber is fighting. I’d be really glad to confront him. That’s all,” explained Barao, adding, “They haven’t said anything to me.” UFC President Dana White announced Faber’s opponent would be revealed next week when discussing the matter on the most recent episode of TUF 15 meaning Barao, along with the rest of the world, will have his answer sooner than later. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, renan barao, barao

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Last night’s episode of the Ultimate Fighter 15 was heavy on action, light on out-of-the-ring antics, as the show hosted a pair of live quarterfinal clashes. Both bouts were competitive for the most part though only one featured a finish. Coach Dominick Cruz’s health was also addressed with the injured bantamweight champion joking he planned to cut his recovery time in half if possible. Though Cruz was clearly a bit down due to his torn ACL his team rallied around him, offering up a huge round of applause when UFC President Dana White announced “The Dominator” would continue to serve in his role as a team-head. White also stated an opponent for Urijah Faber would be announced next week. Faber is expected to fight for an interim-title at UFC 148 in place of his previously scheduled scrap with Cruz at the same event. In terms of the actual fights, the first bout shown involved James Vick-Joe Proctor. Though Proctor came close with a few submission attempts the lanky Vick’s size proved to be too much for Proctor in the end, picking him apart from the outside and doing enough in both rounds to earn the Unanimous Decision victory. The second match-up featured #1 pick Justin Lawrence against bearded grappler Michael Chiesa. The opening frame belonged to Chiesa who went for a handful of submissions including a fairly tight Triangle Choke. In the following five minutes the momentum shifted Lawrence’s way with the Team Blackhouse member even dropping Chiesa with a stiff body shot. After splitting the first two rounds both men came out fast and furious in the “sudden victory” period. Lawrence decided to take Chiesa down in the early stages, a fatal mistake as it turned out. Within seconds Chiesa swept Lawrence to position himself in full mount and pounded out the win shortly thereafter. “He’s the toughest person I’ve ever fought,” said a humble Chiesa after the bout. “I’m glad I was able to get the victory. I had to dig deep down to win that fight. Sometimes I think the heart is a lot stronger then we give it credit for.” In the closing moments the two remaining quarterfinal fights were announced and will feature Chris Saunders-Vinc Pichel and Al Iaquinta-Andy Ogle. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 6, Cruz 4 Advancing to Semifinal: Michael Chiesa, James Vick Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle, John Cofer, Sam Sicilia, Mike Rio, Justin Lawrence, Joe Proctor PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: team, cruz, proctor, lawrence, chiesa

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Join Bloody Elbow for live coverage of The Ultimate Fighter Live episode 10, featuring the recently-injured Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber as coaches. The Ultimate Fighter airs live on FX Friday night at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Fraser Coffeen offered a preview for the show earlier today: Tonight, we get an exciting change in the UFC Ultimate Fighter Live format. Because for the first time, we are entering the quarter-final round, and that means two fights a week from here on out. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, as the potential for 6 rounds of action means they'll need to set aside a lot of time for the fights, but if the first fight ends in seconds, they'll need to fill that time. Which likely means less time for wacky shenanigans. Tough challenge for the editing team this week, and I look forward to seeing how they handle it. Our two quarter-finals this week both pit Team Faber vs. Team Cruz, and both have an easy favorite. Dominick Cruz #1 pick Justin Lawrence will face Urijah Faber #5 Michael Chiesa, while Cruz #5 James Vick fights Faber #4 Joe Proctor. Join us tonight and we'll see what happens!

Posted in: fight, time, fighter, cruz, faber

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The much anticipated trilogy match between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and bitter rival Urijah Faber, which was set to go down at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada, will have to wait for another time because of the news that "The Dominator" blew out his anterior crucial ligament ( ACL) during training. The devastating news broke a couple of days ago, leaving UFC officials without a much anticipated co-main event for the stacked Fourth of July weekend event that features a main event between Middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva taking on Chael Sonnen. Rumors ran rampant that current Strikeforce women's Bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey, was the one responsible for the accident that led to Cruz's injury; however, appearing on The MMA (After) Hour, Cruz revealed that those "jokes" are false. In addition, he goes into detail as to exactly what happened that caused to the injury. Check it out: "I was in training camp, I had just gotten done with TUF, (The Ultimate Fighter), and I usually get done about 11. I got to practice at 11:30 and I was sparring that day with kickboxing and takedowns and a guy got behind me in a scramble and he went for a trip, the trip, his hips went in on my knee and it just buckled my knee right then and there. I sat out the rest of the round, threw some ice on my knee, it was pretty painful. I was just kind of hoping for the best to be honest. I was hoping and praying that it was nothing crazy because it was a very, very loud pop. I kind of went into denial mode for the rest of that day saying 'Oh, I'm fine, I'm fine.' So I took some ibuprofen and that night I went in to get my normal workout in and I go to move around and get my shadowboxing going to warm up and me knee just pops right out. And I just knew right then and there that I needed to go get an MRI and get this checked out because me knee wasn't stable and it kind of felt like I was walking on ice. I went in and got an MRI that day and got the bad results, the bad news." Cruz also goes on to squash any speculations that former Olympic Judo Bronze medalist, Ronda Rousey was the cause of the injury: "Just to shut down some rumors that Faber thinks is funny to start and makes jokes about an Olympic bronze medalists and her taking out me knees. To me it's not really funny, it's just another way to know, for the world to know why me and Faber don't get along. I wasn't training with her at all. I brought her in to help my team on TUF." Despite their disdain for one another, Cruz feels he owes "The California Kid" an apology: "Well, you know, he did say that he doesn't wish that injury on anybody, and I believe that. Nobody wants an injury like this to happen and I wouldn't wish it on anybody either. To be perfectly honest, I somewhat have to apologize, not just to my fans out there, but to Faber because of this situation taking place. It's frustrating for him as well so I can understand that. But at the same time, trying to make jokes about it and starting rumors about Ronda Rousey you know, busting me knees, that's putting questions on her that are not necessary and putting questions on me that are not necessary, with this injury that's already enough. So he is being very Faber-esque in the situation." Expecting a long road of rehab ahead of him, "The Dominator" has a rather ambitious time table for his return to training: "I want to be training back in four to six months so that I can start to get back on the path of going in there and competing and winning." On the most recent edition of "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV, UFC President Dana White revealed that Faber will remain on the UFC 148 card and will indeed face a yet to be named opponent for the 135-pound interim title. Cruz, however, knows that he and the winner of that fight will know who the real champion is: "It's never a fun situation when your belt is being split, in a sense. That is never fun. But the good thing is that I know the truth, and so will anybody that gets that interim belt, is that they haven't fought the real champ, period. Basically, anyone who gets that belt is the number one contender, so that's fine with me, it is what it is. I'll be ready to fight in the future and they will challenge me fight for the real belt." No word on who Faber will face in "Sin City," but Renan Barao, Michael McDonald and Ivan Menjivar are the current top candidates who may fit the bill. Cruz, meanwhile, has not timetable for his surgery, but he can expect to be out for an extended period of time. It truly hasn't been a good year for the 135-pound champion, coming off of a hand injury that he suffered during his title fight against Demetrious Johnson back in Oct. 2011. The good news is that despite the injury, Cruz is expected to finish out his duties coaching opposite Faber on TUF.

Posted in: ufc, injury, cruz, faber, knee

Read the full article at MMA Mania

UFC president Dana White, as usual, has had a busy week, but took time out with UFC Tonight to discuss Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber, and Henderson vs. Edgar II. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, cruz, bull

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Im bummed people,Thanx 4 the support as i battle this,big sorry to all the fans out there!I WILL recover n I WILL b back 2put on a show! — Dominick Cruz (@TheDomin8r) May 7, 2012 UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will undergo surgery soon to repair a torn ACL suffered in training last week. The [...]

Posted in: cruz, dominick, repair, n i, peoplethanx

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On this breaking news edition of The MMA (After) Hour, we spoke to UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz about the knee injury that forced him to withdraw from UFC 148, how he injured himself, how long he will be out for, how he has dealt with the news mentally, the UFC's decision to institute an interim title and much more. Listen to the interview after the jump or download the audio here. . The MMA (After) Hour: Dominick Cruz Interview

Posted in: ufc, mma, cruz, dominick, knee injury

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Urijah Faber will still fight for a title at UFC 148 after all. UFC president Dana White said on Tuesday's episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel TV that Faber will meet a yet-to-be determined opponent at UFC 148 for the interim bantamweight title after champion Dominick Cruz tore his ACL earlier this week. "I'm looking for the right opponent," White said. "The guy who deserves this shot at Urijah Faber." White didn't know exactly how long Cruz would be out for, but he said he didn't expect him to return for at least nine months. According to White, Cruz will remain as a coach on TUF: Live despite the injury. UFC 148, headlined by Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen 2, airs live on pay-per-view on July 7. Watch White's interview on UFC Tonight below.

Posted in: ufc, fuel tv, cruz, faber, urijah faber

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In case you were abducted by aliens or drank too much last weekend and don't remember what happened on Monday, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz blew out his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), forcing him to withdraw from his upcoming UFC 148 title defense against arch nemesis and opposing Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15: "Live" coach Urijah Faber. "The California Kid" is currently expecting a late replacement and will fight for the newly-created Interim title. So how does that affect the coaching dynamic on the FX channel's mixed martial arts (MMA) reality show? As my colleague Kevin Haggerty touched on late last night, the show must go on, and Cruz will remain in charge of his team until the upcoming live finale on June 1, 2012. UFC President Dana White explains why: "Cruz will stay on. Cruz has done a phenomenal job coaching his team. The thing had a chance to become even the other night, if Rio would have won, but Ogle beat him. It's still neck-and-neck, so, yes, he will stay a coach." Hear more from the promotion's head honcho as he breaks down the change in plans for UFC 148 and beyond, after the jump. For more on "The Dominator's" knee injury click here and here. For more on the current season of TUF 15 click here.

Posted in: ufc, coach, tuf, cruz, arch nemesis

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Urijah Faber will still fight for a title on July 7, just not against Dominick Cruz.

Posted in: cruz, faber, urijah faber, bantamweight belt, urijah

Read the full article at Sherdog

The UFC and FX hosted a media conference call with four of this season’s The Ultimate Fighter® Live quarterfinalists on Tuesday, May 8, 2012: James Vick (Team Cruz) vs. Joe Proctor (Team Faber) and Justin Lawrence (Team Cruz) vs. Michael Chiesa (Team Faber). The panel of fighters were asked who they thought would come out on top.  Justin Lawrence said that all the fighters were great and that every one of them has an opportunity to make it. Michael Chiesa agreed that they were all there to

Posted in: fighter, team, cruz, season ’s, michael chiesa

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Ask and you shall receive. Just one day after the very disappointing revelation that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz had injured his ACL and would be forced off the UFC 148 card and his title fight versus Urijah Faber, a new wrinkle to the story has been made public. After finding out about Cruz's injury, Faber took to the airwaves to first offer his condolences, but second, to make his case for staying on the UFC 148 fight line up on July 7, 2012. Not only that, but "The California Kid" also lobbied for his fight to be for an interim title, in light of the fact that Cruz may very well be out for up to nine months. It looks like Faber is going to get his wish. UFC President Dana White appeared on FUEL TV's "UFC Tonight" to officially announce that Faber will definitely remain on the UFC 148 card, and that his fight will, indeed, be for the interim title. Here's what White had to say: "So, what's gonna happen is, Urijah Faber, he's gonna fight still. He's gonna fight on the same card. Now, I'm looking for the right opponent, the guy who deserves this shot at Urijah Faber." White was then asked, point blank, if the fight would be for an interim belt. His response was quick and to the point: "Good question. The answer is yes." Dana went on to elaborate on the nature of Cruz's injury, as well as why he felt it necessary to go ahead and have an interim champion named in the meantime: "Dominick Cruz was training, not with his team, but for the fight with Faber and blew his ACL. Typically, the ACL, when you blow the ACL, it's nine months. I mean, 'GSP' is an absolute professional. The guy's in incredible shape, does all the things he's supposed to do. The guy's out for nine months." With Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre currently rehabbing from a similar injury, the cast of champions looks more like the "walking wounded." White voiced his frustration: "It doesn't matter what injury they have. It's never good to have your champion hurt and out for a while. It clogs up the division, and it's absolutely frustrating." Finally, the question of whether or not Cruz would stay on as The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15: "Live" coach was addressed. According to White, the injury will not jeopardize his standing as team leader. "Cruz will stay on. Cruz has done a phenomenal job coaching his team. The thing had a chance to become even the other night, if Rio would have won, but Ogle beat him. It's still neck-and-neck, so, yes, he will stay a coach." For now, it would seem as though there's a three way-unspoken competition between Renan Barao, Michael McDonald and Ivan Menjivar for the rightful combatant to take on Faber for the interim belt at UFC 148. MMAmania.com will continue to bring you all the updated information on all this and more as it becomes available.

Posted in: ufc, fight, champion, cruz, faber

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Two of the quarterfinalists in this season of the Ultimate Fighter Live have spoken out in support of their injured coach Dominick Cruz, saying they don't want anyone but him leading their team. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: cruz, dominick cruz, bull, team cruz, team retweet

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Members of Team Cruz on "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" heard the bad news about their coach around the same time the rest of the world found out earlier this week. After nine weeks on set, the UFC bantamweight champ sustained a torn ACL in training that ruled out his further participation on the reality show, as well as a season-ending fight with opposing coach Urijah Faber at UFC 148. Speculation about Cruz's replacement and the show's coaching setup has since run wild, but Team Cruz members Justin Lawrence and James Vick say they don't want anything to change on set.

Posted in: team, reality show, cruz, seasonending fight, james vick

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A knee injury may have knocked Dominick Cruz out of his scheduled July 7 title defense, but his team on TUF Live hopes it doesn't knock him off the show. Cruz's injury happened late last week, and on Monday, after getting an official diagnosis of a torn ACL, he passed along the news to his team. According to Team Cruz's James Vick, the UFC bantamweight champ was "clearly a little sad and depressed" in making the announcement, but ultimately positive, promising to return to his championship form.But as far as his involvement on the show, that remains up in the air. The UFC has yet to announce if Cruz will finish out the season or be replaced, as has happened in the case of injured coaches in year past. To the fighters under his watch, there's no move necessary."I'll tell you what, they're going to have eight guys who are pretty upset if they try to change our coach," said Justin Lawrence, who has quickly become the season favorite with a pair of knockouts thus far. "It's already been nine weeks, we've kind of made a bond with the coaching staff already, and they're kind of like family."We were very bummed when we heard about his knee," he continued. "He kind of felt like he let us down, and that's not the case at all. Being a high-level athlete like that, stuff is going to happen. The way that guy trains is just incredible. I'm surprised his body is still alive with the grinding he puts his body through. Vick said he could identify with Cruz, having gone through a pair of surgeries for injuries, saying that as an athlete, it is "the most depressing time of your life.""As far as him staying and coaching, there's no way we want anybody else but him," he said. "He's been here for 10 weeks now and he's a great coach, it's a great coaching staff. We're getting close to him like family almost, and there's no way that I would want anybody else but him to coach us."Vick, who will be facing Joe Proctor on Friday night, said he learned a newer, more intense work ethic from Cruz. When he arrived in Las Vegas, he thought he was training harder than anyone else, but after a few days with Cruz, he said he learned to push to a new level. More than that, he said passing those kinds of mental and physical tests have confirmed his own belief in himself.For Lawrence, it wasn't necessarily the new workload that comes as his best takeaway, but all the tips and tricks that come from someone with so much big-fight experience, along with the brain trust of his coaching staff. Lawrence is set to face Michael Chiesa on Friday, and despite the fact that he and his team are unsure of whether Cruz will be in their corner as the team leader, they have their missions set."It makes me want to win this tournament even more, for him," Lawrence said. "I really want to put him on my back and get him a 'W' and try to beat Faber."

Posted in: team, coach, cruz, coaching staff, coaching

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Urijah Faber had been looking forward to fighting fellow TUF Live coach, and bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz at UFC 148 until a knee injury shelved Cruz. Faber has released a video response to Cruz’s injury. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy as Cruz’s replacement for TUF and UFC 148 are expected to be announced soon.     MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: injury, cruz, faber, cruz faber, fellow tuf

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Dominick Cruz addresses Urijah Faber's improved stand up by saying his has improved as well. This interview was done last week before Cruz was reported injuried.   <object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BtzF3VfFDfc?version=3&hl=en_US"><embed

Posted in: cruz, faber, dominick, urijah, injuried

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Dominick Cruz addresses Urijah Faber's improved stand up by saying his has improved as well. This interview was done last week before Cruz was reported injuried.   <object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BtzF3VfFDfc?version=3&hl=en_US"><embed

Posted in: cruz, faber, dominick, urijah, injuried

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We've heard of the Madden Curse, the Curse of the Billy Goat, and Cleveland's Basic Existence, but after yesterday's big news, it seems like mixed martial arts now has it's own unlucky cloud from which the occasional bad juju drizzles down. Let's just call it the Curse of the TUF Coaches. Dominick Cruz and his torn ACL joins a who's who list of recent The Ultimate Fighter coaches to see their match-ups go up in flames well before fight night. The running list: Jackson-Evans gets put on ice for half-a-year because of Rampage's Hollywood aspirations, Liddell-Ortiz III disintegrates along with Ortiz's neck nerves, Lesnar-dos Santos is doomed by the ghost of diverticulitis, and now this -- the UFC bantamweight champion suffers the mother of all injuries midway through the first live TUF taping in UFC history. That's problems in four out of the past six seasons, in case you were keeping count. Where we go from here isn't clear, but there are really two main issues to address. 1.) What do we do with Urijah Faber, UFC 148, and the state of the bantamweight division? 2.) What happens with Cruz's coaching spot on the show? Now, issue No. 1 is much easier to address than No. 2, though each potentially impacts the other. First things first, as much as it sucks, there really isn't any other choice but to create an interim bantamweight strap. Cruz is going to be out another nine months, at best, and we don't need the 135-pound division going the way of lightweight or welterweight. Right now the consensus top-2 guys to fight Faber in an interim match are Renan Barao or Michael McDonald, and either has a legitimate case for a shot at the interim belt. That being said, I'd shade towards Barao because a hit-list of Escovedo/Pickett/Jorgensen is more impressive than Cariaso/Soto/Torres, plus he's already prepping to fight Ivan Menjivar in a No. 1 contender match at UFC 148. So, why not keep Faber in the co-main event, flip Barao and his 29-fight unbeaten streak off the preliminaries and into the title slot, and bring in either McDonald or Brad Pickett to take on Menjivar in a new contenders bout. (For those who say it's unfair to Menjivar, keep in mind that Barao-Menjivar was a No. 1 contender match in the same way that Rashad Evans-Phil Davis was a No. 1 contender match.) Problem No. 2 is much more difficult, however, regardless of whether you favor Barao or McDonald. The thing is, neither of them would be any good as the new coach of Team Cruz. Barao can't speak a lick of English, and five months ago McDonald couldn't even get into a bar, let alone order a Jack and Coke. Ideally, Cruz could still keep up with coaching duties for the rest of the season, but really, that's a pretty selfish request for us to make. So for now it looks like we're stuck in limbo, grasping for something that resembles a right answer. (As if the UFC didn't have enough to worry about already.) 5 MUST-READ STORIES Dominick Cruz tears ACL. UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz tore his ACL while training on The Ultimate Fighter: Live and was pulled from his anticipated UFC 148 title defense against Urijah Faber. UFC officials have yet to announce Faber's status on the card or whether an interim belt will be created. Urijah Faber wants to fight Renan Barao for interim title. Longtime WEC champ Urijah Faber both tweeted and released a video asking to fight upstart contender Renan Barao at UFC 148 for the interim bantamweight strap (and subtly implied that Ronda Rousey caused Dominick Cruz's ACL tear). The MMA Hour. Ariel Helwani is back in your life with a packed lineup for The MMA Hour featuring Chael Sonnen, BJ Penn, Sean Sherk, Don Frye, Renzo Gracie, Braulio Estima, Mike Chandler and MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes. Nate Marquardt vs. Tyron Woodley for Strikeforce welterweight title. Verbal agreements are in place for a July bout pitting Nate Marquardt against Tyron Woodley to decide the rightful heir to the vacant Strikeforce welterweight strap. Michael Bisping 'pissed off' at Hector Lombard's future title shot. UFC mainstay Michael Bisping didn't shy away from venting his frustration regarding the promotion's plans to fast-track former Bellator champion Hector Lombard into a title shot. MEDIA STEW I'll let Tim Kennedy sell you on this one: "You want to see me dancing like a fairy in a Kimono, licking a sword, and prancing around in ranger panties, (then) watch this!" Another overlooked nugget of violence from the weekend: this 34-second barnburner between Bellator veteran Zelg Galesic and former WEC light heavyweight champ Doug Marshall from Super Fight League 3. (Fight starts at 4:24 for the impatient.) Chael Sonnen has been making the media rounds to promote his new book, but you could take a hundred guesses and we'd bet you'd never guess what his talking point is for this promo clip. (HT: Middle Easy) Former UFC bruiser Marcus Davis is inching towards middle-age, so taking his talents to kickboxing probably wasn't the best idea. Just a warning: this one is a little brutal to watch. (HT: Bloody Elbow) BREAKING THE BAD NEWS It's true Cruz blew his ACL. Stay tuned for more info — Dana White (@danawhite) May 7, 2012 Im bummed people,Thanx 4 the support as i battle this,big sorry to all the fans out there!I WILL recover n I WILL b back 2put on a show! — Dominick Cruz (@TheDomin8r) May 7, 2012 FABER SOUNDS OFF Yup @RondaRousey tore @TheDomin8r 's ACL shoulda known better than to mess w her @danawhite @ufc @BarackObama #messwiththebulluget thehorns — Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) May 7, 2012 Sucks about @thedomin8r hope recovers fast! Sounds like 9 months aftr surgery @renanbaraoufc seems like the best replacement! @danawhite — Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) May 7, 2012 ALMOST HAD HIM I want @joerogan to do the commentary for the Diaz vs Estima match. How about it Joe? — Cesar Gracie (@CesarGracieBJJ) May 7, 2012 @CesarGracieBJJ I would LOVE to, but unfortunately that's the day my daughter is having her 4th birthday party so I'm not going to make it. — Joe Rogan (@joerogan) May 7, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (Monday, May 6, 2012): - UFC 148: Dominick Cruz (19-1) pulled from title defense against Urijah Faber (26-5) - Strikeforce: Nate Marquardt (31-10-2) vs. Tyron Woodley (10-0) tentatively set for welterweight championship match in July - UFC on FUEL 4: Rafael Natal (14-3-1) vs. Tom DeBlass (7-1) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day is a look at the ongoing evolution of UFC on FOX, courtesy of hobbie: UFC on Fox: Have We Learned Anything Yet France learned lessons from the two wars - they were just the wrong lessons. They were too focused on re-fighting the last war, while their enemies were figuring out how to win the next one. I wonder if the UFC and Fox aren't making the same mistakes with their strategy for "UFC on Fox". And more importantly than that - what have the lessons of UFC on Fox really been thus far? Let's take a look at the UFC's thought process for these events so far. We'll start with the first card, where the thinking went something like: Big, Important World Title Fights Are All That Matters For the first UFC on Fox, we got Junior Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez for the UFC heavyweight championship of the world - and nothing else. The thinking here was pretty clear: for our debut effort, fans need to feel they're watching something truly epic. We don't have time to introduce a whole card of fighters, so we'll focus only on the main event, build the two men fighting in it up like gods in the PR, and put make it for the heavyweight championship, which any sports fan can understand the significance of. The ratings for UFC on Fox 1 shows that, to a large extent, this strategy was successful. However, as Joe and Goldie tell us so often, "anything can happen in MMA." And having your clash of the titans end in 64 seconds was a jarring letdown for the months of promotion that preceded it. Fans tuned in expecting to see The Hulk vs. Thor. Instead, they got The Hulk vs. Loki (Avengers humour - if you haven't seen it yet, my condolences on being trapped under that rock all weekend). Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, cruz, faber

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The MMA world took one on the chin last night when it was revealed UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz would be out for an extended period of time after tearing his ACL while training for a July 7 fight with Urijah Faber. While there’s nothing outside of H.G. Wells’ library that can change Cruz’s status, “The California Kid” has some ideas about what the UFC can do to fix the situation. Faber released a video in the wake of Cruz’s injury calling for an interim belt to be created based on the amount of time the title-holder is expected to miss and even has his own rankings the organization can go by the set things up. “I’m thinking an interim title fight. He has been out almost a year and a half now. Once this surgery goes through it’s going to be another nine months,” began Faber in the clip. “I’m hoping for a top contender. Renan Barao, in my opinion is next up with Michael McDonald after that and Ivan Menjivar after that. I’m just waiting to see. I know as much as you guys do, but I’m ready to scrap on July 7. And, as far as I’m concerned, that’s when it’s going down.” “Don’t worry guys, me and Dom will scrap soon,” he concluded. Barao, who is 28-1 and on an incredible winning streak, also happens to be scheduled for action at UFC 148 where Faber was set to fight Cruz. Check out the full video from Faber below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, urijah faber, michael mcdonald

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The highly anticipated rematch between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and the man he beat for the belt in February, Frankie Edgar, now has a home and a date, as UFC President Dana White announced on Tuesday’s UFC Tonight that August 11th’s UFC 150 event in Denver will be headlined by this five round clash of 155-pound titans.While fight fans were crushed by the news earlier this week that the UFC 148 rubber match between bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz and longtime rival Urijah Faber was being put on hold after Cruz tore his ACL, there is good news for both men, as White revealed that Cruz will remain in his coaching role opposite Faber on The Ultimate Fighter Live and that “The California Kid” will remain on the UFC 148 card on July 7th to fight for the interim 135-pound title against an opponent to be named.“What’s going to happen is Urijah Faber is going to fight still,” said White. “He is going to fight on the same card. Now I’m looking for the right opponent who will fight Faber.”

Posted in: ufc, fight, cruz, faber, urijah faber

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Thanks to a torn ACL, which may (or may not) have been caused by Strikeforce female champion Ronda Rousey in training, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight belt is, for all intents and purposes, being held hostage by the injured Dominick Cruz. Urijah Faber, however, would like to change all that with a quickness. "The California Kid" -- who was fixing for a trilogy fight against the "Dominator" in the UFC 148 co-main event -- was disappointed to hear the bad news earlier today. But Faber, who has spent the last several weeks coaching opposite Cruz on the set of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15: "Live," isn't about to let is dash his championship aspirations. On the contrary, he just recently released a video message that stated his desire to remain on the Fourth of July-weekend fight card on July 7, 2012, as well as compete for an interim 135-pound belt while Cruz licks his wounds and recovers from a major knee injury. He lays out his case, as well as lists his top three possible opponents, after the jump: "I'm sure everyone has heard the terrible news that Dominick Cruz tore his ACL. There's a lot of rumors rolling around about the whole situation, possibly that Ronda Rousey is the one who made it happen. It sucks for everybody, especially myself and Dominick. I wish him a speedy recovery -- you don't wish that on anybody. I know he wanted to scrap. Now, I'm just waiting to hear what happens. I'm thinking an interim title fight -- [Dominick] has been out almost 1.5 years now -- once this surgery goes through it's going to be another nine months. I'm hoping for a top contender: Renan Barao, in my opinion is next up with Michael McDonald after that and Ivan Menjivar after that. I'm just waiting to see -- I know as much as you guys do, but I'm ready to scrap on July 7. And, as far as I'm concerned, that's when it's going down." Barao is certainly the most impressive of the bunch if not the most deserving. The talented Brazilian is on an unprecedented win streak and has won three straight inside the Octagon, including a dominant decision over former number one division contender Scott Jorgensen his last time out. There's just one catch: Renan Barao vs. Ivan Menjivar was expected to take place on the same UFC 148 fight card from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion would, therefore, have to do another line up reshuffle vis-a-vis UFC 146 to make that happen. It wouldn't be the first time ... and it certainly won't be the last. Stay glued to MMAmania.com for more on this developing story, as well as Faber's eventual UFC 148 replacement. In the meantime, be sure to check out our complete UFC 148 event archive for all the latest news and notes right here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, cruz, dominick, im

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Dominick Cruz helped boost his stock by serving as a coach on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter 15 where he’s faced off against rival Urijah Faber. Unfortunately he won’t be able to capitalize on his increased profile, at least at any point in the immediate future. According to the UFC’s website, as well as Cruz via Twitter, “The Dominator” tore his ACL while training for an upcoming title-defense against Faber at UFC 148 and has been forced to pull out of the July 7 event as a result. It is still too early to know exactly when he’ll be returning to the ring but based on the injury it will likely be a number of months if not longer. Cruz-Faber was set to mark the third fight between the two after splitting their first two meetings. Cruz defended his belt against “The California Kid” last year in a very close decision. No word has surfaced in terms of how the UFC will handle Faber though 135-pound stud Renan Barao is already scheduled for action at the same card Cruz was set to compete at. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, urijah faber, meetings cruz

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

The UFC bantamweight division became the latest victim of an injury setting the title-picture back after champion Dominick Cruz tore his ACL in training and has had to withdraw from a July defense against rival Urijah Faber. Cruz and Faber are currently coaching on TUF 15 meaning there’s a good chance more details will come to light this Friday night when a new episode airs. The UFC’s website has confirmed Cruz’s status as well as his removal from the July 7 bout. An Update on TUF 15 As chance would have it, 28-1 contender Renan Barao happens to be scheduled for a scrap on the same card opening the door for a match-up with Faber, possibly even for an interim title depending on how long Cruz is out. No timetable has been mentioned for his return though it is likely he will miss more than six months due to the severity of the injury. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, cruz, dominick cruz, episode airs, card opening

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has torn his ACL while training, forcing him to pull out of his scheduled UFC 148 title defense against Urijah Faber.

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, acl, urijah

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has torn his ACL in training and will be unable to compete at UFC 148 this summer as planned. MMAWeekly reports the unfortunate news. Cruz was scheduled to take on his chief rival Urijah Faber in a rubber match for the UFC 148 co-main event, supporting a middleweight title fight rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen that had been shuffled onto the card. Cruz and Faber are currently serving as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter: Live on FX; the show has several weeks left in taping, as it was scheduled to lead up to their pay-per-view bout. How this will affect the flagging reality show and who the UFC will find to replace Cruz – if they don’t just pull Faber from the event outright – remain to be seen, but you can be sure they’re headaches the promotion could’ve done without. UFC 148 is scheduled to take place on July 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, reality show, cruz, news cruz, card cruz

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has torn his ACL while training on The Ultimate Fighter: Live and will be pulled from his upcoming UFC 148 title defense against Urijah Faber. News of the injury was first reported by Phytegurus.com, and has since been confirmed by UFC President Dana White. "It's true Cruz blew his ACL," White tweeted. "Stay tuned for more info." UFC 148 takes place July 7 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. A middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen is slated to headline the summer show, while the heavily-anticipated rubber match between Cruz (19-1) and rival TUF: Live coach Faber (26-5) was intended to serve as the co-main event. UFC officials have yet to make an official announcement regarding Faber's status on the card or if an interim bantamweight title bout will be created. If so, up-and-coming prospects Renan Barao (28-1, 1 NC) and Michael McDonald (15-1) would be the most likely candidates. Barao is currently scheduled to fight Ivan Menjivar in a number-one contenders match at UFC 148, while McDonald recently cruised through former champion Miguel Torres en route to a first-round knockout victory last month.

Posted in: ufc, title, cruz, faber, garden arena

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz suffered a knee injury that has forced him to pull out of his UFC 148 bout with Urijah Faber.

Posted in: ufc, champion, injury, cruz, knee injury

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

Well, it's a good thing Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) already has a new main event for its Fourth of July weekend pay-per-view (PPV) extravaganza, set to go down on July 7, 2012 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now it's time for a new poster. That's because Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz has reportedly injured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), forcing him to withdraw from his UFC 148 title defense against arch nemesis and opposing Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15: "Live" coach Urijah Faber. MMA Weekly was the bearer of bad news earlier today. The two first met up back in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) days when "The California Kid" was ruling the roost as featherweight champion. Faber submitted Cruz in that fateful first meeting, besting his foe in just 1:38 of the first round. "The Dominator" got his revenge just over four years later at UFC 132 with a unanimous decision victory in the main event of the promotion's annual Fourth of July weekend fight card. The rubber match was expected to settle, once and for all, who the world's best 135-pounder is. That debate, for now, will be temporarily placed on hold. As of now, the promotion has yet to alter its July 7 line-up, which recently lost the middleweight match-up of Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch, who are headed north for the UFC 149 fight card in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Perhaps Faber can remain on the "Sin City" show and the UFC can institute yet another Interim title. Hopefully one that will be defended prior to Cruz's return. Calling Renan Pegado ... Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this developing story as it becomes available.

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, middleweight matchup, july

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It appears that UFC 148 might have lost another bout. There are reports coming out saying that UFC bantamweight champion and TUF Live coach Dominick Cruz is out of UFC 148 due to an ACL injury and won't be completing his trilogy with Urijah Faber, at least for now. Veteran MMA announcer Mauro Ranallo just tweeted about it: @mauroranalloMauro Ranallo http://t.co/zGy948wC is reporting that Dominick Cruz has torn his ACL and is pulling out of UFC 148. UFC hasn't confirmed it yet. May 07 via Twitter for iPad Favorite Retweet Reply The information was originally reported by PhyteGurus, and was confirmed by MMA Weekly. Cruz won the WEC bantamweight title back at WEC 47, which was turned into the UFC bantamweight title after the merger. He defended the belt twice in the WEC and twice in the UFC thus far. His UFC 148 co-main event bout with Faber would have been their third meeting, with each taking one of the first two bouts. It is unclear at this point if Faber will be staying on the card, or how it might affect the rest of the Ultimate Fighter Live season. Either way, this is a huge blow to an event which has already lost Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch when it was moved to UFC 149 last week. SBN coverage of UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen 2

Posted in: ufc, cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, acl injury

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The rubber match will apparently have to wait. According to multiple reports, UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has torn his ACL and is now unavailable to face opposing "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" coach Urijah Faber at UFC 148. The injury was first reported by PhyteGurus.com and has since been confirmed by multiple sources, including MMAWeekly.com.

Posted in: ufc, cruz, dominick, urijah faber, urijah

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It looks like Urijah Faber will have to wait for the chance to settle his long standing rivalry with Dominick Cruz. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, urijah faber, bull

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It appears that UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has suffered a torn ACL and will not be able to defend his title against Urijah Faber. Currently, Cruz and Faber are coaching opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter: Live. PhyteGurus.com was the first to confirm news of the knee injury suffered by Cruz. Cruz-Faber was [...]

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, urijah faber, cruz cruzfaber

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [6 comments]

Posted in: fight, cruz, faber, mattyblayze, tear

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The final first round match-up of the Ultimate Fighter Live appeared to favor Team Cruz. With Team Faber up 4-3 in the team score Team Cruz sent their number four pick and one of the show's favorites Mike Rio (8-1) up against the unheralded Andy Ogle (8-1). In a battle of American wrestler versus striker, it was the Brit who set the tone for the fight. England's Ogle took round one with effective punching combinations and not allowing Rio to do anything after a pair of takedowns. In round two Rio pushed the pace and even took Ogle's back at the midpoint of the period. Ogle would escape danger and eventually take Rio's back. The Team Faber would choke out Rio with 40 seconds remaining in the round. Heading into the quarterfinals of TUFL next week will feature two fights, James Vick vs. Joe Proctor and Justin Lawrence vs. Michael Chiesa. ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode nine edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury2. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello3. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank4. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen5. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle6. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer7. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia 8. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber-W vs. Rio 9. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/3010. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/1611. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Ogle 5/512. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2313. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/614. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Saunders 4/2715. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Pichel 4/2016. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Proctor 4/13ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Ogle5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello6) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Saunders 4/279) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/610) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber-* Eliminated by Pichel 4/2011) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia 12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle13) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Proctor 4/1315) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber-W vs. Rio 16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer Team Faber 5 Team Cruz 3Andy Ogle def. Mike Rio via submission rear naked choke R2Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode eight recap and rankings

Posted in: vs, team, rio, cruz, faber

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After a rough start, Urijah Faber’s squad on the current season of TUF notched a 5-3 advantage over Dominick Cruz’s team entering the quarterfinal round thanks to a winning performance on Friday night, thus giving his group a slight advantage in terms of having one of their representatives standing tall at the end. Team Faber’s latest victory involved passionate Brit Andy Ogle submitting one of the season’s favorites, Mike Rio, after enduring an opening round filled with adversity. “No such thing as an underdog in MMA. Each dog has its day! Woof woof,” said an animated Ogle after the win. Next week’s show will feature two live tilts from the remaining eight competitors with match-ups between Justin Lawrence-Michael Chiesa and James Vick-Joe Proctor. Friday night’s episode was also highlighted by the coaches challenge, pitting Faber and Cruz against each other on military obstacle course also involving marksmanship stations featuring pistols, rifles, machine guns, and grenade launchers. Cruz started out strong, taking an early lead, but was edged out at the very end (similarly to how their rivalry has played out thus far on the coaching front). TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 5, Cruz 3 Advancing to Semifinal: Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle, John Cofer, Sam Sicilia, Mike Rio PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, obstacle course, ogle

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Last night’s episode of the Ultimate Fighter 15 featured a number of memorable moments including perhaps the coolest coaches’ challenge of all time. Rather than have team-heads Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz battle it out on a basketball court, soccer field, or ping-pong table, UFC President Dana White brought both bantamweights out to the Nevada desert to test their marksmanship skills with the assistance of U.S. Marines. Both men were required to go through an obstacle course involving a handful of physical tasks (a rope-climb, tire-flip, etc.) with each being followed by weapon/target. Guns ranged from a pistol all the way up to a grenade launcher! Adding to the stakes, the winning coach was set to receive $20,000 instead of the standard $10,000 as well as $1,500 for each member of his team. Come showtime, Cruz started out with an early lead but saw Faber overtake him about 2/3 of the way through the challenge and could never make up the time difference despite an extremely close finish. As far as the show’s live fight, Andy Ogle (Team Faber) was able to take out Mike Rio (Team Cruz) via submission after wearing the highly-touted Floridian down with movement/defense. The finish came after Ogle worked his way out of a precarious position to find himself on top of Rio, transitioning onto his back during an attempt to stand and sinking in a Rear-Naked Choke. “Ogle has been a fun project ever since he stepped foot into the house. He has a great attitude and works hard. In this fight he showed a lot of the stuff we’ve been working on, and that he has gotten better every day,” said Faber of his pupil. The first two quarterfinal fights were announced after the bout with both set to take place on next week’s episode with the match-ups being Justin Lawrence vs. Michael Chiesa and James Vick vs. Joe Proctor. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 5, Cruz 3 Advancing to Semifinal: Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle, John Cofer, Sam Sicilia, Mike Rio PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: team, rio, cruz, faber, ogle

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As April draws to a close and the flowers come in bloom, Danny Boy Downes here to brighten up your life with another edition of the Ultimate Recap: Live! When you think about it, my articles have a lot in common with flowers: They make you feel better, serve as a great “I’m sorry” present for your significant other, and lose all relevance after a couple weeks.As the show opens, we recap last week’s fight between John Cofer and Vinc Pichel. For once, Dana actually agrees with the judges and approves of the decision to go to the third round where Pinchel eventually won via arm triangle. We get a glimpse into the post-mortem of the match and we see the coaches dealing with their respective fighters. Cruz is smiling again and shares his secret wisdom of, “make it a street fight.” While I personally don’t find that the most helpful strategy, it will come in handy once the UFC takes some hints from the show Robot Wars and adds a fire pit in the middle of the Octagon. Faber tries to comfort Cofer, who is clearly distraught at losing his big shot. Fortunately, he still has the presence of mind to flex those ab muscles hard during the interview. If there’s a coach who can teach you what to do with your shirt off, it’s Urijah Faber.As they set up this week’s fight between Team Cruz’s Sam Sicilia and Team Faber’s Chirs Saunders, we first see Sam Sicilia hitting the heavy bag. Dominick Cruz compliments his punching strength and believes that he has the power to knock people out with every single one of his punches. Next, Strikeforce Women’s 135-lb champion Ronda Rousey walks in. She teaches the guys some of her Olympic-medal-winning judo moves which results in every guy on Team Cruz saying something to the extent of, “she’s a beast.” As Rousey and Cruz leave training, Faber quips that he hopes she took it easy on Dominick, which sets off another confrontation between the two coaches. Cruz comments that Faber only knows how to “throw overhand rights and guillotines,” then apparently starts the opening lap of the Parking Lot 500 as he peels out of there.We then see the TUF house events during last week’s UFC 145 event. Rousey initially worries that she’s stepping into a lion’s den, remarking, “ I feel like the goat from Jurassic Park.” Fortunately for her, it is less of a frat party and more like a grade school dance. No one even sits next to her. While I completely approve of TUF guys acting like gentlemen and “leaving room for the Holy Spirit” as Fr. Fairbanks used to say, it does make for dull television. I mean, Rousey even gives Tickle a softball “salted nuts” reference and he does nothing. They never have these problems at the Real World House...Next is a look into Team Faber’s training and the story behind Chris Saunders. Faber says that he has a lot of talent, but that his biggest weakness is “that he doesn’t believe in himself enough.” I’m surprised that Faber is that generous to him. I mean, Saunders calls himself “The SoCal Kid.” There has to be some type of gimmick infringement there. They say that their gameplan will be to tag and go and not stay in place engaging Sicilia.As the show comes back from commercial, Jon Anik tells everyone to follow the show @InsideTUF and we get a gratuitous chest-centered camera angle on Britney Palmer. After the boobs, we see how the TUF guys pass their downtime with a montage of pranks that I have to say are pretty lame. Saran wrap on the sink? Supergluing Chapstick to dresser? Shorts in the freezer? Looks like the only reading material in the house is a set of practical joke books from the 1920s.From there we get an insight into the life of Chris Saunders. He grew up impoverished and never had a stable family growing up. He lived in multiple foster homes and really struggled. A natural follow-up to the prank scenes. Sam Sicilia then shares how he entered the MMA game. He admits that he didn’t take it too seriously at first but has really dedicated himself in the last year. He even discusses how he fought 11 times in the past year and 3 times in one month. Coach Cruz compares him to the Tasmanian Devil and says, “He’s green, but he’s so athletically gifted and all he does is go, go, go.” He then gives their gameplan and makes judicious use of adjectives, telling him to set a “stupid, ridiculous, obscene pace.” If they didn’t have to edit for time I’m pretty sure it would have continued with, crazy, awesome, unbelievable, ludicrous, erotic, absurd, unreasonable, impressive, lewd, cool, radical pace.Interestingly enough, a lot of those adjectives apply to what happens next. Coach Faber’s teammates on Team Alpha Male move all the workout equipment into Team Cruz’s locker room and proceed to have an intense strength and conditioning session. In their underwear. As a prank on Dom. Perhaps the lack of understanding of what constitutes a good prank goes all the way to the top this season. Both teams and their assistant coaches then walk in on this. Cruz admits that it was “pretty smelly” while Chris Tickle is tickled by the goings on and looks like he wants to join. Let’s just review this: an attractive blonde MMA champion is their midst and they’re silent. Four guys jump around in their underpants and they all stare.Weigh ins are uneventful and then it’s fight time. In round one, Sicilia shows his Tasmanian devil side and swings big repeatedly and pressures Saunders. They tie up on the cage and after reversing positions a couple times they break to the center, where Sicilia throws more bombs. Just past the halfway mark, Saunders lands a head kick that looks like it drops Sicilia cold. Bouncing his head off the mat must have woken him up, though, because he works his way to top position and tries for a darce choke until the round ends.Sicilia still charges forward at the beginning of round two and embraces the Team Cruz philosophy of “make it a street fight.” Saunders has enough of this and starts working for takedowns more. He eventually gets one, but Sicilia soon gets back to his feet. Once there, he drops Saunders with a hook and pounces, looking to finish the fight. Saunders gets his wits about him quickly and reverses position. The fight ends, and I think we’re heading to round three for sure. The show comes back from (to my surprise) we have a decision-- Saunders by split decision. Read fight resultsThen our “Little Engine that Could” of MMA reporters Jon Anik climbs in and tries to get the fighters to open up. Saunders says that, “everything went exactly as I thought." Apparently he thought he was going to get hit in the face a bunch. Sicilia says that he didn’t trust his wrestling enough and gives Anik the “leave me alone” look. Dana White returns to his judge-harshing ways, saying afterward: "Everyone but the judges believed this should have gone to a third round. I praise the judges when they do a good job and I rip the judges when they get it wrong. They got it wrong tonight. Both guys fought like hell and deserved a third round."  Next week is the final match of the first round as Mike Rio of Team Cruz faces off against Andy Ogle of Team Faber. How will Rio’s injuries affect him? Can Andy Ogle get his mental focus back? Why did Ogle wear that singlet? Will Chris Tickle one-up Team Alpha Male and start practicing naked? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter Live!In the meantime, follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes, the show @InsideTUF and catch my blog here. Also, make sure to leave some comments. Last week, someone said that my columns are uncreative and immature...but that’s not what his mom said.Season at glance -Team Cruz (3-4)Myles Jury - (0-1) lost a split decision to Al Iaquinta in episode 4Jeremy Larsen - (0-1) lost via unanimous decision to Mike Chiesa in episode 5Justin Lawrence - (1-0) won via KO over Cristiano Marcello in episode 3Vinc Pichel - (1-0) submitted John Cofer in episode 7Mike Rio - scheduled to fight Andy Ogle in episode 9Sam Sicilia - (0-1) lost a split decision to Chris Saunders in episode 8 Chris Tickle - (0-1) lost via submission to Joe Proctor in episode 6James Vick - (1-0) won via KO over Daron Cruickshank in episode 2Team Faber (4-3)Mike Chiesa - (1-0) won a unanimous decision over Jeremy Larsen in episode 5John Cofer - (0-1) lost to Vinc Pichel in episode 7Daron Cruickshank - (0-1) lost to James Vick in episode 2Al Iaquinta - (1-0) won a split decision over Myles Jury in episode 4Cristiano Marcello - (0-1) lost to Justin Lawrence in episode 3Andy Ogle - scheduled to fight Mike Rio in episode 9Joe Proctor - (1-0) submitted Chris Tickle in episode 6Chris Saunders - (1-0) beat Sam Sicilia by split decision in episode 8

Posted in: team, episode, cruz, saunder, sicilia

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Things got “rowdy” last night on the Ultimate Fighter 15 regarding both the in-ring action and a special guest coach, as competitors Sam Sicilia-Chris Saunders turned in a an exciting, back-and-forth brawl on live TV and Strikeforce bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey stopped by to help Team Cruz with their judo. The episode was full of entertaining moments including an increase of pranks ranging from the mundane (plastic-wrap on the sink and frozen underwear) to downright silly thanks to coach Urijah Faber. “The California Kid” decided to coat Dominick Cruz’s fitness room with sweat, getting some help from his Team Alpha Male crew by putting in a ridiculous workout in the small space while wearing nothing but their under-garments. On the less-disgusting front, Rousey’s presence at the UFC Training Center was welcome by viewers and contestants alike. In addition to teaching a particular style of takedown, Rousey visited the Ultimate Fighter house to take in UFC 145 where she was seemingly ignored by the group of awestricken men. Come fight-time, Sicilia and Saunders put on a show with each absorbing a good deal of damage but pressing through the adversity. In the end Saunders, who was the last pick of the show, came away with a Split Decision win over Sicilia (Cruz’s #2) thanks in large part to the minimally successful grappling he mixed in to an otherwise stand-up heavy tilt. After the bout’s conclusion Faber joked that Cruz could select the next match-up, recalling a moment earlier in the season when he’d been left stumped by Cruz giving him the option to pick, though truly no choice was necessary with there only being one spot left in the season’s quarterfinals. As such, next week’s live fight will feature Mike Rio (Team Cruz) and Andy Ogle (Team Faber). TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 4, Cruz 3 Advancing to Quarterfinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa, Joe Proctor, Vinc Pichel, Chris Saunders Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle, John Cofer, Sam Sicilia PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, saunder, rousey

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Knotted up at three wins apiece only four fighters have yet to compete in The Ultimate Fighter Live round of 16. Team Cruz selected their number two draft pick Sam Sicilia (10-0) to go up against Team Faber's last pick Chris Saunders (9-2). Sicilia made waves in the prelim round with the quickest knockout this season. Round one quickly turned into a barroom brawl with both fighter scoring knockdowns off strikes. In round two Saunders would take Sicilia's back but the Team Cruz fighter would later drop him with a left hand. Despite two very close rounds a third victory round was not called on by the judges cageside. Saunders eked a split decision win over Sicilia. Next week Team Faber's seventh pick Andy Ogle (8-1) will fight Team Cruz's fourth pick Mike Rio (8-1). ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode seven edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury2. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz3. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello4. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank5. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen6. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle7. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer8. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia 9. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/3010. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/1611. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2312. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/613. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Saunders 4/2714. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Pichel 4/2015. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Proctor 4/1316. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team FaberULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello6) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Saunders 4/279) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/610) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber-* Eliminated by Pichel 4/2011) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber-W vs. Sicilia 12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle13) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Proctor 4/1315) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer Team Faber 4 Team Cruz 3Chris Saunders def. Sam Sicilia via split decisionTeam Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode seven recap and rankings

Posted in: vs, team, cruz, faber, sicilia

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It's coaches challenge day on TUF Live. What does Dana White have lined up for Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber? Well, this pic he posted on his twitter should provide a clue.

Posted in: coach, challenge, cruz, dominick cruz, urijah faber

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

One of the season’s most entertaining outings went down last night on TUF 15 after Sam Sicilia and Chris Saunders went at it full speed for ten minutes en route to a razor-thin Split Decision. However, before getting into the outcome, a number of noteworthy things went down prior to the pair locking horns. For starters, Strikeforce bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey made an appearance alongside her male counterpart in the UFC, Dominick Cruz. Rousey helped Team Cruz out with judo techniques, impressing many with her dedication, precision, and power. Later on Rousey, the first female guest coach in the series’ history, stopped by the Ultimate Fighter house to watch UFC 145 this past Saturday night and was greeted with stunned silence by most of the contestants who were in shock at the thought of a pretty girl in their midst. Also outside of the Octagon, Urijah Faber and a number of his Team Alpha Male cohorts decided to have some fun at Cruz’s expense by working out on his team’s fitness equipment while in their skivvies. Come fight-time, Saunders and Sicilia turned in a fantastic fight with each man being dropped after eating a stiff shot from the other. Sicilia weathered an early storm, getting plastered with a headkick in the opening minutes of action, but recovered and landed some nice blows of his own. The second round saw Sicilia throw with reckless abandon, tagging Saunders a few times and even putting him down at one point. However, he too recovered, eking out the Split Decision as the result of some ground-work including taking Sicilia’s back. However, as close as the fight was a third round would have been more than welcome. Next week the final quarterfinalist will be determined when the last two fighters remaining, Mike Rio and Andy Ogle, mix it up in hopes of being part of the elite eight. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 4, Cruz 3 Advancing to Quarterfinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa, Joe Proctor, Vinc Pichel, Chris Saunders Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle, John Cofer, Sam Sicilia PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: team, chri, cruz, saunder, sicilia

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With no Bellator this week, UFC has Friday all to its lonesome, airing the eighth episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Live with a fight that will break the deadlock between Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz's teams. The fight this week features Sam Sicilia (Cruz) vs. Chris Saunders (Faber), made after Vinc Pichel defeated John Cofer by third round submission last week to get back control for Cruz. Sicilia was Cruz's second overall pick and admitted last week he was feeling a lot of pressure because of it. The fights between the two coaches are tied 3-3. Sicilia was 10-0 before getting into the house with nine finishes while Saunders (9-2) had a seven fight win streak snapped by Chris Horodecki before joining the TUF cast. Also on this week's show, Strikeforce 135-pound champion Ronda Rousey will make an appearance. Follow along with the episode here on Bloody Elbow and join the conversation in our comments section. The action kicks off 10 PM EST on FX.

Posted in: fight, week, episode, cruz, sicilia

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Posted in: mma, hour, episode, cruz, guilherme

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For the first time all season Team Faber headed into a elimination bout with the team score lead. With match-up control Team Faber selected John Cofer (7-1) to square of with Team Cruz's Vince Pichel (6-0). After a close opening round that saw neither man distinguish himself, Pichel dominated Cofer in the second period. A right hand from Pichel dazed Cofer in the early going and a takedown midway through the frame secured the second round for Team Cruz. With a need for a sudden victory round, Pichel continued to overwhelm Cofer in the third frame. 30 seconds into the final round Pichel brought Cofer to the mat and secured the victory for Team Cruz with a arm triangle choke submission. Next week Team Cruz's number two draft pick Sam Sicilia (10-0) will take on Team Faber's last pick Chris Saunders (9-2). ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode seven edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury2. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz3. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello4. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank5. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz6. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen7. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle8. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer9. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber10. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/3011. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/1612. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2313. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/614. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Pichel 4/2015. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Proctor 4/1316. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team FaberULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello6) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz9) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/610) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber-* Eliminated by Pichel 4/2011) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle13) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Proctor 4/1315) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cofer Team Faber 3 Team Cruz 3Vince Pichel def. John Cofer by submission arm triangle choke 0:44 R3Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode six recap and rankings

Posted in: vs, team, cruz, faber, cofer

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After more than six weeks inside the TUF fishbowl it appears some mental strain is starting to surface for the parties involved on the Ultimate Fighter 15 with a few verbal jabs thrown and tears shed on last night’s episode. Things started off on a heated note after Urijah Faber offered some words of motivation to Team Cruz member Chris Tickle, prompting Dominick Cruz to snap and start throwing insults in Faber’s direction. Cruz, who had just finished chewing Tickle out for his performance against Joe Proctor, felt Faber was out of line by interjecting in a conversation unrelated to any of his team-members. A Look at Last Week’s Fight Between Proctor-Tickle Later in the episode Team Faber’s Andy Ogle broke down both physically and emotionally, crying his eyes out despite concern about how it would make him look to his friends/training partners back home. He later went on to explain his passion for doing well on the show overwhelmed him as did his disappointment in dealing with some health-related issues during practice. Fight-wise, Team Faber’s John Cofer clashed with Team Cruz’s Vinc Pichel, turning in an exciting affair seeing Pichel emerge victorious courtesy of an Arm-Triangle Choke in the “sudden victory” round. The win tied up the score between the opposing squads at 3-3. Next week’s match-up was also revealed and will involve Sam Sicilia (Cruz) taking on Chris Saunders (Faber). TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 3, Cruz 3 Advancing to Quarterfinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa, Joe Proctor, Vinc Pichel Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle, John Cofer Tweet

Posted in: team, chri, cruz, faber, tickle

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Last night’s episode of TUF 15 was high on drama with a back-and-forth live bout capping off an entertaining evening of action. Things started off with a bang when cameras captured the fallout from Chris Tickle’s loss a week ago with Dominick Cruz tearing into him for not following the gameplan. The negativity and anger of his words caught the ear of rival coach Urijah Faber who spoke up, telling Tickle he was a warrior who finished fights. Cruz didn’t appreciate Faber interjecting his opinion and let him know as much, calling him a “bum” and saying he was no longer a relevant fighter. Later on in the show, contestants Andy Ogle and Sam Sicilia where shown breaking down mentally after being cooped up for more than a month with the former even turning on the waterworks at one point in an emotional segment where he explained how much winning on the show meant to him. Come fight-time, Team Faber’s John Cofer and Team Cruz’s Vinc Pichel turned in two solid rounds with Cofer getting the best in the first with some strikes and Pichel answering the call in the second stanza, even scoring a late takedown on the superior wrestler. Cofer’s cardio didn’t seem to be up to snuff come “sudden victory” time and ultimately cost him the fight with Pichel locking in an Arm-Triangle Choke shortly after things started to secure the submission win. Next week’s show will feature a live fight between Sam Sicilia and Chris Saunders. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 3, Cruz 3 Advancing to Quarterfinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa, Joe Proctor, Vinc Pichel Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle, John Cofer PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, cofer, pichel

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

I once shared an escalator with Dominick Cruz back in the prehistoric 'WEC era' of MMA; before he was the UFC's undisputed bantamweight champion. In the forty seconds we talked, we discussed Miguel Torres and what sort of products he used in his hair to keep its luster. We couldn’t figure it out and decided to part ways when we reached the second floor of a convention center in Boston, MA. It’s still a mystery to both of us. Realistically, it’s not that important. We’re sure it’s something far more luxurious than what Urijah Faber uses since he shaved his head. In fact, Dominick Cruz thinks Urijah Faber looks and dresses like a bum in this sneak peak of this Friday’s episode of TUF Live. [Source]

Posted in: cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, urijah faber, urijah

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 With the team scores now tied at two apiece Team Faber selected Joe Proctor (7-1) to take on Team Cruz's Chris Tickle (7-4) in episode six. In a grappler versus striker match-up it was the submission specialist Proctor who excelled in all areas. Proctor opened the fight with a low kick followed by a two punch combo that backed Tickle against the cage. Both fighters traded punches in the center of the cage before either thought about taking the fight to the floor. Proctor would land a takedown and on the floor Tickle had no answer for the Team Faber fighter. In the final 30 seconds of round one Proctor seized Tickle's back and choked him out at the 4:42 mark. With Team Faber still in control John Cofer (7-1) will square off with Team Cruz's number six pick Vinc Pichel (6-0).ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode six edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury2. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz3. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello4. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank5. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz6. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen7. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber8. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle9. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber10. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/3011. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/1612. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2313. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/614. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Proctor 4/1315. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello6) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz9) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 4/610) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber11) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber- W vs. Tickle13) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Proctor 4/1315) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzTeam Faber 3 Team Cruz 2 Joe Proctor def. Chris Tickle by submission rear naked choke 4:42 R1Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode five recap and rankings

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, proctor, tickle

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Things were looking dire for Urijah Faber’s squad on the current season of the Ultimate Fighter until they got things turned around three weeks ago and haven’t looked back since. Team Faber picked up a third consecutive victory this weekend thanks to the polished grappling of Joe Proctor to take the series lead against Team Cruz for the first time. Proctor’s success came after weathering an early storm from opponent Chris Tickle, then scoring a takedown late in the opening round where he was able to maneuver into position for a fight-ending Rear-Naked Choke. After the fight Faber selected John Cofer from his group and pitted him against Vinc Pichel in next week’s live match-up. “All these match-ups coming up are going to be pretty tough. So we went with a match-up that pitted two guys with different styles. Pichel is a dangerous fighter for sure. He’s got a real strong mental game, I can tell by talking to him. Cofer’s really strong also. He’s a south paw and he’s a wrestler and that’s Pichel’s weakness,” said Faber of his decision. Outside of the Octagon, Tickle was shown to have two sides to his personality including an immature, fun-loving prankster as well as a humble competitor out to provide for his family. In fact, Tickle even made Easter dinner for his housemates in a show of good faith. Also, Mike Rio and Justin Lawrence got into a heated exchange about how coach Dominick Cruz was training them. Rio felt Cruz was a little too rough in his work ethic while Lawrence appreciated the challenges presented by the bantamweight champion’s training. Ultimately, Cruz decided to pair them against each other in training to let their frustration serve as fuel. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Faber 3, Cruz 2 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa, Joe Proctor Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle Tweet

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, proctor, tickle

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The show started off with a quick recap from last week’s episode which saw Michael Chiesa defeat Jeremy Larsen, evening the score between coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber at two all. Chiesa celebrated in the back with Team Faber, while Larsen and Team Cruz were obviously upset at the outcome. Cruz called out Chris Tickle, who was revealed to have shown up drunk to the fight. Tickle and Joe Proctor met this week in another elimination-fight. Proctor stated he felt like he’s at an advantage facing Tickle. Back at the house, Tickle was shown chowing down on some corn dogs and relaxing in the hot tub while preaching about fitness. As you can expect, his behavior upset several members of Team Cruz who didn’t feel like Tickle is taking full advantage of this opportunity. Mike Rio, who has been nursing a knee injury for a couple of weeks, talked to Justin Lawrence about the hard pace Cruz continues to push on them. Rio wants a day off, while Lawrence feels like this is what they signed up for. As you could expect, at the next training session Rio and Lawrence are paired up and the two go full-speed-ahead at each other which upset both fighters to the point of frustration. Their agony seemed to excite Cruz after he started seeing more intensity out of his squad after two straight defeats. Tickle pulled a prank on Proctor, setting up a bucket of water to fall on his head as he opens the door after a training session. Proctor took it in good stride and actually laughs pretty good at it. With it being Easter weekend, Tickle also prepared a turkey while the fighters enjoy themselves in the pool area with a homemade Slip-n-Slide. UFC middleweight Vitor Belfort is at the training center for the live fight. Belfort can currently be seen coaching opposite Wanderlei Silva on TUF Brasil. In the one-on-one interview segment, fans saw the softer side of Tickle, as he talked about his family and why he fights. The piece is a complete 180 from the Tickle over the past few weeks of TUF. Tickle returns to his lighter side later on, weighing in at 153 pounds with a slice of pizza in his hand. Proctor comes in at 155 and lets Tickle know he smells like pizza. That has to be a TUF first. Back to the live fight, the first round begins with Tickle as the aggressor, coming straight at Proctor and landing some nice jabs and solid kicks and even throwing a few head-kicks to test the distance out. Proctor remained hesitant to fire off anything with much power behind it. Tickle was on point with his striking, but Proctor landed some knees that land. With less than a minute left, Proctor got the takedown and went right into a Rear-Naked Choke, locking in the hooks and putting pressure on Tickle. Tickle tried hold off from tapping as the round went under 30 seconds but couldn’t last and give in. With that, Proctor moved to the show’s next round at 4:42 in the first frame with a submission. Next week’s fight will feature Team Faber’s John Cofer going up against Vinc Pichel from Team Cruz. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 2 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa, Joe Proctor Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Chris Tickle

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, proctor, tickle

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I have to say that this is a pretty good week for myself. Spring is in the air, my fiancé’s wedding shower is today where I may get my much anticipated fondue set and the Downes Side returned. Most of all, though, I get to write the Ultimate Recap Live about an episode that featured our favorite reality TV show personality Chris Tickle.Some people have been complaining that the new format of the show limits the ability of  storylines to develop but I think they’re wrong. Just look at the intro of episode 6 here. It begins the way I think that all episodes from now on should -- Chris Tickle looking up and saying, “Coach, I got diarrhea.” Provocative storytelling!After that we get a recap of last week’s Chiesa vs Larsen fight. Michael Chiesa is a little emotional (understandably) after the fight and feels that he made his recently-deceased father proud and gives some love to his mom. A clearly upset Larsen still retains his grasp on syntax as he yells, “[expletive] [expletive] that [expletive] [expletive] [expletive].” While Larsen may be the next Walt Whitman, our buddy “Bad” Tickle wastes no time taking over the show. Obviously intoxicated at the fights, he starts talking trash at everyone and everything he can. Dominick Cruz tells him to shut his mouth and Tickle responds, “I’m just being me!” Yes you certainly are, and please don’t change.We then get a little glimpse into the Cruz/Tickle relationship. It’s interesting to say the least. It’s like the Odd Couple if Felix and Oscar were chosen by one of those VH1 reality TV shows like Flavor of Love. Cruz can’t stand Tickle, but says, “I actually love the guy.” Tickle doesn't like being coached, and Cruz has been pushing him hard all season. Naturally, Tickle then pulls Cruz aside and asks him to push him harder leading up to his fight. Cut to: Chris Tickle eating corn dogs. While the Cruz/Tickle relationship could use a talk from Dr. Drew, we then see how teammates Mike Rio and Justin Lawrence get along. Rio has had a bum knee throughout the season and wishes that Coach Cruz would just give them a light day once in a while. Lawrence thinks Rio is soft and tells the 30 year old that in MMA, “You’re done at 30.” They later have an altercation at practice where sparring pretty much turns into a fight with gloves. Rio gets the better of the exchange, but at least Lawrence didn’t end up like this guy. Cruz explains that he orchestrated this on purpose, too, since Lawrence is so good that he's not used to having to bounce back, but he'll need that when he's in the UFC.Joe Proctor then tells his story. Born to alcoholic and drug abuser parents, his dad is now clean and they have a strong relationship. Despite all the turmoil growing up, Proctor exudes a calm and stability. Urijah Faber sums it up perfectly when he says, “Always beware the dog with no bark.” Proctor gives me a little pause for concern when he tells us, “I’m a ground guy, but I love to bang.” Hasn’t he ever heard of Andy Wang?Next we see how the TUF guys spent their Easter Sunday. It mostly involves water activities around the pool and creating a makeshift Slip N Slide out of yard bags. Tickle is preparing a turkey dinner for the guys and tells his story. He was in and out of jail, drank a lot and and claims that, “MMA saved my life.” He also explains how he’s a self-taught fighter whose only coach has been YouTube.Cut to Team Cruz’ training where Dominick stresses the importance of Tickle avoiding takedowns. He knows that Tickle is a brawler and his best chance of winning is standing there attacking. Coach Cruz also worries about Tickle not pacing himself and gassing early. Weigh-ins are much less eventful than anticipated. Tickle eats a slice of pizza on the scale and during the stare down, he asks Proctor, “Smell my pizza?”Now it’s fight time and we get a quick glimpse into the locker rooms. Cruz tells Tickle to avoid throwing body kicks and Faber stresses the importance of footwork. Tickle doesn’t bring any props for the walkout, but if you look behind them, you can see how nicely the coaches’ portraits have evolved. I think Urijah Faber should try rocking that handlebar mustache in real life.Round 1 -- For a self taught fighter, Tickle actually looks all right. He’s definitely a brawler and throws big wide shots, but a few of them find their mark. Tickle gets the dominant position on Proctor clinching against the cage and hurts him with a right hand off the break. I think that was all the motivation Proctor needed to remind him, “Oh yeah, I’m a ground fighter.” The velicoproctor gets the the takedown with a minute left. The jiu-jitsu videos that Tickle watched must have been Melvin Guillard vs Joe Lauzon because he gives his back up immediately and Proctor sinks in the rear naked choke. Tickle fights the choke briefly, then taps out, giving Team Faber three wins in a row.Read fight reportDana briefly gives his thoughts on the fight and had Tickle winning it. Urijah Faber talks and congratulates Tickle for not being a poor sport and taking the loss responsibly. I think it’s nice that we give people credit for things they’re supposed to do. That’s why I’m pitching my, “Hey You Haven’t Gone to Prison!” card line to Hallmark this week. After that next week’s fight is announced and it’ll be John Cofer vs Vinc Pichel. Will Team Faber keep control? WIll “Bad” Bad Boy Tickle show up and raise more trouble? What will be the first thing eat with my fondue set? Find out this and more next week!In the meantime, follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes, the show @InsideTuf, read my blog and leave some comments. I’ll try to respond, but you’ll never know what can happen after my aunts knock back some mimosas....Team Cruz (2-3)Myles Jury - (0-1) lost a split decision to Al Iaquinta in episode 4Jeremy Larsen - (0-1) lost via unanimous decision to Mike Chiesa in episode 5Justin Lawrence - (1-0) won via KO over Cristiano Marcello in episode 3Vinc Pichel - schedule to fight John Cofer in episode 7Mike RioSam SiciliaChris Tickle - (0-1) lost via submission to Joe Proctor in episode 6James Vick - (1-0) won via KO over Daron Cruickshank in episode 2Team Faber (3-2)Mike Chiesa - (1-0) won a unanimous decision over Jeremy Larsen in episode 5John Cofer - scheduled to fight Vinc Pichel in episode 7Daron Cruickshank - (0-1) lost to James Vick in episode 2Al Iaquinta - (1-0) won a split decision over Myles Jury in episode 4Cristiano Marcello - (0-1) lost to Justin Lawrence in episode 3Andy OgleJoe Proctor - (1-0) submitted Chris Tickle in episode 6Chris Saunders

Posted in: fight, episode, cruz, proctor, tickle

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After a rocky first few weeks, Urijah Faber's team is getting things going a bit over the last few weeks. Michael Chiesa pulled off the big win last week for Team Faber and now Urijah looks to bump off season "bad boy" Chris Tickle of Team Cruz when he matches him up with Joe Proctor. Tickle has been shown as having "attitude problems" toward the other team, his own teammates and even coach Dominick Cruz. He'll be looking to prove he's more than just talk tonight against Proctor. Proctor is the taller and younger man as well as sporting a better record. All stuff touched on in Fraser Coffeen's great preview of tonight's fight. Make sure to come back and check out all of tonight's action with us here at Bloody Elbow and stick around through the announcement of next week's fight at the end of the episode. As usual, we'll share live thoughts on the show in the comments section but will provide blow-by-blow action of the actual fight right here in the main body of the post.

Posted in: fight, week, team, cruz, proctor

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This week, TUF Live featured a classic matchup of striker vs. grappler. Team Faber’s Joe Proctor is a jiu-jitsu specialist and a training partner of TUF 5’s Joe Lauzon; Team Cruz’ Chris Tickle is a self-taught striker whose one style is, according to coach Dominick Cruz, sprawl and brawl. The fighters’ personalities were also polar opposites, and in the end, the understated dark horse Proctor used his skills to steal the spotlight from the boisterous Tickle via first-round tapout. With all of Tickle’s past losses coming via submission, his coaches knew that keeping the fight standing would be Tickle’s key to success. “The second Proctor goes to take him down, he has to pop right back up,” said Cruz before the bout.The bout began with Faber yelling for footwork from his charge, as Team Cruz’ Tickle played aggressor. Tickle touched Proctor with a straight, and threw a mix of low and high kicks. Proctor responded with an early takedown attempt, but Tickle tied him up against the cage for some knees and dirty boxing. Tickle threw a big hook on the exit that seemed to temporarily stun Proctor, but the action resumed in the middle of the Octagon.Surviving Tickle’s initial flurries may have dissolved Proctor’s nerves, as his offense picked up steam in the next exchanges. Although both men were measured and controlled, they took turns coming forward with strikes until Proctor moved forward and got the clinch, which Tickle again turned into a tangle on the cage with his dirty boxing. But everything changed with one minute left, as Proctor shot and got a huge takedown. As Tickle sprang back to his feet, Proctor easily took his back standing and returned the bout to the ground. With plenty of time left in the round, the jiu-jitsu specialist worked in the rear-naked choke and got the tap at 4:42 of the round.“Tickle is tough – he hits like a truck,” said Proctor after the bout. “I’m a jiu-jitsu guy. I did my job here.”“I thought the first round was favoring Tickle,” said UFC president Dana White. “Tickle was picking him apart. But as soon as he got him down, he submitted him pretty easily.”The win marked three in a row for Team Faber, who now takes the lead for the first time at 3-2 for the season.

Posted in: cruz, proctor, tickle, jiujitsu specialist, tickle ’s

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Posted in: ufc, tekprodfx, cruz, vera, pro

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Here in week 5 of UFC's The Ultimate Fighter Live, we seem to have settled into a groove with the show, for both good and bad. Episodes have been focused primarily on the actual fight and fight planning (good), interspersed with the occasional obnoxious reality TV nonsense tossed in courtesy of Chris Tickle (bad). But the heavy emphasis remains on the fights, and so I remain happy. That's not to say there isn't some bad. This week, there were two potentially irritating storylines at play. First, Dominick Cruz tried to get Sam Sicilia to help him and Jeremy Larsen strategize for the Michael Chiesa fight. And Sicilia refused. Cruz pushed him a bit, but gave up and it became sort of a non issue. For my money, I'm with Sicilia here. Cruz was arguing that to make it to the top, you have to fight friends sometimes. And I get that. But this wasn't about Sicilia fighting Chiesa, it was about him helping some guy he met a few weeks ago and has artificially been put on a team with figure out how to beat his best friend. Why do that? It felt like Cruz and Sicilia were talking apples to oranges here, and I'm glad it ended up not becoming much of a thing. The other annoyance was, of course, Tickle. I'm hesitant to talk much about him simply because he seems like a guy who feeds off attention, so why give it to him, you know? But it has to be mentioned, especially since he's fighting next week. The impression I get of him is that he is mentally weak. Oh sure, he would go berserk if you said that, and probably threaten to beat me up, but in my experience, the people who talk the most about their mental toughness are the ones that most lack it. He approaches everything like a man with something to prove, but when push comes to shove, his actions tell the story. And those actions don't say he's a mentally tough fighter to me. Now, there is of course some reality TV editing work at play here, so take his actions with a bit of a grain of salt, but at the same time, they are not creating this persona out of thin air. We'll see next week how well he backs it up. Also, Tickle wins the award for worst staredown ever. Seriously, EVER. Other random points: I'm not horribly anti-Urijah Faber, but he seems kind of... I don't know, weird? The whole Cruz shoe thing was odd, and the man uses a lot of unnecessary words when making fight picks. No mention of how Rio's injury is going, which is probably a good thing for him. A random thought I had this week - when are Cruz and Faber training for their fight? Normally there is a big gap between the end of filming and the finale, but with this year's live format, their fight is coming up in July and they will be focused on this show often between now and then. Mike Chiesa vs. Jeremy Larsen: Chiesa was paired with Larsen because of his wrestling, and I was impressed by the takedowns the Team Faber fighter showed. He was tenacious and resourceful with them; I liked how he would switch from a double to a single to a trip until he got the fight down. But as impressed with his takedowns as I was, I was equally unimpressed with his stand-up, which was sloppy and rudimentary. I like Chiesa's personality, but I would pick any of the other 4 quarter finalists over him at this point. Larsen is tough and has heart, but he's just too sloppy to make it in the UFC I think. I've seen some complaints about the 1 point deduction for the illegal knee, but I thought it was the right call. It was an illegal blow and it's on fighters to show the needed control in order to follow the rules. That said, Faber didn't help Chiesa there, calling repeatedly for the knee, but then not clearly telling Chiesa when Larsen grounded himself. If you're going to be very vocal in calling for the knee (which, as a coach, is a good thing), you need to be equally vocal to tell your fighter NOT to throw it when that time comes. Joe Proctor vs. Chris Tickle: This feels like a pretty big fight, as both Tickle and Proctor impressed in their opening fights. The clear downside is it means a very Tickle-heavy show next week. Luckily, there's good footage available from both men's pre-TUF careers, so check back later this week for an in-depth preview.

Posted in: fight, fighter, week, cruz, chiesa

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A controversial scoring decision by referee Steve Mazzagatti luckily did affect the outcome of a two round fight between Team Faber's Mike Chiesa (7-0) and Team Cruz's Jeremy Larsen (8-2). The number five pick of Team Faber Chiesa controlled the pace versus the last pick of Team Cruz Larsen. Chiesa opened the fight with consecutive takedowns on Larsen. At the tail end of round one Chiesa landed an illegal knee on Larsen and the Team Faber fight was quickly deducted a point. In round two Chiesa wrapped up the fight with more takedowns that Larsen was unable to fight off. All three judges scored the fight 19-18 in favor of Team Faber's Chiesa. Next week Team Faber's number four pick Joe Proctor (7-1) will go to battle with Team Cruz's number seven pick Chris Tickle (7-4). ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode five edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury2. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz3. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello 4. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank5. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz6. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen7. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber8. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber9. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/3010. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/1611. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2312. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa 13. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber14. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz15. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury 3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello 6) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz9) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz-*Eliminated by Chiesa10) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber11) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber13) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber- W vs. Larsen14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz15) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzTeam Cruz 2 Team Faber 2Mike Chiesa def. Jeremy Larsen by unanimous decision Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode four recap and rankings

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, larsen, chiesa

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One of the most emotionally stirring moments in TUF history occurred earlier this season when contestant Michael Chiesa learned his father had died within hours of him qualifying for a spot in the house with an elimination round win. After being given an opportunity to go home for a day to mourn with his family, Chiesa came back with a new sense of purpose and exhibited such last night by taking out Jeremy Larsen by way of decision. Chiesa’s success on the scorecards came as the result of his wrestling, a key aspect of coach Urijah Faber’s thought process when making the match-up last week. Chiesa was able to take Larsen down and control him throughout the bulk of their two-round tilt with the only real moment of suspense coming when he landed an illegal knee costing him a point. Faber Discusses How Good Beating Cruz as a Coach Feels “This is dedicated to my mom, Teresa Chiesa,” said the Spokane-area fighter after his win. “It definitely wasn’t my best performance but I know what things I need to change and do better. Most importantly, I need to manage my weight better and be more confident in all my skills. I promise I’ll be putting someone to sleep next time.” Next week’s fight will feature Chris Tickle (Team Cruz) against Joe Proctor (Team Faber). “I knew that that was the match-up they would make and I feel very confident in the match-up and will be victorious. For the last four weeks, Dom and the staff busted our ass to get us in shape and I feel 100% confident in my coaches and my cardio for this fight,” said Tickle of Dominick Cruz and company. “I’m ready to bang and get a W. I’m 100% healthy and injury free and can’t wait for next week.” The statement from Tickle is particularly interesting, as this week’s episode featured him expressing concern over gout-like symptoms on his toe and ducking out of training while claiming to need to use the restroom. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 2 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen Next Week’s Fight: Chris Tickle vs. Joe Proctor Tweet

Posted in: chiesa, week, tickle, cruz, faber

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So far, this season Michael Chiesa will be remembered for the emotional pain he was dealt upon entering The Ultimate Fighter 15 house. Chiesa, following his win in the competition’s initial elimination round, found out his father passed away just mere hours after seeing him win. The UFC granted Chiesa the opportunity to head home, attend the funeral, and return to training. That’s just what he did, and this past Friday night, the bearded grappler showed them the decision was a right one when he went up against Jeremy Larsen. Chiesa seemed like a man on a mission right from the start, as Urijah Faber‘s pick used strong takedowns and some excellent ground-and-pound with elbows to dominate the opening round. The only thing he did wrong was connect with an illegal knee to Larsen, costing himself a point and a 10-9 lead after the first five minutes of action against the Dominick Cruz‘s competitor. In the second, it was all Chiesa, scoring with a double-leg takedown and nearly finishing the fight with a Rear-Naked Choke after locking in hooks late in the round. The bell saved Larsen, but Chiesa had easily done enough in the minds of the judges to pick up a decision victory. Next week’s fight will consist of Chris Tickle going up against Joe Proctor. As far as non-fight action from last night’s episode, Tickle’s heart was questioned by Cruz after complaining of gout-like symptoms on an affected foot and ducking out of practice early a few times while repeatedly claiming to need to use the restroom. Cruz didn’t take kindly to what he perceived as weakness in his team-member and let Tickle know. Also worth noting, Cruz attempted to have Chiesa’s longtime friend/teammate (and Team Cruz member) Sam Sicilia rat out his techniques to which Sicilia refused. He and Cheisa joked that they’ve combined the colors of the respective teams’ jerseys to form Team Purple, showing true unity between the fighters. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 2 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen Next Week’s Fight: Chris Tickle vs. Joe Proctor

Posted in: team, cruz, larsen, chiesa, tickle

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

So far, this season Michael Chiesa will be remembered for the emotional pain he was dealt upon entering The Ultimate Fighter 15 house. Chiesa, following his win in the competition’s initial elimination round, found out his father passed away just mere hours after seeing him win. The UFC granted Chiesa the opportunity to head home, attend the funeral, and return to training. That’s just what he did, and this past Friday night, the bearded grappler showed them the decision was a right one when he went up against Jeremy Larsen. Chiesa seemed like a man on a mission right from the start, as Urijah Faber‘s pick used strong takedowns and some excellent ground-and-pound with elbows to dominate the opening round. The only thing he did wrong was connect with an illegal knee to Larsen, costing himself a point and a 10-9 lead after the first five minutes of action against the Dominick Cruz‘s competitor. In the second, it was all Chiesa, scoring with a double-leg takedown and nearly finishing the fight with a Rear-Naked Choke after locking in hooks late in the round. The bell saved Larsen, but Chiesa had easily done enough in the minds of the judges to pick up a decision victory. Next week’s fight will consist of Chris Tickle going up against Joe Proctor. As far as non-fight action from last night’s episode, Tickle’s heart was questioned by Cruz after complaining of gout-like symptoms on an affected foot and ducking out of practice early a few times while repeatedly claiming to need to use the restroom. Cruz didn’t take kindly to what he perceived as weakness in his team-member and let Tickle know. Also worth noting, Cruz attempted to have Chiesa’s longtime friend/teammate (and Team Cruz member) Sam Sicilia rat out his techniques to which Sicilia refused. He and Cheisa joked that they’ve combined the colors of the respective teams’ jerseys to form Team Purple, showing true unity between the fighters. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 2 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen Next Week’s Fight: Chris Tickle vs. Joe Proctor

Posted in: team, cruz, larsen, chiesa, tickle

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After the usual review of last week’s match (Iaquinta vs. Jury), we immediately see that the evening’s fight has put Sam Sicilia in an awkward position. He’s torn between helping his teammateJeremy Larsen  and a “great friend” Michael Chiesa. Despite whatever friendship he has, Coach Cruz is upset with losing and wants any advantage he can get to make sure it doesn’t happen again. He asks Sam to give him a scouting report on Chiesa so he can help prepare Larsen better. Watching this, I couldn’t help but think this whole exchange was like that guy at the bar who tries to get a girl to go home with him at closing time. Cruz tries all the usual routes to get someone to do something they don’t want: guilt, charm and even questions his dedication. I thought he was going to break him, but Sicilia stayed strong. We then get a glimpse into Team Cruz’ strategy for the fight. Larsen thinks that Chiesa is one dimensional and can only grapple. Cruz tells him that while he may not have the best takedown defense, using the cage will be strategic. In the Team Cruz training shots, our buddy Bad Tickle shows himself again. His excuse this time is that he has gout. I always thought that gout was one of those diseases like typhoid or dysentery that only exist anymore in Oregon Trail. Cruz confronts Tickle and tells him that being hurt is just part of being a professional fighter. You’re never going to be 100% so either you want it or you don’t. Feeling his masculinity being questioned,Tickle does what he does best -- get pissed. “I can’t even stand!” he cries.....then stands up and walks out. The show cuts to the TUF house where Chiesa and Larsen are in the kitchen together. Will we finally see bodily fluids in someone’s food? Alas, no. Chiesa politely asks Larsen, “Do you still wanna share a room?” Personally, I don’t see the big deal. I’m always in a room with people that are about to fight each other. It’s called the Downes family reunion. Which reminds me, where’s all the booze this season?Cut to the Team Faber training session and their strategy for the fight. Faber says that Chiesa has, “Some of the best MMA style takedowns,” and there is no doubt what he plans to do. Chiesa then talks about what’s been on everyone’s minds since the fight was made and opens up about the death of his father. He acknowledges that he has an easy out and could use it as an excuse for underperforming or even leaving the show altogether, but instead says that the tragedy has been a source of motivation. Feeling kind of bummed now? Did you just reflect on the importance of family and think you should go call you own father and tell him you love him? In a seamless transition, we shift to Chris Tickle’s bowel troubles. Sparring with Larsen, he catches a good body shot that hurts him. He expertly deflects his defensive lapse with, “My stomach hurt before I started training,” and tries to run off to the bathroom. Cruz doesn’t let him and says, “I don’t care if you s#*t all over yourself!” If that doesn’t make it on the back of his next t-shirt, I’ll be greatly disappointed.Jeremy Larsen then tells his story. He feels like an underdog and can’t wait to prove people wrong. He’s definitely determined, but he could use some lessons in salesmanship. He doesn’t do himself any favors when he says, “I don’t really have a strength in anything.” He says that he’d either be dead or in jail if it weren’t for MMA.Tickle goes to the doctor and they tell him that the tests came back negative for gout. He credits the prescription antibiotics they gave him. According to my research, they usually give you nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are just fancy words for ibuprofen and Aleve. I wonder if he gets prescription water if he’s thirsty.Weigh ins come and the only thing of interest is that Urijah Faber making fun of Dominick Cruz’ red shoes. To me they just looked like basic skateboarder shoes. I’m definitely not the one to ask about fashion, though. I still rock my kick ass chain wallet from the 90s.The fight begins and Chiesa wastes no time trying to close the distance and get inside. He takes Larsen down in the first minute and then tries to advance position. Larsen does a good job of not getting put in a bad position and gets up. He soon overcommits on his strikes, Chiesa ties up and takes him down again. With about one minute left in the round, Chiesa goes for a darce, but can’t finish. Then, the controversy occurs. Larsen has his back on the cage and is hunched over on one knee. Chiesa is still standing over him going for the choke and then throws an illegal knee. There didn’t seem to be a lot behind it, but it’s obviously a foul. A point gets deducted, the round restarts and they clinch to the bell.Round two is pretty much more of the same. Larsen gets put against the cage, taken down, gets up, overcommits on his strikes and then gets taken down again. He must not have watched Keeping Up With the Kardashians to learn the evils of committing too soon. Chiesa wins the decision, but then the most amazing thing happens on this season -- the fighters actually answer Jon Anik’s questions. Chiesa gives a shout out to his mom and love to his departed father. Larsen feels cheated that there wasn’t a third round because of the point deduction in the first from the knee (He doesn't seem to realize that since he lost the round 10-9, the point deduction still makes it a 9-9 tie). He calls himself “a warrior” and then whines a little bit more. Read fight reportTeam Faber has control of the pick. He says his first pick was the most "obnoxious and loud" member of Team Cruz, Dominick's shoes, but apparently they're at home today. So he goes with a consolation prize that gives us all what we want -- more Chris Tickle. That’s right, next week we get to see our buddy Bad Tickle fight Joe Proctor. Will Chris redeem himself from the detractors? Can Proctor take out the guy that Cruz said has the potential to win it all? Does a sudden bout of scurvy make the fight not happen at all? Find out next week!In the meantime, be sure to follow me on twitter @dannyboydownes, my blog here, the show at @InsideTUF and leave some comments. Be forewarned, if there’s no article next week, it probably means the Downes family Easter Egg Hunt got out of hand again.Team Cruz (2-2)Myles Jury - (0-1) lost a split decision to Al Iaquinta in episode 4Jeremy Larsen - (0-1) lost via unanimous decision to Mike Chiesa in episode 5Justin Lawrence - (1-0) won via KO over Cristiano Marcello in episode 3Vinc PichelMike RioSam SiciliaChris Tickle - scheduled to fight Joe Proctor in episode 6James Vick - (1-0) won via KO over Daron Cruickshank in episode 2Team Faber (2-2)Mike Chiesa - (1-0) won a unanimous decision over Jeremy Larsen in episode 5John CoferDaron Cruickshank - (0-1) lost to James Vick in episode 2Al Iaquinta - (1-0) won a split decision over Myles Jury in episode 4Cristiano Marcello - (0-1) lost to Justin Lawrence in episode 3Andy OgleJoe Proctor - scheduled to fight Chris Tickle in episode 6Chris Saunders

Posted in: fight, ’t, cruz, larsen, chiesa

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To begin, we see plenty of highlights of the personal tragedy that Mike Chiesa has dealt with since his arrival on TUF, including the passing of his father after he won his elimination-fight. This week, Chiesa will meet Jeremy Larsen as Team Urijah Faber tries to even the score against Team Dominick Cruz. Faber and Cruz reflect on last week which saw Al Iaquinta defeat Myles Jury by split decision in the first three-round fight on this season. In an interesting development, Team Cruz member Sam Sicilia is a long-time friend of Chiesa’s, and it isn’t long before Cruz goes after him for information on Chiesa. Sicilia tries to deflect the questions, but Cruz continues to press forward. Chris Tickle sees a doctor and it is revealed that he is suffering from gout. On a side note, while Cruz says he needs to fight through it, I’ve actually had gout before and it is very difficult to walk on. I couldn’t even imagine fighting with it, so I can show sympathy towards Tickle in this situation. Both figthers hit the scales, with Chiesa coming in at 155 pounds and Larsen at 154. It’s fight time, as the bell rings Chiesa starts off with a kick. After some feeling out, Chiesa scores a takedown and begins firing elbows at Larsen. Chiesa seconds his second takedown after letting go of a single-leg takedown and scoring with a double-leg into a slam. Chiesa is deducted a point after striking Larsen with an illegal knee, likely costing him the round, as he was in control throughout with the takedowns. Chiesa starts the second by trying for another takedown, but Larsen fights it off. After not being able to complete a single-leg, Chiesa goes for the double and gets it, much like in the first round. Chiesa seems fine with riding out the victory, but Larsen finally manages to get the bout standing again. Larsen isn’t able to do much damage, though, and it’s Chiesa with another takedown that he works into a rear-naked choke. Chiesa nearly finishes the fight, but Larsen holds on. Mike Chiesa earns a victory by unanimous decision over Jeremy Larsen, moving on in the tournament. The next fight is revealed, with Tickle taking on Joe Proctor.

Posted in: fight, takedown, cruz, larsen, chiesa

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This week on the UFC's The Ultimate Fighter Live, Urijah Faber is once again in control as he chooses his #5 pick Michael Chiesa to face Dominick Cruz #8 Jeremy Larsen. We've been a bit spoiled by big fights the past few weeks, so this one, while definitely containing some intrigue in the stylistic match-up, is a bit lackluster. On paper at least. In the cage? We'll have to see just what these two deliver. Once again, here we'll break down the match-up, including video of each contestant to get you ready. The Ultimate Fighter airs live on FX Friday night at 10 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT. After Al Iaquinta defeated Myles Jury last week, Team Faber regained control of the fight picks, setting up this contest. This choice stands as a sharp contrast to Cruz's style from the past two weeks. Where Cruz was trying to push his guys with tough match-ups and take out Faber's legs, Faber is favoring a more conservative matchmaking style built around pairing guys who match up advantageously for his side. At least, that's the hope. Last time he tried that, Daron Cruickshank ended up knocked out. One last quick note - unlike previous weeks, there is not much footage from either man available, so my analysis is based primarily on their TUF fights. That's not much to draw from, but it's the best we can do. MICHAEL CHIESA (7-0)6'1" | 24 years old | 76" reachTUF record: def.Johnavan Vistante (Sub, R1) Chiesa is, sadly, best known at the moment for the passing of his father in the first week. It's a sad story, and one that really shows you just how much these guys are human beings, dealing with all the same issues of family and responsibility as the rest of us. It's also a heavy mental burden to carry. Now, Chiesa fights for his dad - which could either be a great motivator, or provide too much pressure. Chiesa fights out of the Pacific Northwest. He's undefeated at 7-0 with 5 submission wins, though he has not faced any particularly noteworthy competition. When picking the fight, Faber described Chiesa as a wrestler, and while that is true, Chiesa uses his wrestling in a different way. He's quick to shoot and get inside, then drag the fight to the mat. Once there, he focuses his attack on submissions instead of just maintaining control or ground and pound as many wrestlers do. He has long limbs and uses them to tie up his opponent, never releasing his grip. He's very active with those submissions, transitioning between attempts. I'd say his submission style is based strongly on that Gracie model of position, then submission, meaning he establishes a controlling position, then attacks for the sub. It's a good style that he employs well. On the feet, there is very little to judge, but what I've seen looks pretty sloppy and only serves to set up the takedown. Against Larsen, I expect Chiesa to close the distance quickly, take the mat, and start working his submission game. Hopefully, he's spending some time this week working with Cristiano Marcello, who has a very similar grappling style. JEREMY LARSEN (8-2)5' 8" | 21 years old | 67" reachTUF record: def. Jeff Smith (Dec) At this point in the show, Larsen is pretty much a total unknown - I couldn't even remember anything about him before I started looking into him this week. He's from the Arizona area, but previously spent some time in California where he trained with his TUF coach Dominick Cruz. The fact that he has trained with Cruz and Cruz picked him last does not fill me with confidence. Nor does Cruz's statement that he struggles against wrestlers (which Faber rather brilliantly brought up at the fight announcement last week). However, he has faced some of the best competition of anyone in the house. His two losses come against TUF champion Efrain Escudero and UFC veteran Edgar Garcia. The Smith fight, and Cruz's comments during that fight, are all I have to go on here. Larsen describes himself as a boxer who wants to trade, but he also looked comfortable on the ground (and Cruz said he was indeed comfortable grappling). He has decent submission defense, and did a good job regaining position against Smith. On the feet, he didn't show good cage control in that fight, allowing Smith to close the distance quickly and secure the clinch. His striking style looks to be from the Chris Leben mode - a swinging brawler looking for the KO. For the Chiesa fight, he'll need to control that distance and keep Chiesa away. If Larsen keeps the fight standing, he'll be playing to his strengths and his opponent's weakness. Prediction: Mike Chiesa by submission Larsen is resilient, and I suspect he'll put up a fight on the ground. But I don't see him keeping this standing against Chiesa, and I also think Chiesa's relentless submission attacks will eventually get through. Fight footage in the full entry. Like I said, not a lot of footage from either man this week. Sorry. Michael Chiesa vs. ???No details on this fight, and it's not even complete, but it's all I've got to share. Also, you like slams? Chiesa (in green) throws a beauty here.

Posted in: fight, week, submission, cruz, chiesa

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Once the king of the hill in the Bantamweight division, Miguel Torres was an unstoppable force at 135-pounds. During his heyday, Torres ran through all contenders competing in the now defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) organization. Torres won and defended his title three times in the midst of his remarkable 17 fight win streak. What's even more impressive? Of those 17 wins, 15 of them were finishes. Since that remarkable run, Torres has gone an even 3-3 with his most recent win coming over Nick Pace at UFC 139 back on November 19, 2011. However, Torres most recently won an even more important fight, his job back with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after an inappropriate Twitter joke was cause for UFC President Dana White to cut the mullet-wearing brawler. With a second chance to compete in the biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) stage of them all, Torres says he regrets his Twitter postings and looks forward to a new beginning inside the Octagon, starting with Michael McDonald at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012. And though he knows he has his hands full with "Mayday," who is on a seven fight win streak of his own, that hasn't stopped the former champion from looking into his crystal ball and seeing a future title fight opposite current UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz. Make the jump to see what he had to say via his MMA Fighting blog: "I think Cruz, the champion, is slick and has some good moves, and is a very worthy No. 1 in the division. He has the recipe to beat the shorter wrestler, and has used that recipe to dominate all of the challengers he has come up against so far. I give him immense credit for what he has done. Dominick is solid on the ground and is also a great striker. However, despite his tremendous movement and activity rate, he doesn't have many knockouts on his record and rarely finishes fights. He may well hit hard, but his record doesn't suggest that at this moment in time. I truly believe my kind of style will cause Cruz nightmares, as I will stand in front of him, use all my experience and stand and throw from beginning to end. I'm the type of guy that will take a punch to give a punch. Then, if he decides to shoot in for a takedown, I know I will cause him plenty of problems on the ground, too. He knows this as well. Cruz is the guy we're all looking to one day fight, and it would be a shame if the two of us went our whole careers without fighting each other. Even though my sights are set on Michael McDonald for the next few weeks, I still like the sound of Cruz and a UFC title shot somewhere down the line." A battle of old school vs. new school champions would be quite intriguing for fans, though Torres still has quite a ways to go before he can earn a title shot in the very talented 135-pound division. Cruz may not have many finishes on his record as of late, with his last finish coming over four years ago, but the man knows how to win fights, with his lone loss to Urijah Faber being his only blemish on his otherwise perfect record. "The Dominator" has since then avenged his loss to "The California Kid" and will have one more battle with his arch-rival at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012 to break the tie. A win for Cruz and Torres in their next outings could get them closer to an eventual title fight, one Torres believes he has a very good chance of winning. Do you agree?

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, torre, cruz

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When I first started fighting, the primary aim was to make money and pay for my college. I also wanted to make my father and family proud of me. By 2012, the aims have shifted somewhat, as I am established in the sport, have won a world title and now have my little daughter to fight for. Every fight I win, and every bonus check I pick up, goes towards her future. I don't want her to have anything to worry about as she grows older and, right now, that is my main aim in my career. I also have 100 percent confidence in my ability to win the UFC world title. If I didn't think I could win that title, I'd be fighting somewhere else or not at all. I was born to be a champion, I know I can still be a champion, and it's just a matter of time before I make a run at that belt. There's no great secret to getting there, either, and I am no stranger to long unbeaten runs. If I can just piece together a decent winning streak against decent guys, I'm very confident a title shot will quickly come my way. That's what I'm gunning for right now, starting with this next fight against Michael McDonald on April 21st at UFC 145. Once I beat McDonald, I will have back-to-back wins to my name and will have won three of my first four UFC bouts. If you combine that with what I achieved in the WEC, it's not bad going and is something like the kind of form I will look to build on and improve on in the coming months.Let's face it, the UFC bantamweight division is a great place to be right now if you're a mixed martial artist. Not only do we have a ton of top fighters competing at 135 pounds, but the division's top two, Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, are currently head coaches on The Ultimate Fighter Live. This season marks the first time two bantamweights have led the teams, and I'm pleased for the two of them. They're doing a great job from what I've seen so far, and this increased attention on the bantamweight division, and their world title fight, can only be good news for everybody else at 135 pounds.Having competed in the lower weight classes for years, I know how difficult it can be to make that crossover and become a genuine star in the sport. The WEC was a Godsend for me, as they gave me a place to perform and really helped boost my profile, despite the fact I was competing in one of the lighter weight divisions. Because of the great work of the WEC, the current UFC bantamweight division now boasts Cruz, Faber and me as genuine big-name fighters, the kind that can head up the division and help sell pay-per-view events. There are also one or two others that will soon be big stars in the sport, and platforms like The Ultimate Fighter will only further enhance the reputation of the bantamweights.I think Cruz, the champion, is slick and has some good moves, and is a very worthy No. 1 in the division. He has the recipe to beat the shorter wrestler, and has used that recipe to dominate all of the challengers he has come up against so far. I give him immense credit for what he has done. Dominick is solid on the ground and is also a great striker. However, despite his tremendous movement and activity rate, he doesn't have many knockouts on his record and rarely finishes fights. He may well hit hard, but his record doesn't suggest that at this moment in time. I truly believe my kind of style will cause Cruz nightmares, as I will stand in front of him, use all my experience and stand and throw from beginning to end. I'm the type of guy that will take a punch to give a punch. Then, if he decides to shoot in for a takedown, I know I will cause him plenty of problems on the ground, too. He knows this as well.Cruz is the guy we're all looking to one day fight, and it would be a shame if the two of us went our whole careers without fighting each other. Even though my sights are set on Michael McDonald for the next few weeks, I still like the sound of Cruz and a UFC title shot somewhere down the line.Twitter @MiguelTorresMMA.Bantamweight star Miguel Torres fights Michael McDonald on Sat., April 21st at UFC 145. UFC 145 is live on pay-per-view.

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, division, cruz

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Until this past Friday night, bantamweight Urijah Faber’s back was up against the wall on the Ultimate Fighter 15 where his fighters entered the episode down 0-2 to Dominick Cruz’s collection of talent. Were that not enough pressure, Faber’s top pick (Al Iaquinta) was pegged for action against one of Cruz’s toughest team-members (Myles Jury). However, Iaquinta escaped the bout with a Split Decision win and finally got Team Faber onto the board. While Faber isn’t one to normally bask in the wake of a victory, this time around even he admits Iaquinta’s success brought on some much needed relief. “It does feel good. We needed that,” said Faber in an interview with MMAJunkie. “I do my best to disassociate from wins and losses that other people are doing, but it does feel great to get a win. We really needed that, and Al knew that also.” Faber will be looking to even the squads’ scores on this week’s episode and feels he’s put his team in a good position to do so given the match he was able to make thanks to Iaquinta’s win. Rather than employ Cruz’s headhunting strategy, Faber instead went with what he felt was an advantageous pairing by putting Michael Chiesa up against Jeremy Larsen. “The logic was that Dominick trained with Larsen in Arizona. He also picked him last, and he also said he has trouble with good wrestlers,” explained Faber of his approach. “We put Chiesa, who’s one of our toughest wrestlers, up against him.” Larsen holds an overall record of 8-2 while Chiesa is 7-0 with five submission stoppages to his credit. Fans can catch them fight at the end of Friday’s episode, set to air at 10:00 PM EST. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: cruz, faber, larsen, iaquinta, chiesa

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

With Team Faber's number two and three draft picks already eliminated Team Cruz went for the jugular with their next fight selection. Ranked number one in the ULTMMA.com preseason cast rankings, Myles Jury (9-0) of Team Cruz went up against Team Faber's Al Iaquinta (5-1-1). Iaquinta came out the more aggressive fighter but Jury was crisper with his strikes in the opening round. In round two Iaquinta changed the course of the fight with an overhand right that shook up Jury. After two rounds the judge's scored it 19-19 and the fight went to a sudden victory round. In the third frame Iaquinta pressed forward and out struck Jury in route to a split decision win. With Team Faber in control number five pick Mike Chiesa (7-0) will take on Team Cruz's last pick Jeremy Larsen (8-2) next week. ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode four edition1. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury2. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz3. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello 4. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank5. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz6. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz7. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber8. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/309. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/1610. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2311. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber13. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber14. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz15. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz- *Eliminated by Iaquinta 3/302) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber- W vs. Jury 3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello 6) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz9) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz10) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber11) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber13) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz15) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzTeam Cruz 2 Team Faber 1Al Iaquinta def. Myles Jury by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode three recap and rankings

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, jury, iaquinta

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Facing the undesirable position of potentially being down 0-3, Team Faber found themselves with their backs against the wall on last night’s episode of the Ultimate Fighter 15 with their hopes riding on Al Iaquinta’s ability to take out Team Cruz representative Myles Jury. While the bout was back-and-forth from start to finish, in the end the #1 pick by Urijah Faber was able to eek out a decision win thanks to an aggressive approach in the bout’s “sudden victory” round. After the fight’s conclusion Faber selected Michael Chiesa from his team to face Jeremy Larsen whose coach, Dominick Cruz, expressed past concern on how he would match up with someone with Chiesa’s wrestle-heavy skill-set. Cruz Out for the Kill Against Team Faber Also on the show, Mike Rio injured his knee while sparring and was forced to slow his training down as a result. While it appears his health is good enough to continue on it will be interested to see how the setback affects him moving forward. TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 1 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury Next Week’s Fight: Michael Chiesa vs. Jeremy Larsen Tweet

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, chiesa, al

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After two weeks of watching rival Dominick Cruz’s TUF 15 team dominate, fan-favorite Urijah Faber finally got the break he’d be waiting for on last night’s episode when his top pick – Al Iaquinta – beat Myles Jury albeit just barely on the judges’ scorecards. Cruz selected the Iaquinta-Jury fight on the previous episode in hopes of dealing Team Faber a crippling blow by knocking out his top two selections in consecutive weeks. Iaquinta and Jury went back-and-forth for the first ten minutes of action in an evenly matched affair. When ringside officials determined the rounds had been split a “sudden victory” period was called upon, allowing the two lightweights to go at it for another five minutes. While neither landed much in the final frame, Iaquinta’s aggression was enough to earn the nod from two judges, resulting in a Split Decision win. With control back in Faber’s corner, “The California Kid” opted to select Michael Chiesa from his squad to face Jeremy Larsen from Team Cruz based on Larsen’s supposed difficulty with good wrestlers (which Chiesa is). Outside of fight-related matters, Mike Rio was injured in training after awkwardly twisting his knee during a sparring session but appeared able to continue on in the contest for the time being. Additionally, Faber brought in a “life coach” to help both teams with the psychological aspect of fighting with the entire group appreciating the gesture minus Chris Tickle who felt it was pointless. The TUF 15 Season Summary: Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 1 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello, Myles Jury Next Week’s Fight: Michael Chiesa vs. Jeremy Larsen PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, jury, iaquinta

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I’m back for another edition of the Ultimate Recap Live, and not just because I spent my rent money on Mega Millions tickets without winning a cent. Well, actually that’s most of the reason, but let’s both make the best out of a bad situation.The show opens up with a recap of last week’s fight. Dana criticizes BJJ black belt Cristiano Marcello’s stand-up gameplan and calls kickboxer Justin Lawrence a real contender. The fighters themselves have your typical reactions. Lawrence is downright giddy. I’m pretty sure if they continued the tape we’d hear him say that he’s going to use the $5000 bonus to buy a box full of lottery tickets. Don't do it, Justin! Marcello is disappointed, but he knows that the season is still young and wants to help train his teammates any way he can. The coaches then review the choice for the current fight -- Al Iaquinta vs. Myles Jury. Cruz doesn’t help his Count Dracula moniker by saying that he wants to, “Go straight for the jugular.” Faber feels that Cruz overreached in this selection and simply says that when he heard the announcement he thought, “Yes! Thank you.”We then get a look inside Team Cruz’ training. Dominick sums up his training philosophy as , “If you grind yourself to the bitter end, the fight is easy.” The guys on the team talk about how Cruz pushes everyone. A highlight here is when Dominick tells someone to, “Pick it the [expletive] up,” in the most casual way possible. If they didn’t beep it out of the broadcast, I would have thought he was just asking about the weather.The downside of training to the limit, though, is that injuries happen. That’s exactly what happens to Mike Rio. Sparring with Myles Jury, he catches a spinning backfist that causes his knee to buckle under him. Cruz brushes it off by saying that “he’s hurt, not injured,” but I’m not so sure that the distinction would be widely recognized by the medical community. We cut back to the house where the guys are dealing with the cabin fever that comes along with being on a TUF season. Andy Ogle writes love letters, Cruickshank stuffs his face and Myles Jury is a loner. The guys show their true desperation by playing charades. Honestly, I never knew people actually played that game. I just thought that it was one of those things that only happen on TV and movies -- like how playing in toxic waste gives you super powers. Well, at least this lesson didn’t make me sterile...From there we have Iaquinta’s training montage. While it may have lacked the cinematic flair of a Journey song, we do learn that he has no plans on being defensive in this fight. We watch another snapshot of Rio trying to work through the knee injury. He says that he doesn’t want it to get in the way, but it’s clearly affecting him. Again, Cruz doesn’t seem too sympathetic.Back at the house, Urijah stops by and brings a life coach to talk to everyone. Our buddy Tickle is none too impressed telling us, “I don’t need no damn life coach.” Doth the Tick protest too much!? Sadly, this is the only real Tickle-ing we get this episode.From there, Jury’s training package starts. He, too, says that this his strategy will be to force his opponent to go backward. Later, as Team Cruz gets ready to break training for the day, they interrupt him in the shower and the cameraman gives viewers an uncomfortable up-skirt angle of Jury’s towel. Back at the house, Team Faber is already looking ahead to next week and saying that they should take out Rio because he’s “old” and “hurt” (Rio: 30. Faber: 32.) Ogle says that he’ll take the fight because he wants revenge against Rio for beating his friend to get into the house, but I call BS. That’s like saying you’re going to the Chinese Buffet by your house for the ambience and the decor. Weigh-ins occur without incident and we witness one last look into the locker rooms before the fight starts. Usually at these we get nothing of note, but Dominick Cruz says some interesting things. As he pumps up Jury, he tells him that Myles is way more prepared than the guys on Team Faber. Apparently, they’ve been, “painting each other’s faces, making flags and oiling each other’s backs.” Why did we not see this? Did the cameraman capture an erotic TUF thriller featuring these scenes that FX deemed too racy? C'mon, FX, you aired The Shield!The fight begins and Iaquinta sticks to his gameplan just like he said. He keeps moving forward and doesn’t give Jury a lot of space. Myles does a decent job countering, but he seems too hesitant to let his strikes go (something Cruz criticized him for earlier). This continues for most of the round until about a minute left when Iaquinta puts in Jury in what wrestlers call a spladle (pictured above) and what everyone else in the world calls a "what the eff is that?!" Jury eventually escapes and the round ends.Round two opens with a low blow that slows the pace, but it soon picks up. Although both fighters start to open up more, Iaquinta is still the aggressor. Jury continues to get pushed backward, but shows nice movement by not getting pinned on the cage. Unfortunately, halfway through the round he starts to noticeably slow down and Iaquinta capitalizes and catches him with some strong shots as the round closes.The fight is scored a draw after two, so we head to the “sudden victory” round. Calling Jury gassed would be an overstatement, but he definitely doesn't have much pep left. I think the long pause between the second and third round while they calculated the scores likely contributed. Iaquinta controls the third much like he handled the second -- he pushes forward and Myles doesn’t answer back with much. Even though I thought he clearly took the third, the judges give Iaquinta a split decision win and Team Faber earns their first victory. Read fight play-by-playThe only thing more frustrating than MMA judging is Jon Anik trying to get an answer to his questions in the post fight interviews. Iaquinta says that if he wins the best-fight-of-the-season bonus, “I’m gonna go finish college just like grandma wanted,” and Jury just rambles on about whatever he wants. We head to the fight selection where Urijah Faber opens by saying that he chose this matchup because it would be an easy fight, but then immediately backtracks by saying everyone there is tough and, “Anything can happen.” Although he's trying, it seems Urijah  just doesn’t have it in him to really insult people (paging life coach Chael!). He then reveals that next week’s contest will be between Mike Chiesa and Jeremy Larsen (Cruz' last pick).How will Chiesa keep his emotions in check after the death of his father? Can Team Cruz bounce back from their first defeat? Will the cameraman make one of the coaches dress up as a pizza delivery boy for his next film? Find out next week!In the meantime, be sure to follow me on twitter @dannyboydownes, the show at @InsideTUF and leave comments. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see if that cameraman has any job openings before they shut off my electricity...Team Cruz (2-1)Myles Jury - (0-1) lost a split decision to Al Iaquinta in episode 4Jeremy Larsen - scheduled to fight Mike Chiesa in episode 5Justin Lawrence - (1-0) won via KO over Cristiano Marcello in episode 3Vinc PichelMike RioSam SiciliaChris TickleJames Vick - (1-0) won via KO over Daron Cruickshank in episode 2Team Faber (1-2)Mike Chiesa - scheduled to fight Jeremy Larsen in episode 5John CoferDaron Cruickshank - (0-1) lost to James Vick in episode 2Al Iaquinta - (1-0) won a split decision over Myles Jury in episode 4Cristiano Marcello - (0-1) lost to Justin Lawrence in episode 3Andy OgleJoe ProctorChris Saunders

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The third episode of The Ultimate Fighter 15 hit 1.2 million viewers according to multiple industry sources. The show featured a live fight between Team Cruz top draft pick Justin Lawrence and Team Faber’s third pick, Cristiano Marcello. Lawrence earned the victory, scoring a second round knockout. Dominick Cruz and his fighters are a perfect 2-0 through the opening two fights, as Urijah Faber‘s team has yet to claim a victory. The debut of TUF 15 reached 1.3 million viewers while the second episode hit 1.1 million. This is the first season to feature live fights and also the first on FX, though ratings-wise the show has done as good or worse as previous incarnations. The series will try to do better tomorrow night when Al Iaquinta of Team Faber takes on Myles Jury from Team Cruz. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: fight, team, episode, cruz, faber

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Dominick Cruz: Fights at 135 Pounds; Eats 5,000 Calories a DayTony Mandarich. One of the greatest offensive linemen in college history. And … arguably the biggest bust in the NFL draft history. A bear of a man -- 310-pounds – who once estimated he consumed roughly 10,000 calories a day. Back in the late 1980s, the No.1 pick’s marathon eating blew a lot of minds. Turns out, 135-pound world champ Dominick Cruz is quite the GI-normous grubber himself. Pound-for-pound, in fact, Cruz’s daily wolf-downs can go toe-to-toe with Mandarich’s famed caloric consumption. With little effort, it seems. “He (Cruz) probably eats about 5,000 calories a day,” says Doug Balzarini, Strength and Nutrition coach for Cruz and the Alliance MMA Fight team. The crazy thing is, with all that munching, Cruz said he has never topped 160 pounds in his life. Having to moonlight as a head coach for The Ultimate Fighter Live AND simultaneously train for a rubber match with arch rival Urijah Faber this summer, Cruz said calories are a huge deal with his ultra-busy schedule and quest to win his 10th straight fight. A fast-food diner for much of his pro career, Cruz (19-1) said age and body changes forced him to reform his anything-goes refueling. A month into his dramatic dietary transformation, one of the sport’s hardest and craftiest workers let us inside an aspect of his training that he feels will prolong his championship reign and longevity in the sport. Dominick Cruz diet versus Urijah Faber diet. I asked Urijah and he said his diet wins by first round KO. You agree? “Right now? Urijah’s not aware of my dietary shift. There’s a lot of things that Urijah is not aware of about me, but he continues to make assumptions, which is fine. Back in the day, I’ll give him a knockout on the diet. I ate like crap. I didn’t have a diet (chuckles)! But you can tell him this: even though Urijah had a knockout in the diet department, I beat the crap out of him on Carne Asada burritos and Jumbo jacks (sandwiches from the menu of the Jack in the Box restaurant). How’s that make him feel?” Up until a month ago, what were you eating? "When I was commander in chief of the diet, I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I just trained all the time and burned it all off. I built a nine fight winning streak on breakfast jacks and Carne Asada burritos, honestly. (Looks over at teammate Phil Davis). Phil eats as s----- as I did and he’s still shredded and a monster. So food is important no doubt, but age has something to do with it and it’s about longevity in your career. At some point you have to start taking good care of your body when you’re beating the crap out of it physically. You have to put good fuel in it. It’s a lifestyle change, and you’ve got to be willing to make the lifestyle change." What are the don’ts in your diet right now?"I’m trying to stay away from sugar. No fast food. Again, Doug, my nutritionist knows better than me. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I know a lot about this. There is a reason that I hired a professional to do this for me. I am 100 percent all-in at whatever he throws in front of me and tells me to eat, as long as I’m full at the end of the night." Least favorite new food that you are eating? “The nastiest thing I’ve eaten so far (yells to Doug, his nutritionist). Hey Doug, what’s that nasty a—green lettuce that you make me eat?"Doug: “Kale.” "Yeah, I hate kale. Tastes like s---. But I’ll eat it, no problem. Whatever he puts in front of me."Why the shift in diet now? "I’m getting older. I’m 27 and my body is changing. It’s getting harder to make 135 pounds. My workload is twice as much with TUF right now so it’s even more important that I stay healthy and eat clean and that my body burns fuel right. I started on this diet like a month ago. I feel great. I wish I had done it sooner but it was one of those things where you either have the time and the money for it, or you don’t. And up until recently I didn’t." A lot of people have problems dramatically changing their diets, like going cold turkey and switching things up on their taste buds. Have you experienced any of those kinds of withdrawals or cravings?Cruz: No, I love eating and I love the taste of food, but I’m all about getting what I need in me to perform and have my body run right. So if it tastes like crap I will eat it anyway. I just want to feel good when I train. Give fans an idea of a typical day in the eating life of Dominick Cruz."I’ll wake up at like three in the morning and have a whey protein shake, I’d say it’s about 600 calories. I go back to bed and wake up again at 7:30 (a.m.) and have a five egg omelet with spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, egg whites and two pieces of … ummm…(yells to his strength and conditioning coach, who is seated nearby, and says, ‘Hey what kind of bread is it that you make me?”)Doug: “Ezekiel or whole grain.” "Yeah, Ezekiel bread. Man, this guy will tell you better than I can. So I have that meal at 7:30 a.m., then I go to the TUF set, coach and then I have a Vitargo shake. It’s a supplement drink. I’m hypoglycemic, so it gets my blood sugar back in line before I go to train. So I drink that and train. After training I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with organic peanut butter, organic jelly and Ezekiel bread. I have a protein shake with that as well. "Then I go home and eat lunch. Lunch can be anything from chicken breast, broccoli, to sweet potato, to pasta with ground turkey meat, organic tomato sauce, stuff like that. A big meal. "Then I’ll rest, go back to TUF and coach my team. After coaching, I’ll have another Vitargo shake before my personal evening practice. Then I go home and have my biggest meal of the day – it might be ground turkey patties with vegetables and a huge salad, another sweet potato. I’ll eat any complex carb mixed with protein and vegetables." That’s a massive amount of eating and it sounds like that’s important because you want to be as big as you can before making the cut to 135 pounds … is that correct? "Right. My philosophy is, no matter how much I eat, with how hard I train I will never get over 160 pounds. That’s the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I walk around no heavier than 155 pounds. So I’m trying to stay heavy and put on as much muscle as possible in between fights. Then, three weeks out of my fight, that’s when I’ll start to cut my diet. I get down to about 150 pounds two weeks out of a fight. "I’m doing two of my own workouts a day, plus two workouts coaching my team at TUF." Obvious question: You’ve always had great cardio and been a great athlete, so that’s never been a problem. So what advantages have you specifically experienced with this more nutritious and advanced diet? "The biggest thing is, with coaching TUF and training for a title fight, I have a heavier workload now than at any time in my career, besides when I worked full-time and trained fighting full-time years ago. But that’s what I’m doing again now. That’s four workouts a day, so it’s extremely important to get all the vegetables and nutrients and eat as much as possible throughout the day so I don’t atrophy my muscles. My energy levels are a lot higher and I’m not quite as lethargic in between training sessions. It might even help with alleviating lactic acid in the body and having less sickness because you’re getting the nutrients that you need." Talk about being hypoglycemic. “I’ve been like that since high school. I get light-headed, really, really agitated and cranky when my sugar levels are off. And I’ll shake profusely, even in the middle of training. So I have to get sugar in my body and usually the Vitargo gets me set again." If you had the time to cook, what would be your go-to meal? "I can’t cook. I suck at cooking. I’m too lazy." Tune in to UFC.com every Thursday for more nutritional tips from UFC superstars...

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Dominick Cruz and a few other recognizable fighters re-enact the Urijah Faber’s freeze-up from TUF: Live.

Posted in: cruz, faber, dominick, urijah, freezeup

Read the full article at MMA Convert

UFC Bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz released a parody video of Urijah Faber and his TUF LIVE fighters' resistance to step up against Justin Lawrence during the fight announcement at the of Episode 2. Cruz volunteerly gave Faber the opportunity to pick one of his fighters to square off against Justin Lawrence, but "The California Kid" struggled to come up with solution. Surprisingly enough, none of Team Faber fighters answered the call when Urijah Faber asked "alright guys, who wants to scrap?", resulting

Posted in: cruz, faber, urijah faber, urijah, justin lawrence

Read the full article at Low Kick

When the current season of The Ultimate Fighter concludes, coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber will face off inside the Octagon. When the two bantamweights meet Cruz’s UFC crown will be on the line as well as bragging rights as the two fighters have met twice before, with each fighter taking a victory. Since their first fight Cruz has not lost another bout, going 10-0, while Faber has compiled a record of 8-4, tasting defeat at the hands of Mike Brown (twice), Jose Aldo and Cruz. The difference in

Posted in: fighter, cruz, faber, urijah faber, fight cruz

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submitted by NACHO_MOTHA [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: cruz, faber, moment, urijah, nachomotha

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Dominick Cruz sure likes to get under the skin of bitter rival Urijah Faber ... and vice versa. Throughout the years, both Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight figthers have given fans sound byte after sound byte, downplaying one another in a rivalry that dates back five years. This time, "The Dominator" pokes fun of "The California Kid" and his The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) squad for not seeing any urge from any of Faber's team when Cruz, having control of fight picks, turned over the reins to Faber and gave him the option to pick who he wanted to go up against Team Cruz' top pick, Justin Lawrence. After no one took the opportunity to show he was game and step up, the UFC 135-pound champion ultimately chose Cristiano Marcello to face off against Lawrence. And Lawrence went on to prove his worth of being top pick by defeating Marcello via knockout (KO) in round two. The video stars Dominick Cruz as himself and also takes on the role of Urijah Faber. The clip also features Ross Pearson as UFC President Dana White and Wilson Reis, Tyson Griffin, Mike Easton, Lloyd Irvin and Jeremy Stephens as members of Team Faber. Enjoy.

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, urijah faber, lawrence

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After shocking viewers (and Team Faber) by deferring to Urijah Faber to select an opponent to face #1 pick Justin Lawrence leading up to last week’s episode of TUF 15, bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz opened eyes again after Lawrence’s sensational knockout win over veteran Cristiano Marcello by putting Faber’s first selection into the Octagon next week against one of his own stand-outs rather than concede the quarterfinal slot. Cruz explained his reasoning behind opting to see Al Iaquinta in action while discussing strategy with MMAJunkie where he also made it clear he’s out to prove a point to rival Faber as the season unfolds. “I think it’s a tactic that you’ve never seen on The Ultimate Fighter. I wanted to do something different and kind of surprise the team that I was up against,” began the 19-1 Cruz. “I think – again – Faber underestimated the way that I coach, the things that I do, the way that I think, the way that I fight. I had to use that to my advantage. I knew he would underestimate me because he’s a cocky dude, as much as he doesn’t want to admit it. It’s worked out so far.” With a 2-0 lead in the competition already, past coaches may have decided to rest on their laurels and make advantageous match-ups while sacrificing lesser-polished team members in the process. However, Cruz has different designs when it comes to picking pairings. “I’m going straight for the jugular, straight in for the kill,” stated Cruz on the subject. Iaquinta will take on Team Cruz’s Myles Jury this coming Friday night. Iaquinta is 5-1 as a professional and trains out of Matt Serra’s gym in New York, while Jury is 9-0 and was a past winner on TUF who was knocked out of the competition due to a serious knee injury. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, – faber, al iaquinta

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

The second fight of the Ultimate Fighter Live did not disappoint in terms of excitement. With Team Cruz up 1-0, Justin Lawrence (3-0) was matched up against Team Faber's Cristiano Marcello (12-3). Lawrence was Team Cruz's first overall pick while Marcello was Team Faber's second overall selection. In the battle of a striker versus jiu-jitsu black belt the fight would not hit the floor until the second round. Lawrence, the more powerful striker, popped Marcello with a right hand and dropped him early in the second round. Midway through the round Lawrence uncorked a wild left hand that knocked Marcello out cold. Team Cruz selected Myles Jury (9-0) to take on Team Faber's Al Iaquinta (5-1-1) in next week's TUFL fight. ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode three edition1. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz2. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber3. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz4. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello 5. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank6. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz7. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz8. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber9. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/1610. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Lawrence 3/2311. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber13. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber14. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz15. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings preseason edition1) Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz2) Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber3) Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber- *Eliminated by Lawrence 3/234) Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz5) Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Marcello 6) Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167) James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8) Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz9) Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz10) John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber11) Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12) Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber13) Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber14) Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz15) Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16) Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzTeam Cruz 2 Team Faber 0Justin Lawrence def. Cristiano Marcello via knockout (punches) 3:16 R2Team Cruz1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris SaundersEpisode two recap and rankings

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, marcello, lawrence

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Who says Dominick Cruz doesn't have a sense of humor? The UFC bantamweight champion and his Alliance teammates created a video to mock Urijah Faber during that awkward moment in TUF where no one wanted to step up and face his top pick Justin Lawrence. His teammates Lloyd Irvin, Ross Pearson, Mike Easton, Jeremy Stephens, Wilson Reis, Tyson Griffin and other guys from Alliance all make their cameos on the video as well. Related: UFC Ultimate Fighter Live Results: Justin Lawrence Knocks Out Cristiano Marcello If you want context, here's how the original scenario played out on the 2nd episode of The Ultimate Fighter: But the fun didn't end there. Post-fight, Dominick Cruz pulled the bizarre move of letting Faber choose who would fight Justin Lawrence next. And no one stepped up. Seeing Lawrence standing tall while Team Faber sat with their heads down was amazing. With Faber and his team struck mute, Cruz went right for the money fight - Lawrence vs. Cristiano Marcello.

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, lawrence, justin lawrence

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is planning on taking control of The Ultimate Fighter: Live by winning each and every single week. So far, through two episodes, Cruz has done just that. This past Friday, Justin Lawrence of Team Cruz defeated Cristiano Marcello. That followed up a victory by James Vick in the first fight of the season. Cruz and Urijah Faber – the other coach – are scheduled to meet for a third time later this year after TUF. Each has won once against the other, with “The Dominator” claiming the last fight. In a recent interview with John Morgan of MMA Junkie, Cruz explained his strategy on the reality show, which has included pitting top picks against top picks early on. I’m going straight for the jugular, straight in for the kill. I’ve done it since the beginning of my career. You start from the bottom, and you work to the top, and you get the ‘W.’ I’m feeling pretty good. It feels nice. Cruz is only helping raise his stock in the UFC by coaching TUF and having so much success. He has proven his abilities inside the Octagon, and if he can become even more marketable, he could surpass Faber as the “Golden Boy” of the smaller weights. Photo credit: Tracy Lee/Combatlifestyle.com

Posted in: reality show, tuf, cruz, faber, cristiano marcello

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Consider the gauntlet thrown. The pranks at the "The Ultimate Fighter Live" house have moved to the next (hilarious) level. Coach Dominick Cruz has upped the ante big-time with his well-executed spoof of the long moment when Coach Urijah Faber didn't have an answer...

Posted in: coach, cruz, dominick, ante bigtime, wellexecuted spoof

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The memory of Urijah Faber’s lone win over Dominick Cruz from their WEC days is quickly fading into yesteryear after Cruz, who beat Faber in a rematch last year, saw his squad on the Ultimate Fighter 15 improve to 2-0 on the season, leaving one of Faber’s picks on the wrong end of a sensational knockout in each affair. Cruz’s latest victory came on light night’s episode when top selection Justin Lawrence dealt with submission-specialist Cristiano Marcello’s decision to switch things up in standing with the superior striker instead of shooting takedowns, rendering him unconscious with a perfectly placed left hook in the second round. Lawrence holds a 3-0 record professionally and has impressed thus far with his Team Blackhouse-inspired kickboxing. A Look at TUF 15 Episode 2 Next week’s episode will feature Team Cruz’s Myles Jury, a rising star who won on a previous season of TUF but was injured and forced out of the competition, with Team Faber’s Al Iaquinta. The show’s non-fight drama came in the form of a few fairly tame pranks set off by Team Cruz’s Chris Tickle moving Faber’s parking sign inside the UFC Training Center. Faber responded by blacking out areas on a giant poster of Cruz’s face hanging in the gym, thus making the 135-pound champion look like Eddie Munster. The series of jokes ended with Cruz’s team creating a “thong” out of paper for the opposing coach’s poster, placing the garment over Faber’s notorious “butt-chin”. Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 0 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello Next Week’s Fight: Myles Jury vs. Al Iaquinta PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, lawrence, faber ’s

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LAS VEGAS - UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz appears to be making all the right calls, no matter how crazy they seem. Serving as a coach on the FX-broadcast "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" series, Cruz has shied away from conventional wisdom when it comes to fight selection, preferring instead to give up control of the matchups one week and choosing his opponent's top fighter the next. There a simple reason for that, Cruz said. He's playing for keeps.

Posted in: fighter, cruz, dominick cruz, fight selection, series cruz

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UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz left Urijah Faber stunned last week on TUF 15 by deferring to “The California Kid” when it came time to pick an opponent for Cruz’s #1 selection in the season’s draft, Justin Lawrence. This week it was Lawrence who rocked Team Faber by rendering highly-touted veteran Cristiano Marcello into a puddle of goo thanks to a well-placed strike. The finish came a few minutes into the second round of their bout with the first frame essentially allowing each man to feel the other out. Lawrence, who holds a 3-0 record professionally, said after the fight he felt pressure being Cruz’s first pick but admitted he’d have to get used to the sensation if hoping to one day be UFC champion. Next week’s live fight will involve Myles Jury (Cruz) and Al Iaquinta (Faber). Last night’s episode also featured a the beginning of the annual prank wars with Cruz’s Chris Tickle taking the first shot, ripping out the sign for Faber’s parking spot and planting it inside the training center. Team Faber fired back by doctoring a large picture of Cruz hanging on the gym’s to resemble Eddie Munster with Cruz’s team retaliating by creating a makeshift thong for the blown-up butt-chin on Faber’s poster. Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Team Records: Cruz 2, Faber 0 Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick, Justin Lawrence Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank, Cristiano Marcello Next Week’s Fight: Myles Jury vs. Al Iaquinta PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, cristiano, lawrence

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Team Cruz continues to roll on The Ultimate Fighter: Live, advancing another fighter in to the quarterfinals.

Posted in: fighter, team, quarterfinal, cruz, roll

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Welcome to another edition of The Ultimate Fighter: Live, as Team Cruz representative Justin Lawrence will take on Team Faber’s Cristiano Marcello. The episode starts off with Chris Tickle from Team Cruz beginning the pranks, ripping Urijah Faber’s parking sign off the post and placing it in the gym. However, late during a practice session, Dominick Cruz takes heat with Tickle’s way of training, forcing the UFC champion to have a little one-on-one time with his student. We head back with just under 30 minutes until the start of the live fight, as Marcello is going through his training. He talks about receiving his black belt from Royler Gracie. And, we receive the theme for the night from Marcello when he says the fight is going to be, “Old-school vs. new-school.” Team Faber coach Justin Buchholz refers to Marcello as crazy, and the team does not seem amused by the prank pulled courtesy Tickle. Instead, Team Faber adds some black tape to a poster of Cruz, making him look like Eddie Munster. Tickle takes exception to some words spoken by John Cofer, and challenges him on it in front of Faber. “The California Kid” plays peacemaker, and cooler heads prevail – for now. Check back for more from the episode……

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, marcello, tickle

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On tonight's third episode of "The Ultimate Fighter LIVE," which airs at 10 p.m. Eastern on FX, Team Cruz top pick Justin Lawrence faces Brazilian vet Cristiano Marcello.

Posted in: cruz, marcello, cristiano, lawrence, justin lawrence

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Get geared up for tonight's third episode of "The Ultimate Fighter LIVE" with some classic back-and-forth between coaches and bitter rivals Dominick Cruz, the UFC bantamweight champ, and Urijah...

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UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick "The Dominator" Cruz will complete a trilogy against Urijah Faber at UFC 148, looking to defend his WEC/UFC Bantamweight title for the fifth time. Cruz vs. Faber III is expected to headline UFC 148, which will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 7th. Submit your picks for upcoming

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No one on Team Faber was willing to fight Cruz's Justin Lawrence, the favorite to win the show.

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UFC 148 is set to be the headlined by the coaches' fight between Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz for the climax of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX. Faber and Cruz have faced off twice before. In their first match, Faber welcomed Cruz to the WEC with his first and only loss via first round guillotine choke. The rematch saw Cruz avenging his loss winning a hard fought unanimous decision. As we come up on the rubber match on July 7, the UFC has been announcing some very interesting fights. Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch Renan Barao vs. Jeff Hougland Hit the jump for some initial thoughts and analysis on the matchmaking for UFC 148 Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber I can't say that this rubber match is anywhere near "highly anticipated". However, Faber and Cruz seem to genuinely dislike each other which should be well exhibited on this season of TUF. That in addition to it being a championship bout should drum up some interest for the fight. At UFC 132, despite landing some very hard shots, Faber was generally ineffective against Cruz's odd head movement and footwork. Although never coming near a finish, Cruz was able to frustrate The California Kid with quick takedowns and landing quick combinations. This fight is likely to be more of the same with Faber hunting for a powerful counter and struggling for a takedown as Cruz lands lighter shots and secures a few takedowns that lead to exciting scrambles with little damage. On the other hand, Faber looked very good in his last fight against Brian Bowles, landing powerful punches to the head and body before sinking in a devastating choke in the first round. Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz The general reception I've seen for this rubber match is extremely "Meh". Personally, I like it, especially for Tito. As I said immediately after his loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, if Tito wants to finish out his UFC contract with one last fight, he has done more than enough to earn it. Similarly, Forrest has been on a performance decline in his last few outings. On top of the congruent trajectories of their careers, there is a history here where they have split two split-decision wins. This is a perfect fight for both men that should allow Tito to go out with a good fight and most likely get Forrest back on track. Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le Finally, Rich Franklin is returning to Middleweight after 4 years mixed between Light Heavyweight and Franklinweight (195 lbs) that saw mixed success. In Franklin's last fight he lost a grinding unanimous decision to Forrest Griffin where he just wasn't able to complete with the larger mans significant size advantage. For his part, Cung Le is making his second appearance in The Octagon after a nose shattering TKO loss to Wanderlei Silva. This is the definition of fun matchmaking as Cung Le is bound to bring his flashy Tae Kwon Do kicks and Franklin should be more than happy to mix it up with him on the feet. Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch Following a Light Heavyweight run filled with hills and valleys, Tim Boetsch has really come into his own at Middleweight. He's now 4-0 in the division after an absolutely incredible comeback victory against #3 Yushin Okami. Okami spent the first two rounds picking Boetsch apart with straight punches. Boetsch refused to be denied in the 3rd, though, and TKO'd Okami with brutal Jack Johnson Uppercuts. For the second time since his drop to MW, Michael Bisping came just short of a title shot. At UFC on FOX 2, he lost a somewhat controversial decision to Chael Sonnen. Bisping struggled throughout the match to defend Sonnen's relentless wrestling attack. Now he's looking to reestablish himself with a win over Boetsch. This fight is bound to go one of two ways. Either Bisping will be able to successfully implement the strategy Okami failed with - moving in-and-out with quick straight punches while simultaneously denying Boetsch the opportunity the opportunity to throw him around with the patented Redneck Judo. If not, The Barbarian will eventually land a powerful punch on Bisping's chin and secure another upset TKO. Honestly, the first scenario is probably more likely, but fuck that, WAR BARBARIAN! Renan Barao vs. Jeff Hougland By all accounts, this seems like a bit of odd matchmaking by Sean Shelby. Renan Barao has a record of 28-1 and has been tearing up the Bantamweight division. In his last two bouts he submitted the widely acclaimed Brad Pickett in the first round and won a unanimous decision against #7 ranked and highly talented Scott Jorgensen. Hougland, on the other hand, although coming off a successful UFC debut against Donny Walker, seems like he's jumping into the deep end way too soon. Renan is ranked #3 in the division while Jeff is unranked and lacking any real standout wins. For all intents and purposes, this looks like a squash match for Barao as he waits either a shot at the title or a true #1 contender's bout.

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UFC 148 headliner and Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 coach Dominick Cruz takes fans inside his training camp for a quick look at his preparations for his July 7 rubber match against Urijah Faber at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two first met up back in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) days when "The California Kid" was ruling the roost as featherweight champion. Faber submitted Cruz in that fateful first meeting, besting his foe in just 1:38 of the first round. "The Dominator" got his revenge just over four years later at UFC 132 with a unanimous decision victory in the main event of the promotion's annual Fourth of July weekend fight card. It should come as no surprise then, to learn the bantamweight champ is currently the odds-on favorite to make it two in a row. Get up to speed on their pending grudge match as well as their TUF 15 duties here and here.

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Event: UFC 148: "Cruz vs. Faber 3" Date: Saturday, July 7, 2012, at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV) Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada Main Event: UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber Other Scheduled Fights: 185 lbs.: Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le 185 lbs.: Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch 145 lbs.: Renan Barao vs. Jeff Hougland For more on UFC 148: "Cruz vs. Faber 3" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

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Following a great first episode of elimination round fights, the Ultimate Fighter Live on FX returned last Friday for the second episode. Captains Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber picked their teams, the fighter's moved into the house and the first fight of the season took place. I thought I'd begin by comparing my fantasy draft to the actual draft that Cruz and Faber did. Actually, scratch that. I want to begin with the decision to have Jon Anik interview Daron Cruickshank after he was knocked out cold by James Vick in the evening's fight. Quite frankly, I thought it was a highly ignorant decision and is a practice that really needs to be abandoned going forward. I'm not sure why I need to spell this out, but when a fighter (or for that matter, any person) loses consciousness due to a blow to the head they have, by definition, suffered a concussion. Not only have they suffered a concussion, they have suffered a severe concussion, by any number of grading systems. In the recent past, I have heard a few commentators who seem to be unsure of this, remarking in individual instances that a fighter rendered unconscious due to strikes "may have suffered a concussion". This is simply not the case, and to me such statements minimize the serious nature of head injuries and sends the message that you might have nothing to worry about if you get knocked out. Of course by know most of us know that you don't even need to be knocked out to suffer a concussion, but I wanted to be clear that it does not go the other way. If you have been knocked out, you have suffered a severe concussion. Can we please remember this? And if you have been knocked out you should not be answering questions, in front of the bright lights on a television set, in the immediate moments following your return to consciousness. I understand the live nature of TUF, and Cruickshank undoubtedly wanted to get up to his feet, undoubtedly wanted to show his loved ones that he was okay, but the fact of the matter is that he had suffered serious brain trauma and the most important thing for his (and anyone who has been knocked out) health is to undergo immediate, uninterrupted treatment by the supervising medical staff. If I sound a little bit like a prude, well, get over it. I'm not the first to say this, but I will repeat it over and over again until someone listens: Get rid of the fighter interview for those who have suffered severe concussions, in TUF and on the big show. It's a relic from a past that we need to move forward from. Back to the battle after the jump. Here is the order the fighter's were drafted. The spot I picked them to go is in brackets:1. Justin Lawrence (3)2. Al Iaquinta (6)3. Sam Sicilia (2)4. Cristiano Marcello (5)5. Myles Jury (1)6. Daron Cruickshank (9)7. Mike Rio (8)8. Joe Proctor (11)9. James Vick (15)10. Michael Chiesa (4)11. Vinc Pichel (7)12. John Cofer (13)13. Chris Tickle (10)14. Andy Ogle (16)15. Jeremy Larsen (14)16. Chris Saunders (12) So I managed to get exactly zero picks correct, which I'm sure all of you are getting a good chuckle at right now, but it wasn't as bad as it looked. I had most of the guys in the right area, with only James Vick and Michael Chiesa going in far different spots than I projected them to. I was one spot away with Sam Sicilia, Cristiano Marcello, Mike Rio, John Cofer and Jeremy Larsen and I did say that I thought Justin Lawrence should be first pick but I figured he'd drop a spot or two based on some other factors. In the end, Cruz did indeed think Lawrence was the best fighter of the group and if you watched the first episode, he made it clear that he thought he was the best by a long shot. Obviously I was a little surprised to see James Vick go so high, but he is a tall kid with good stand-up, which is always dangerous with the right coaching. I felt vindicated to a degree when Faber picked Vick to face Daron Cruickshank, but of course that went right out the window when Vick shut off his lights with a well placed knee to the face early on in their match. But enough about me. Let's get to the interesting stuff, which to me was the dynamic between Cruz, Faber and their respective teams. Cruz right away showed that he was going to spend a great deal of time focusing on the mental side of things with his team. His first move was to pair his top pick, Justin Lawrence, with controversial pick Chris Tickle. Apparently Tickle wanted to be selected by Urijah Faber and both coaches knew it. Faber tried to leave Tickle on the board until the very end but Cruz was having none of it, selecting Tickle with his 7th pick, much to the surprise of everyone. Unsure of what to expect from Cruz, Tickle got to grapple against the best fighter in the group right away. As expected, he struggled with Lawrence, but Cruz was in his ear the whole time, encouraging him. Tickle seemed to understand that Cruz wasn't messing with him for the sake of it, but was pushing him in a positive way. Cruz continued to show his intelligence as he prepared James Vick for the first fight of the season. He spoke to Vick about using his length correctly, he instructed him to keep moving so that he was never a stationary target, emphasizing feints. And as he wrapped up one of the training sessions, he made sure to remind his team of the importance of avoiding a late round takedown. All in all it was some very impressive footage of Cruz in his element and it really opened my eyes as to his fighting savvy. As for Faber, he didn't come off poorly at all during his training sessions, emphasizing the wrestling that Team Alpha Male has become known for and telling his team that he hoped to give them skills that they could carry with them for the rest of their careers. He did come off poorly during the official weigh-ins, as he took the attention completely off the fighters and focused it squarely on he and Cruz, questioning Dominick about some statements that Cruz allegedly made regarding the financial backing of Faber's gym. It seemed to me that it wasn't the right time to bring up the issue, although Urijah told the camera that he was a straight shooter and if he had something to say to someone, he would say it. I have to respect that but in the context of the show it seemed a little petty. The best moment of the show was after the fight was over, with Cruz holding the right to select the next two fighters. He immediately selected Lawrence, his best fighter, and instead of choosing a sacrificial lamb from Faber's team, perhaps in retaliation for the grandstanding Faber had done at the weigh-ins, he told Dana White that "Urijah is the Alpha Male of the group, so he can pick."As the esteemed Joe Rogan might say: "Oh sh*t!! Son!!"Both Faber and Dana White were caught off-guard by the ploy and either because he didn't have time to think it through, or because he didn't feel he knew his team well enough, Urijah posed the question to them, in front of Lawrence and the entire gym:"Anyone want to take this fight?"The response couldn't have been more telling, as eight grown men mumbled to themselves and stared at their feet, no one willing to step up to the plate. Lawrence looked like he grew three inches and put on thirty pounds of muscle as the seconds passed by, until finally Urijah simply threw his hands up in the air and gave the selection back to Cruz, who went ahead and chose old dog Cristiano Marcello, a legendary brazilian jiu jitsu black belt and former training partner to Shogun Rua and Wanderlei Silva during the Chute Boxe Pride days. Wow. We'll have more reaction from this episode later on this week and throughout the season, but if this episode is any indication, you won't want to miss a second going forward, as this season is shaping up to be one of the better seasons in recent history.

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With the preliminary fights in the books The Ultimate Fighter Live returned to its standard one fight a week format. Coach Urijah Faber would win the coin toss and elected to pick the first fight match-up rather than draft the first fighter. With his first selection Coach Dominick Cruz picked the star of the prelims Justin Lawrence (3-0). Team Faber used their control of match-ups to pit its number six draft pick Daron Cruickshank (10-2) up against Team Curz's number nine pick James Vick (4-0). Tabbed as one of the favorites Cruickshank's TUFL run ended just past the two minute mark of round one when a brutal right knee from Vick earned the Team Cruz fighter a KO win. Next week's fight will feature Team Cruz number one pick Lawrence versus Team Faber's number four pick Cristiano Marcello (12-3)Power rankings, draft analysis and scoreboard after the jump ULTMMA.com The Ultimate Fighter Live power rankings episode two edition1. Myles Jury 9-0 Team Cruz2. Al Iaquinta 5-1-1 Team Faber3. Cristiano Marcello 12-3 Team Faber4. Mike Rio 8-1 Team Cruz5. Justin Lawrence 3-0 Team Cruz 6. Daron Cruickshank 10-2 Team Faber-*Eliminated by Vick 3/167. James Vick 4-0 Team Cruz- W vs. Cruickshank8. Sam Sicilia 10-0 Team Cruz9. Jeremy Larsen 8-2 Team Cruz10. John Cofer 7-1 Team Faber11. Chris Saunders 9-2 Team Faber12. Joe Proctor 7-1 Team Faber13. Mike Chiesa 7-0 Team Faber14. Chris Tickle 7-4 Team Cruz15. Andy Ogle 8-1 Team Faber16. Vinc Pichel 6-0 Team CruzThe Ultimate Fighter Live fighter draft1. Justin Lawrence Team Cruz 2. Al Iaquinta Team Faber3. Sam Sicilia Team Cruz4. Cristiano Marcello Team Faber5. Myles Jury Team Cruz6. Daron Cruickshank Team Faber7. Mike Rio Team Cruz8. Joe Proctor Team Faber9. James Vick Team Cruz10. Mike Chiesa Team Faber11. Vinc Pichel Team Cruz12. John Cofer Team Faber13. Chris Tickle Team Cruz14. Andy Ogle Team Faber15. Jeremy Larsen Team Cruz16. Chris Saunders Team FaberNumber one picks: With a mere three pro fights to his name Team Cruz's number one overall selection of Justin Lawrence (3-0) was an odd pick. Lawrence shined in the prelims with a "no doubt" KO of James Krause (15-4) but his three professional bouts were nothing to write home about. Perhaps the top talent in the house Team Faber's pick of Al Iaquinta (5-1-1) puts the New York based prospect in prime position to succeed in the 16 man tourney. Steal of the draft: Florida lightweight Mike Rio (8-1) watched six other lightweights get picked before. Rio, a powerful wrestler, built a resume on the regional scene that had him already prepped for a UFC contract. Rio's grappling style will keep him in any fight and his quick finishing ability makes him a favorite in the house. Reach of the draft: Sam Sicilia's (10-0) eight second knockout of Erin Beach (3-1) was the highlight of TUFL preliminary round. Prior to being casted on the TUFL Sicilia's unblemished record looked good on paper but the 26 year largely feasted on inferior competition. Sicilia was the second selection of Team Cruz which is a lot earlier than anyone would of thought when the initial cast of 32 lightweights was announced Draft winner: Despite the questionable picks of Lawrence and Sicilia Team Cruz filled out his eight man squad with depth. Myles Jury (9-0), Jeremy Larsen (8-2), James Vick and Rio all have the ability to make a run to the TUFL semifinals. In the first edition of the ULTMMA.com power rankings Team Cruz members grabbed six of the top nine spots. Team Cruz 1 Team Faber 0James Vick def. Daron Cruickshank via knockout (knee) 2:16 R1Team Cruz 1. Justin Lawrence2. Sam Sicilia3. Myles Jury4. Mike Rio5. James Vick6. Vinc Pichel7. Chris Tickle8. Jeremy LarsenTeam Faber1. Al Iaquinta2. Cristiano Marcello3. Daron Cruickshank4. Joe Proctor5. Mike Chiesa6. John Cofer7. Andy Ogle8. Chris Saunders

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With the sixteen men set to compete for the Ultimate Fighter 15 crown in place thanks to an action-packed opening round featuring all of the qualifying fights, the popular reality show returned to a more-familiar format on Friday night with a single match-up coming after an episode’s worth of highlights from the house/gym. The episode definitely didn’t disappoint, delivering drama both in the ring and out of it. When the smoke cleared Team Cruz was left with a 1-0 lead in the head-to-head battle between squads as well as a mental victory of sports after leaving Urijah Faber’s team reeling when it came to making next week’s bout. Full Results from the Qualifying Round Things started off inconspicuously enough with Faber and Dominick Cruz picking their squads. After winning the coin-flip “The California Kid” decided to choose the first fight rather than the first fighter with Cruz taking advantage of the honor, selecting impressive Team Blackhouse striker Justin Lawrence #1. As far as the episode’s battle, Faber went with Daron Cruickshank from his team and James Vick from Cruz’s. Entering the bout many felt Cruickshank had the advantage based on the belief he had more skills to work with in comparison to Vick’s boxing, though in the end it was Vick who had his hand raised after knocking Cruickshank out cold with a knee. After the action Cruz was given the opportunity to make next week’s fight where he wasted little time going with Lawrence to see his prize pupil shine. However, rather than select someone from Faber’s team he instead gave his rival the option. The unexpected move left Faber and his team stunned with the entire group grasping for an answer that never came. As such, Cruz went with Cristiano Marcello from Team Faber, closing out the episode with a win for his team and over Faber on the personal front. Non-fight moments worth mentioning involved an exchange where Faber blasted Cruz for bringing his family into an interview, as well as contestant Michael Chiesa learning his ill father had passed away in the days since he’d made it on the show. Chiesa was allowed to go home to be with his family and returned a day later meaning he will remain on the show, vowing to win it for his deceased dad. Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank Team Records: Cruz 1, Faber 0 Next Week’s Fight: Cristiano Marcello vs. Justin Lawrence Tweet

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Week two of the Friday Night Wars was filled with several standout moments and storylines ranging from flying knee knockouts, Dominick Cruz catching Urijah Faber with his pants down on live TV and a fun main event that a lot of people probably didn't see. Here's five things that stood out to me after watching Bellator 61 and the first hourly episode of this season's The Ultimate Fighter. James Vick's flying knee knockout In the first live in-season fight of the new TUF, Vick made a name for himself, coming from behind to knock out Daron Cruickshank cold on the wings of a flying knee. To that point, Cruickshank was having his way with Vick, holding him off with a variety of kicks. Cruickshank looked comfortable and got too cute, running in and getting caught flush on the chin with a knee that Vick said was supposed to be a kick. Cruickshank fell flat and was out cold, giving Cruz's team the first win of the season. It felt demoralizing for Faber's gang, which we saw amplified later on. Now Cruickshank has to stay in the house for another three months (something Jon Anik awkwardly reminded him of) in the hope that he gets another shot. The call out Another change they made this season was the following week's fight being made at the end of each episode. TUF ran over their hour, so if you DVR'd the show and missed the final segment with Cruz making the fight selection for next week, you have to find this clip. As Vick won, Cruz had the right to pick and selected his top fighter Justin Lawrence to battle in week 2. He then looked at Faber and told him to pick his best guy. Faber looked bewildered and asked his team who wanted to fight. No one stood up, no one stepped forward and no one wanted any piece of Lawrence. It was an incredibly embarrassing moment for Faber who must be fuming about this today. Eventually, Faber gave the selection back to Cruz (!!!) and Cruz selected Brazilian jiujitsu ace Cristiano Marcello, making for a really great week 2 fight. Brian Rogers' flying knee knockout In Bellator's show opener, Rogers fought Vitor Vianna in the middleweight tournament, a scrap between two talented guys that only the hardcores seem to know about. Vianna was last season's tournament finalist while Rogers went into Friday with finishes in all eight of his wins. Make it nine-for-nine as Rogers pulled off a slight upset with a first round flying knee knockout of Vianna to advance to the semifinals. Rogers was great in avoiding playing into Vianna's strong ground game and was aggressive in taking it to Vianna on his feet. Vick's knee may have been seen by more people, but Rogers deserves praise for making an impression to open the show. Read the other two standout moments from Friday night after the jump. The story of Michael Chiesa I'm not a huge fan of reality TV, but it was hard to not feel for the Team Faber member during his torment over his father dying the first week he was in the house. It made for compelling TV, especially when he explained how his dad held on long enough to see him win on last Friday's live show. I'm glad to see that Dana White let Chiesa go home for the funeral and didn't pull any "If you leave, you're off the show" shenanigans. Unintentional or not, TUF now has a fighter that you want to root for. It makes for a great human interest story and hopefully, things turn out alright for someone that is going through a tough time. Maiquel Falcao vs. Norman Paraisy The de facto main event of Bellator, Falcao and Paraisy was a lot of fun to watch. As the fight moved into the second and third rounds, it became obvious that Falcao had his number but that didn't stop both guys from jawing and gesturing at each other and throwing some additional shots after the bell. And of course, they hugged it out at the end. Falcao is a favorite to win this season's middleweight tourney for a reason and he showed some of that talent Friday night. There will be some chatter about him not finishing Paraisy in the second round when he seemingly had a wide window to do so, but he picked up the win and now awaits his next challenge. SBN coverage of Bellator 61

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In the opening seconds of episode number two of the rebooted Ultimate Fighter, now dubbed TUF Live because of, well, the new “live” aspect, and announcer Jon Anik informs us that in 47 minutes the show will go from whatever was recorded this past week to a fight that will transpire in real time before our very eyes.  Before.  Our.  Very.  Eyes.  It was at that moment that I realized this was truly no longer a recycled SpikeTV product, played out, hackneyed and worthy of snark.  No, this new TUF Live was serious business.  Hence, a serious write-up was in order. The meat and potatoes of the series is still the same, with proven formulas that must be adhered to.  There’s still the coin toss, fighters picked like gym class heroes awaiting a dodgeball game, and the anticipation and faux-suspense surrounding the choosing of the episode’s closing matchup.  The training montages remain, as does the time allotted for explicit (and sometimes only implicit) tension between the opposing coaches.  There’s even drama.  But with the promise of something violent and live waiting at the end… that impending action somehow colors it all with a shade of fresh curiosity.  It makes the journey seem more worthwhile than it’s been in years. And so came the aspiring TUFers first exposure to the opulence of the TUF House, a flood of humanity rushing into the lavish abode that will be their prison for the next few months.   There’s the bedroom we remember from prior seasons, with its row of bed after bed (who’s the lucky bastard that gets the bedroom that inexplicably has only one bed?), there’s the magical liquor cabinet, its contents spilling forth like a cornucopia of spirits and bad decisions, and there’s the pool and massive backyard.  Michael Chiesa informs us that in the real world he currently has no home, so this living arrangement is a step up.  Yes, Chiesa, it is. Everyone is lined up at the gym, and Dana White tosses a coin which results in coach Urijah Faber getting to choose the first fight while his adversary Dominick Cruz gets first pick of the litter.  The incumbent bantamweight champ’s first pick – Justin Lawrence – is soon followed by slugger Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, Vinc Pichel, James Vick, Chris Tickle and Jeremy Larsen.  Conversely, Faber beckons for the hard-hitting Al Iaquinta, PRIDE vet Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle and Chris Saunders.  The obligatory training session follows, and fighters shadow box, are pressed up against the wall and forced to escape, and wrestled until they’re huffing and puffing and unable to get up.  There’s something between Cruz and his ward Tickle, a dynamic involving Tickle wanting to be on Team Faber and Cruz working him perhaps a little harder than most, but everyone is all smiles afterwards. The two teams gather again for Faber’s fight announcement, but first, words are exchanged between the coaches.  Faber, it seems, has taken umbrage at a statement Cruz made in an interview about Faber’s parents helping “The California Kid” buy his gym.  Faber tells his foe to leave his parents out of it, and just like that Cruz apologizes.  As for the fight pick, it’s revealed that at the end of the episode it will be Vick taking on Cruickshank.  We’re led to believe that in this scenario Vick is in for a beating, that Cruickshank has been karate chopping and wrestling since he was in diapers and Vick is a relative newcomer to the sport – which jibes with what we saw in the season opener, as Cruickshank slew his way into the TUF House and Vick barely squeaked by Dakota Cochrane. It is then, during the training sessions of the respective combatants, that bad news comes in the form of a phone call to the long-haired Chiesa.  Coach Faber pulls him from the workout and sends him to the locker room, where Chiesa learns that his father has passed away.  It was a form of cancer, a tearful Chiesa informs us, and though not wholly unexpected, the death still has all the impact of a Matt Hughes’ bodyslam to the heart.  Chiesa is a mess, and questions whether he should remain in the competition.  Before he’d left for Las Vegas, the young fighter promised his father that he’d go on with the show no matter what, but still… Chiesa would like to say goodbye.  As the very picture of benevolence and compassion, White flies him home for the funeral and brings him back, the whole affair really just a heartbreaking hiccup in the TUF contestant’s schedule. It’s suddenly fight time, and everything switches to the live broadcast.  In the Team Cruz locker room, the champ gives Vick a somewhat rehearsed speech about having fun; in Faber Land, the former featherweight champ is sitting beside Cruickshank, his counsel appearing more like a heart-to-heart than a Knute Rockne inspirational special.  And then the two TUFers are fighting. As predicted, Cruickshank is a fast and furious ball of confidence, dancing in and out to land a variety of spinning- and side-kicks.  Vick may be taller and possessing of a far greater reach, but he’s getting chipped at and picked apart.  However, it all comes to a screeching halt when Cruickshank changes levels and shoots for a takedown.  What comes next is Vick’s knee to his face, and the heavily-favored fighter falls like a sack of potatoes.  Cruickshank is out cold. The official time of the improbable knockout is 2:16 of the first round. The camera focuses in on Team Cruz’s unbridled glee, on assistant coach Lloyd Irvin jumping up and down ecstatic, and then it switches to the fallen fighter, slowly coming around as referee Herb Dean tells him he got caught and that he needs to stay there for a bit. With the win coach Cruz gets to pick the next fight, and his choices are Justin Lawrence versus Faber’s second pick, Cristiano Marcello. And that’s all she wrote.

Posted in: cruz, faber, vick, cruickshank, chiesa

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In the second episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Live, the 16 lightweights who fought their way onto the cast moved into The Ultimate Fighter house, a sprawling Las Vegas mansion. Coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber selected their teams. Faber won the coin toss but opted to allow Cruz to choose the first fighter allowing him matchmaking powers to determine the first match-up. Cruz selected Justin Lawrence as his first pick. Faber decided on Al Laquinta.

Posted in: fighter, fighter house, cruz, faber, matchmaking powers

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After a debut a week ago featuring sixteen live contests the Ultimate Fighter 15 was back last night with an episode full of highlights from the period since as well as the initial quarterfinal match-up. By all accounts the program was one of the finest in the series’ storied history, featuring an excellent mixture of drama, heartbreak, and MMA action. Things started out with the fighters’ reactions to moving into the house, celebrating with a handful of adult beverages before settling in for the night. Teams were picked shortly thereafter with Urijah Faber winning the coin toss and opting to make the first fight rather than have the #1 pick out of the group. Dominick Cruz took advantage of the opportunity, going with Justin Lawrence in the top spot who fans likely remember based on his Team Blackhouse roots and sensational strike-based stoppage in the qualifying round. After selecting their squads the evening’s bout was made between Daron Cruickshank and James Vick with Faber expecting Cruickshank’s overall ability to overcome Vick’s “one-dimensional” stand-up. Both men got into the house winning via decision. Come fight-time the two 155ers looked sharp with some solid exchanges to open things up. However, a few minutes in Vick caught Cruickshank with a perfectly placed knee and laid him out cold to give Team Cruz a 1-0 lead in the competition. Truly, the finish was so beautiful it will be difficult to beat in terms of the season’s top knockout. “I don’t remember too much so I’m gonna have to watch it,” replied Cruickshank when asked about the loss minutes after sustaining it. Afterwards Cruz called out Lawrence to represent his group on next week’s episode and then deferred to Faber for an opponent. The decision to do so left Faber stunned, and when he went to his team to step up nobody answered the call. In the end Cruz decided to go with Cristiano Marcello, the BJJ expert with Chute Boxe roots. In terms of non-fight highlights, the episode also featured Faber calling Cruz out over comments made about his parents supposedly setting him up with ownership of Team Alpha Male. Cruz apologized for offending Faber’s “pops” while “The California Kid” warned him about bringing up family in the future. Also, as expected, the episode captured Michael Chiesa’s reaction to learning his father had passed away from cancer. Chiesa was understandably upset, though found strength in his dad having seen him win to get into the house in some of what would be his final moments. Dana White showed up and let Chiesa go home for a day to spend time with his family before flying back to the Ultimate Fighter set. Chiesa has now dedicated winning this season to the departed’s memory. Cruz’s Team: Justin Lawrence, Sam Sicilia, Myles Jury, Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle,  Jeremy Larsen Faber’s Team: Al Iaquinta, Cristiano Marcello, Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders Advancing to Semifinal: James Vick Eliminated: Daron Cruickshank Next Week’s Fight: Cristiano Marcello vs. Justin Lawrence

Posted in: team, cruz, faber, cruickshank, chiesa

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Seeing that there was a significant gap between UFC events, I graciously accepted the offer to do The Ultimate Fighter Live Recap. Expect some of the same things that you get from the Downes Side -- expert analysis, proper grammar, and maybe even a reference to the Lincoln-Douglas presidential debates.After an intro to the new season and format (the show is now half-taped content from the last week of training/living in the house; but the fights at the end of the episodes air live each week) from Dana White we fly through some snapshots of the fighters. Michael Chiesa stands out to me due to his similarities to Cody McKenzie. Not only do they have similar looks, but apparently they both live out of their cars. Now he just needs a submission named after him -- Chies-a-tine or Chies-a-plata are my early favorites.Next up we go right into team selections. Urijah Faber wins the coin toss, which gives him the right to choose either the first fighter for his team or the first matchup of guys to fight. Faber elects to choose the first fight, giving Cruz the first fighter pick. Later we’ll hear Faber explain how this strategy puts his team in position for a “guaranteed win.” Cruz takes Justin Lawrence with the first pick (that’s the guy who poured it on and knocked out experienced vet James Krause inside of 90 seconds in the premiere) and Faber chooses Al Iaquinta (the toe ruiner). Cruz fills out his roster with (in order) Sam Sicilia (the 8-second knockout guy from the premiere), Myles Jury (a TUF 13 contestant who had to leave due to injury and a training partner of Cruz in San Diego), Mike Rio, James Vick, Vinc Pichel, Chris Tickle, and Jeremy Larsen. Faber’s crew grows with Cristiano Marcello (the Gracie black belt), Daron Cruickshank, Joe Proctor, Mike Chiesa, John Cofer, Andy Ogle (the British kid) and Chris Saunders (The One With the Mohowak).The picks go largely without incident until Cruz opts for Chris Tickle because Tickle had been openly lobbying to be on Faber’s team. In a mind-eff of things to come, Cruz explains that he was purposely throwing a wrench into Faber’s plans – since everyone knew Tickle was Faber-focused, Faber didn’t have to use up one of his picks on him, because he knew Dominick wouldn’t take him. Or in his words, “I took him because Urijah would take him, and by me taking him, Faber couldn’t take him anymore because he was taken.” While I applaud him for showing all the verb tenses of take (despite lack of the pluperfect) it was a little confusing. we’ll see if “Bad Boy” Tickle ends up being a great pick up or if it’ll just be a really creepy piece of fan fiction. After a couple of training clips, the guys gather in the gym for the fight announcement. As the teams are waiting, we get a little of the beloved trash talk between the two coaches. Faber confronts Cruz about comments he made in UFC magazine about Urijah’s parents helping him set up a gym. Faber warns Cruz against bringing his family up, and tells him to stop. Dominick apologizes and says he meant no offense. Faber accepts Cruz’ apology on behalf of his dad (really.) Reasoned discussion followed by an apology and understanding -- are you listening, Jon and Rashad?! The church bake sale I went to last week had more tension than that. (In my defense, those cookies were over-baked and I deserved a refund.)Team Faber decides to pit Michael Cruickshank against James Vick. The prevailing attitude is that boxer Vick is too one-dimensional for this fight and that Cruickshank, a seasoned kickboxer trained by his parents (“My mom can beat up your dad,” he smiles), will easily win. Even Cruz admits that his fighter is the underdog. Now, I have an unfair bias in favor of lanky lightweights, so right away I was hoping that Vick wouldn’t embarrass himself. After some more training clips, the coaches call Michael Chiesa into the back. He takes a phone call from his mother, who informs him that his father has died of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Chiesa later meets with Dana White and learns that he’ll be able to leave the house for the funeral and return if he wants. Chiesa immediately says he’ll return and compete. Chiesa is obviously devastated, and frankly, his raw emotion and the unflinching cameras make it devastating to watch. After a level of gravitas previosly unseen on TUF, it’s fight time. Vick gets a pep talk backstage from Cruz, who implores him to go out and have fun. Vick’s only response is a nervous-sounding “Yes, sir.” Meanwhile in the Team Faber locker room, Cruickshank is relaxed and ready to get out there.The first few minutes are uneventful. Crankshaft (isn't that easier to remember?!) throws some flashy Tae Kwon Do kicks that look cool, but like most of what you buy at Bed Bath & Beyond, don’t really accomplish much. Suddenly, 'Shaft dives in on a double leg and eats a hard right knee to the face. It puts him out cold and lanky underdog James Vick is on his way to the quarterfinals. All in all, things worked out well for Vick -- except for when Jon Anik totally left him hanging during the post fight interview. The show closes with the fight selection for next week and a big psychological play by Dom. Cruz pulls a slick move by choosing first-pick Justin Lawrence for next week’s bout, then telling Faber to pick who from his team he wants to battle Lawrence. Faber sits in stunned silence, unsure who to send in, and asks his team if any of them are “ready to scrap.” No one on Team Faber makes a move. I hadn’t heard that much awkward silence I told my parents I was ditching grad school to become a professional fighter. Finally, Cruz picks Marcello and the match that many fans expected to see at the Finale is set for next week. Will Team Cruz’s number-one pick show his worth? Will Team Faber get their first win with their second choice? Will someone finally urinate on someone/something? Find out next week! In the meantime, be sure to follow me on twitter @dannyboydownes, the show at @InsideTUF and leave comments. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m writing this on St. Patrick’s Day and I have a couple Irish stereotypes to fulfill.Here’s the season at a glance:Team CruzMyles JuryJeremy LarsenJustin Lawrence - schedued to fight Cristiano Marcello in episode 2Vinc PichelMike RioSam SiciliaChris TickleJames Vick - (1-0) won via KO over Daron Cruickshank in episode 1Team FaberMike ChiesaJohn CoferDaron Cruickshank - (0-1) lost to James Vick in episode 1Al IaquintaCristiano Marcello - scheduled to fight Justin Lawrence in episode 2Andy OgleJoe ProctorChris Saunders

Posted in: fight, team, cruz, faber, vick

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Tonight on FX The Ultimate Fighter will make its second appearance on the Fox owned network. The coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber will be selecting their teams and then setting the first fight for the season. The field of 32 was wheedled down to sixteen and this week will get to see the dynamic in the house and in the gym for the first time. It is the first glimpse MMA fans will get into the format that will be the routine for the rest of the season. Most fans are not sure what to expect as there is only a few days for the crews to edit together the episode. There have been some signs that this season of TUF will be more focused on the coaches and training and less focused on drama in the house. The show starts at 10:00 PM ET/9:00 PM CT and we'll be updating the teams and live blogging the first fight right here at Bloody Elbow! Fighters Entering the House: Mike Chiesa, John Cofer, Daron Cruickshank, Al Iaquinta, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Justin Lawrence, Cristiano Marcello, Andy Ogle, Vincent Pichel, Joe Proctor, Mike Rio, Chris Saunders, Cam Sicilia, Chris Tickle, and James Vick. Team Cruz: Team Faber:

Posted in: fighter, season, team, cruz, elbow fighters

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Dominick Cruz opens up as a -215 favorite for the third encounter this July against Urijah Faber.

Posted in: fight, cruz, faber, urijah, fight odds

Read the full article at Fight Opinion

TUF: Live, the newly revamped FX version of The Ultimate Fighter, may not deserve to be judged on its opening episode, which will differ from episodes to come over the 13-week season, but the show did give a sampling of what viewers could expect from the fighters soon to inhabit the house as well as the production that goes along with it.As a live sports presentation, it was a bit uneven in its delivery. While TUF fans are used to watching fights without a play-by-play man and color commentator, it felt strange to do so for 2 1/2 hours straight. With the move to FX and in theory, a broader audience, the broadcast might have benefited from announcers to explain what was happening.There was good and bad to the show, with most of the high spots coming during the in-cage action. Among the standouts? Justin Lawrence, who walked on to the set as a little-known newbie in MMA but walked out as one of the favorites to win it all after steamrolling respected veteran James Krause. TUF: Live Review-- When the UFC announced that all 16 elimination fights would be aired on FX, we wondered how that could be possible. The answer was one-round fights. That was a good call, immediately raising the stakes and ratcheting up the intensity level. In addition, $5,000 awards were promised for finishes. Not surprisingly, eight of the first 12 bouts went to a finish. The last four went to decisions, but remember, those fighters had been waiting to compete for over two hours by that time, so they might not have been as fresh and loose as the guys who fought early.-- Throughout the broadcast, FX imposed an "Ultimate Fighter FX Live" logo on the upper right part of the screen. While those types of placements are relatively standard in TV presentations, on an HD set, it happened to be in a place that often covered fighter's faces as they moved around the cage. In most stick and ball sports, the producer can contain the action in the middle of the screen, and that ad is merely an annoyance, but in MMA, it's blocking a participant, and could cause a viewer to miss the impact of a fight-changing strike. It should be moved or completely removed by next week. -- UFC president Dana White and coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber filled some of the lulls in fights with their commentary at a cageside desk. Their significance was highlighted during one of the night's last fights, when fighter Jon Tuck suddenly looked down before continuing to fight. At home, it was hard to tell why, but Cruz immediately pointed out Tuck had broken his toe. Cruz was especially good at analysis and explaining what a fighter was doing right and wrong in a given situation, even though he was doing it in a conversational way while talking to White. The trio also had some humorous moments, like when White told Cruz and Faber that their cornermen sucked for not informing the fighters how much time was left on the clock each round. Cruz pointed out that his corners had timers on their phones but the production staff had taken them phones away, to which White replied, "Real professional. You go in the corner with your phones?"-- On the other hand, the trio shouldn't have had to carry the information load. It would have made more sense to have a broadcasting team and to occasionally listen in on Cruz and Faber scouting the fights as they went along. -- Refreshing: A series of 16 fights with no booing. Stale: No crowd. A very small (and quiet) group watched the fights live at the TUF training center. In the past, there was no audience in order to guard the results from leaking out into the public, but there's no real purpose for it now. Unfortunately, the TUF gym isn't big enough to house much of a crowd, so this one's mostly out of their control. -- Based on the UFC's pledge of $5,000 per finish, they shelled out $40,000 last night. The fastest finisher: Sam Sicilia, who needed only eight seconds to knock out Erin Beach. The slowest: Vinc Pinchel, who took 3:39 to choke out Cody Pfister with a rear naked choke after slicing him open with an elbow from the top. -- Next week, TUF: Live moves to its "jive-live" format, with pre-taped segments stemming from the contestants' time in the house leading into the first first-round fight. That will feel more like the old TUF with the added element of the live bout. Given White's insistence that the FX network, with its broader demographic reach than Spike, will bring in many first-time viewers, it just seems like it would make sense to have announcers explaining the fights as they happen. At least we can say that the sporting experience is as it should be, live, and for most fans, that is the more important change of the two.The 16 ContestantsJoe Proctor (7-1)Cristiano Marcello (12-3)Sam Sicilia (10-0)Chris Tickle (7-4)Andy Ogle (8-1)Vinc Pinchel (7-0)John Cofer (7-1)Chris Saunders (9-2)James Vick (4-0)Michael Chiesa (4-0)Mike Rio (8-1)Justin Lawrence (3-0)Darren Cruikshank (10-2)Jeremy Larsen (8-2)Al Iaquinta (5-1-1)Myles Jury (9-0)Four FavoritesJustin Lawrence - 3-0, Team Black House fighterCristiano Marcello - 15-year veteran, 11 finishes in 12 pro winsMike Rio - 7 finishes in 8 pro fightsSam Sicilia - Undefeated, 8 first-round finishes in 10 wins

Posted in: fight, fighter, fx, tuf, cruz

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submitted by Bingarff [link] [13 comments]

Posted in: episode, discussion, spoiler, cruz, faber

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Tonight ushers in a completely new era for the Ultimate Fighter franchise including sixteen live fights on FX. With match-ups still under wraps, the show remains as much a mystery minutes before airing as it was when the list of competitors was first announced, adding to the intrigue surrounding the popular reality show’s fifteenth season. What is known is bantamweight rivals Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz will coach two teams over the next thirteen weeks with each contestant hoping to make a name for himself as the next Ultimate Fighter champion. Faber and Cruz will also face off in July with Cruz’s divisional title on the line. Additionally, each week will feature highlights from the past few days’ activities as well as a live bout. Read below to see how things unfold when the curtain gets pulled back at 9:00 PM EST including results from the fights with each victor securing a plce inside the TUF 15 house, health-permitting: Check out a live feed from the TUF Training Center showing what’s going on behind the scenes below:

Posted in: tuf, cruz, dominick cruz, time results, mystery minutes

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Typically when talk surfaces surrounding a Mixed Martial Artist abandoning his/her divisional home the focus is on dropping down as a means of obtaining a competitive advantage from a size/strength standpoint. That being said, with UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz already pushing the limits of 135 due to his 5’8” frame, it looks like “The Dominator” could be looking to pack on some pounds at some point in the future. The 26-year old discussed the possibility in a recent interview with FoxNews where laughed off the notion of slimming down for flyweight, though in terms of fighting at 145, said, “It could happen. I’m not going to turn that (idea) down,” before adding, “But right now I’m happy where I’m at. This is my best competition weight and I’m having the most success here. And I think there are plenty of guys coming up in the division that can challenge any position. Can they beat me? No but they can challenge.” Possible future contenders for the bantamweight belt could include surging stars like Mike Easton and Renan Barao. However, before Cruz can concern himself with either he has to take care of business against rival Urijah Faber on TUF 15 as well as inside the Octagon this summer when the two tussle for Cruz’s title. In fact, Cruz isn’t so sure their eventual match-up will even mark the last time he has to deal with “The California Kid”. “I mean I doubt it. Let’s keep it real. The guy never stops talking, he never shuts up,” Cruz playfully responded. “It’s probably not the last time I’ll hear about it. He’ll never quit whining. It is what it is.” Cruz-Faber will face off tonight on FX when TUF 15 debuts at 9:00 PM EST before coaching opposing squads for thirteen weeks on the popular reality show. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: i ’m, future, ’m, cruz, i doubt

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz sure picked an interesting time to become a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. Not only does the position pit him opposite his fiercest rival -- former WEC champion Urijah Faber -- it also throws him into the reality show franchise’s first season of live television. If all that weren’t enough to think about, the show’s starting cast has already garnered headlines for including a fighter with a history as a gay porn actor.But if you ask Cruz, he’ll tell you that that’s not a particularly important piece of personal history as far as he sees it. He’s more concerned with whether guys like Dakota Cochrane can fight, he told MMA Fighting recently, and he expects the other fighters on the show to approach it the same way. "I don’t even really think about it, honestly," Cruz said. "He’s another guy on the show. I think that’s how everyone will see it."For Cruz, the goal with all the fighters who fight their way into the house on the live premiere of the show this Friday night is the same, whether they’re among the ones he knows personally from the San Diego MMA scene or whether they’re total strangers."For me, it’s a personal thing to make these guys better," he said. "It’s about seeing what I can show them, seeing what I can give them to help the rest of their careers. It’s also about hopefully helping a guy from my team win a six-figure contract with the UFC. That’s what it’s all about for me, and that’s the only thing I’m thinking about."As for his old foe and rival Faber, who he’s slated to meet for a third and, if you ask Cruz, hopefully final time, once the season is finished? They might have spent more time together lately than either would have liked, but that doesn’t mean Cruz finds the challenger’s company any more agreeable, he said."I’ve been around Faber a lot. But we’re both professionals. I don’t think we’re going to lose it and just start scrapping each other. We both know we’ve got a date July 7, and I’m prepared to fight him on that date and not before."

Posted in: guy, show, fighter, cruz, itrsquo

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When UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz begins his stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter Live, he returns to what led him to MMA.

Posted in: fighter, champion, coach, cruz, profile

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UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz is tired of hearing about what a superior coach rival Urijah Faber will be on the Ultimate Fighter 15. While Faber’s work with Team Alpha Male is well-documented, Cruz is no stranger to serving as both a mentor and trainer to up-and-coming Mixed Martial Artists. He just hasn’t publicized it to the extent Faber has. “I think, honestly, people are sleeping on me in the coaching aspect, no doubt,” said the 19-1 Cruz while serving as a guest this week on Sherdog Radio. “To begin, I got into fighting by coaching. I didn’t even start fighting until one of the students that I was coaching told me to come to the gym and try it out. Then when I got in there, the only way that I could pay my dues every month was to teach, clean the toilet, clean the bags and mop the floors. I didn’t pay dues because I didn’t have the money. I taught and I cleaned.” This time around Cruz will be looking to clean up again albeit in terms of taking out Faber’s team as well as “The California Kid” himself when the two meet in the Octagon later this year. “I’m definitely in this to win it. I’m not in it to go in there and just worry about myself. I’m going on this show to win in the coaching aspect. After I smoke him in the coaching aspect, I’m going to beat him down in the fight come July,” Cruz explained, eager to put Faber in his place. To assist him he’ll need a solid group of fighters to work with, many of whom he’ll hope to see reflecting his own humility while also exhibiting his mental approach to competition. “For me personally, what’s going to sway me towards picking guys over others is certain guys have a type of arrogance about them. You can feel that right off the bat. The more arrogant they are, the harder it’s going to be to get them to be open-minded and hear the things that I have to teach, the things that my coaches have to teach,” began Cruz on the topic before adding, “At the same time, I want the most mentally tough guys I can find. Because really, when it all comes down to it, that’s what it’s going to be about on this show. It’s thirteen weeks trapped in a house with nothing but guys, away from your family, away from your friends, no radio, no books, no television and a liquor cabinet that’s just filled. … I think that the main aspect of this is just going to be keeping their minds right.” TUF 15 starts tomorrow night on FX at 9:00 PM EST with sixteen qualifying fights set for a two-plus hour broadcast.

Posted in: ’m, cruz, faber, aspect, coaching

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Rivals Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz are set to coach The Ultimate Fighter's debut season on FX, debuting this Friday March 9 at 9 p.m. ET. The two men have fought twice before with Faber beating Cruz in 2007 to retain the WEC featherweight belt and Cruz beating Faber last year to retain the UFC bantamweight belt. The pair will meet again at the end of this season of TUF, once again for a title. Both men have been doing interviews to hype the season premiere. Faber spoke to MMA Weekly about the biggest story to come out of the nascent season so far -- contestant Dakota Cochrane's gay porn past: "I'm interested to see where his head's at with the whole thing. That will be a big deciding factor on how everyone else deals with it. It's going to come up, there's no doubt about that. It's not a subject that just gets looked over. "If these guys want to make fun of him or pick on him or whatever, they may be getting beat up by him, so I wouldn't make him look too bad cause if you're going to break a guy down and he beats you up then that kind of makes you look bad. "I don't have a problem coaching the kid. I would maybe talk him out of doing something so degrading to himself if it comes up again, but other than that just wish the best for him." Cruz spoke to UFC.com about the other novelty of this season -- the fact that all the fights will be taped live and that he and Faber will be training for their bout while shooting the show: "I don't really know how you necessarily prepare for it and I don't really know if it's gonna be weird or not. This is one of those things that nobody's ever been through, so you can't really get advice on the live portion of this thing. But at the same time, other coaches have seen the guy that they're fighting on the show the whole time and it hasn't been an issue. So I know that I'll be just fine. Me and Faber are professionals, we'll go in there and do our jobs as coaches and at the end of the day we'll go home and get our training done on our own. The only downside to it is looking at his goofy mug all day long and hearing him talk. Other than that, it's just another day." Cruz and Faber will fight next at UFC 148, expected to occur on July 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Posted in: season, cruz, faber, i dont, day cruz

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When Dominick Cruz was climbing the ranks, he tried but failed to make it onto “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Posted in: fighter, cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, fighter ’

Read the full article at Sherdog

Well, well, well boys and girls...what we have hear is a situation in which the sweet little term of endearment, 'I hate your face' is perfectly applicable. Dominick Cruz really does seem to hate Urijah Faber's face, or at the very least he hates the lower hemisphere of Urijah's face. Cruz's hate for the bottom half of Faber's face can be attributed to some comments Urijah Faber made this summer about their first WEC fight when Urijah submitted Cruz via guillotine choke. Urijah claimed to have given Cruz life and allowed him to live only because MMA has rules and the ref made him cease choking the life out of Cruz. Cruz didn't like Urijah's mouth saying those words at all, and in a recent interview with Sherdog's Beatdown Radio show he had a whole bunch to say about Urijah's comments, his mouth and even Urijah's chin. “He can say whatever he wants, but he’s just saying ignorant things because I get under his skin. He starts trying to go for the jugular, but that was one of the dumbest things he could have said because he’s been allowed to live several times. Tyson Griffin let him live. Mike Brown let him live. Jose Aldo chopped his leg off, so I’d be fighting him with no leg right now. He’s just saying stupid things to try to hype things up. It just makes no sense.” “If there weren’t rules in MMA, back in 2005, Tyson Griffin put him to sleep with a knockout and he would have finished him right then and there, and I would have never fought Urijah Faber. There would have never been a rivalry. There would have never been nothing. This is a sport. This isn’t a death match. If it’s a death match, I’ll grab a pitchfork and stab him through his chest. It’s not a death match, man. … It’s a sport. It’s a sporting event.” “He caught me in a submission in 2007. He beat me. I never made one excuse for it. I go and I beat him, and he has nothing but excuses. It’s a sport. You can win by points or you can win by finish. I did not finish him. I beat him by keeping him going backwards the entire fight, landing more punches than him and getting more takedowns than him. Yes, it’s hard to finish him. He’s one of the best fighters on the planet and so am I. He didn’t finish me either.” “I’m going to put a whooping on him, and this time I’m going to finish him. I’m tired of hearing him run his mouth with that big chin of his.” Wow, when the disdain two people have for one another reaches visions of pitchfork stabbing and death match talk you know it's real. That my friends, is the exact formula for some good TV drama between these two on the next season of TUF. Set your reminders now to check out the first look at all the face hate and anger of TUF Season 15: Cruz vs Faber tomorrow night at 9pm on FX. [source]

Posted in: face, cruz, faber, dominick cruz, urijah

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LAS VEGAS - Walking into media day for "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" - the upcoming 15th season of the UFC's reality series - head coach Dominick Cruz thought back to his school days. As 32 lightweight fighters enter "TUF" and look for direction from Cruz and fellow head coach Urijah Faber, he knows it can be a surreal moment. So Cruz - and a coaching staff that includes rotating members Phil Davis, Eric DelFierro, Ross Pearson, Shannon Slack, Wilson Reis, Lloyd Irvin, Doug Balzarin and others - are there to offer support.

Posted in: fighter, cruz, stinky kid, media day, school days

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As the first 135-pound champion in UFC history, Dominick Cruz is an established star in the sport, far removed from those days when he wondered where the next paycheck was coming from or whether this dream of making prizefighting his career was going to pan out. That doesn’t mean he’s forgotten what it means to struggle though, and it’s that ability to put himself back in that mindset that made him the perfect choice to coach alongside his longtime rival Urijah Faber on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, which premieres this Friday night on FX.“Fortunately, you never forget how that feels,” said the bantamweight boss. “When you forget how that feels, you kinda lose yourself and you change into somebody else. So I make it a point to never forget to be that person, and I definitely know how it feels, and that’s why I make it a big focus that these guys are gonna get a hundred percent of me. A lot of these guys put it all on the line and they’ve all sacrificed something big to be in this position. So I definitely know how they feel, and it’s gonna be a good time being able to help these guys out.”It’s been a long road for Cruz to get here, despite him being just 26 years old, but he’s paid his dues, fighting it out on the local circuit until getting called to challenge Faber for the WEC 145-pound crown in March 2007. Cruz would get submitted in 98 seconds by “The California Kid” that night, kicking off the rivalry that continues to this day. It had subsided a little, at least on Cruz’ side, considering that he evened the score with a five round win over Faber in their UFC 132 rematch last July, but tensions have started to rise again with the show and their rubber match just around the corner. And to add to matters, Cruz and Faber are likely to see each other almost every day as they prepare for battle, a different scenario to say the least.“I don’t really know how you necessarily prepare for it and I don’t really know if it’s gonna be weird or not,” said Cruz. “This is one of those things that nobody’s ever been through, so you can’t really get advice on the live portion of this thing. But at the same time, other coaches have seen the guy that they’re fighting on the show the whole time and it hasn’t been an issue. So I know that I’ll be just fine. Me and Faber are professionals, we’ll go in there and do our jobs as coaches and at the end of the day we’ll go home and get our training done on our own. The only downside to it is looking at his goofy mug all day long and hearing him talk. Other than that, it’s just another day.”To get him through those days in the gym and to aid him with the eight hopefuls that will be on his team on TUF, Cruz has brought in his coaches and teammates from San Diego’s Team Alliance: Eric Del Fierro, Phil Davis, Shannon Slack, Doug Balzarini, and Ross Pearson, and he expects to have some guest coaches in as well. As for who those eight team members might be, he has to wait with everyone else until the 32 finalists fight each other on Friday night and trim the roster down to 16. Then it’s up to him and Faber to choose their squads. Cruz has started looking at the first 32 though.“I’ve looked at some guys for sure, and I know a couple of the guys on the show, so I know what some of these guys are capable of, and some I know nothing about,” he said. “But that’s kind of the fun of this whole situation is that not only do you not know what they’re going to throw at you on that first preliminary day in terms of what the format’s going to be like, but you’re kinda taking the entire situation as it comes. I’m just gonna watch these guys throw down and see the attributes that they show in that tough situation, no pun intended, and I’m just gonna make my decisions there.”Yet whoever ends up on Team Cruz, expect the coach to do the same things he’s been doing in the Alliance Gym: not just working to make himself better, but to set a good example for his teammates, just like a true champion should. It’s a responsibility he’s taken seriously ever since putting the belt around his waist, and many of his high-profile teammates, including Davis, Brandon Vera, and Mike Easton have noted Cruz’ qualities as a leader.“The idea behind that is that most people don’t even choose to be a leader,” Cruz explains. “You become a leader by example. How do you become a leader to a guy like Brandon Vera, who has had the career he’s had in the UFC, and done the things that he’s done? Look at Phil Davis, he’s a four-time All-American at one of the most elite wrestling schools in the country, and to become a leader to somebody like that, you don’t go out and choose to be their leader; they choose you, and that happens by leading by example. And that’s what I do and that’s what I plan on doing on this TUF show. Anything I ask these guys to do, they’re gonna know I’ve done it either twice as much, twice as hard, or exactly as many times as them. And that’s exactly how you lead a group of guys like this. You show them how it’s done, and then they follow.”You also check your ego at the door. And as much as Cruz wants to get the mental jump on Faber, and Faber wants to do the same on Cruz, when it’s time to practice, you can’t be the champion in the ivory tower; you’ve got to put your gloves on, your mouthpiece in, and work just like everyone else in that gym. “The Dominator” embraces that idea, believing that it’s a return to the days before he even thought of stepping in the cage.“It might be weird for people to think about, but this is a huge learning experience for me,” said Cruz. “As you said, I am established, but I’m still young and I still have tons that I can learn. A lot of these guys that are gonna be on the show, I guarantee you that I can learn something from every single one of them. What I can show them is how to deal with the nerves, deal with the spotlight, deal with being on the UFC stage, and I can also teach them some of the greater attributes of being a full MMA fighter from head to toe in the sense of style and how to mix combinations together and punches and kicks and everything like that. But I’m looking forward to learning how to deal with people that I’ve never met in my life and coaching them from the beginning. That’s like going back to my old coaching days when I first started, so it brings me back to the beginning of my career really, and it’s almost like full circle. When I started fighting I was coaching a high school wrestling team. One of my wrestlers said ‘you’ve got to get in the gym and try this out,’ and I went with him and the next thing you know, I’m fighting. Now I’m right back at the beginning where I started, I’m coaching, I’m helping guys out, and I’ve got no problem with that. I’m looking forward to it.”

Posted in: guy, day, i ’m, ’m, cruz

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The Fox deal is already paying dividends when it comes to mainstream sports hookups as UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz will be the honorary pace car driver at Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500, a NASCAR event set to air on "big" Fox at 2:30 PM Eastern. The race will be in Phoenix, AZ, and Cruz is a native of Tucson. He'll sit shotgun in the pace car that does a ceremonial lap around the track prior to the race and also will participate in other activities. His appearance kicks off the build to Friday's debut of The Ultimate Fighter on FX where Cruz and Urijah Faber each will coach teams of fighters, building to an eventual title defense, expected for July in Las Vegas, NV. The live premiere will feature all the qualifying fights, starting at 9 PM with a two-and-a-half hour broadcast. The two have fought twice before with Faber submitting Cruz in March 2007 in a WEC featherweight title defense and Cruz evening the score with a unanimous decision win last July in a UFC bantamweight title defense.

Posted in: title, bantamweight, defense, cruz, cruz evening

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UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz will follow in the footsteps of UFC light heavyweight title-holder Jon Jones as the honorary pace car driver for today’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR race. Jones was involved in pre-race festivities for the Daytona 500, also televised live by FOX. The UFC and FOX signed a multi-year deal last year to broadcast several events throughout the FOX-owned networks. Cruz will also increase his profile by coaching on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite rival Urijah Faber. The two will square off in July for Cruz’s belt as well, marking the third time they’ve fought with each picking up a win in their first two encounters. TUF 15 will mark the first season of the hit reality show featuring live fights. Things fire up beginning March 9 with sixteen live scraps to determine who enters the house. The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 takes place from Phoenix and the Phoenix International Raceway. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/NASCAR

Posted in: ufc, reality show, cruz, urijah faber, prerace festivities

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Starting next Friday the world will witness a new version of The Ultimate Fighter with sixteen live fights giving fans a look at those making it into the house to compete during the season. The Ultimate Fighter 15 begins on March 9 on FX with coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber heading teams of lightweights/welterweights. Then, in July, Cruz will defend his UFC bantamweight title against Faber with both men looking to settle their rivalry. Faber, a former WEC champion, defeated Cruz earlier in their careers while last year Cruz successfully defended his UFC belt against “The California Kid”, picking up a decision win. Last night both Cruz and Faber joined Jon Anik for an interview during UFC on FX 2: Alves vs. Kampmann where “The Dominator” focused on how the fighters will react to being live each week. “(Being live) is going to bring the heat up on all the guys,” Cruz said. “They know everything is going to be live and that will make them want to perform that much better.” On the other hand, Faber is excited for both the opportunity to fight Cruz again and try to defeat him in the coaching aspect of TUF. “I am going to enjoy the process,” Faber said. “I don’t have many enemies, so it is nice to have one for a change (in Cruz). I am not afraid to get into any kind of confrontation, physical or verbal.” A “real time” format will be used for TUF 15 involving highlights from the previous week and a live fight between the competitors looking to advance to an eventual season crown and six-figure contract. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, tuf, cruz, faber

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After Jon Jones' appearance at the NASCAR Daytona 500 this past weekend, fellow UFC champ Dominick Cruz is headed to the Subway Fresh Fit 500. Cruz serves as the honorary pace driver for the NASCAR race, which takes place Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona. The UFC bantamweight champ serves as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 15."

Posted in: ufc, cruz, nascar race, pace driver, place sunday

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LAS VEGAS – The Ultimate Fighting Championship®’s bantamweight champion, and one of this season’s The Ultimate Fighter® Live coaches, Dominick Cruz, is headed to Phoenix to act as Honorary Pace Car Driver for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ on Sunday, March 4 at Phoenix International Raceway.  The champ will participate in pre-race ceremonies and will make appearances onsite at PIR. The race is slated to air at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.   Cruz then heads back to Las Vegas to kick off his newest challenge as head coach of Team Cruz on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter® Live, premiering on FX on March 9, with a special two-and-a-half-hour LIVE premiere airing at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, and tape-delayed on the Pacific and Mountaintime zones at 9 p.m. PT/10 p.m. MT. Additional information on race weekend activities is available on Phoenix International Raceway’s official website at www.phoenixraceway.com.  

Posted in: pm, cruz, fighter ®, appearances onsite, mountaintime zones

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Top Bantamweight contender Urijah Faber, who will challenge Dominick Cruz for the Bantamweight title in July, responds to recent remarks made by the champion, and looks back on their two previous encounters. Faber concedes that Cruz is talented, but insists that he is a point-fighter and should be grateful that he's alive.

Posted in: cruz, faber, urijah faber, bantamweight title, encounters faber

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Nobody gets hyped up about not liking somebody. Either you like somebody or you don't. – Dominick Cruz

Posted in: cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, somebody, liking somebody

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At this Friday's UFC on FX 2 show, fans will finally have their first glimpse of the new UFC Flyweight division. The card features two fights in the 125 pound division, with winners moving on to face each other for the new UFC Flyweight title. With a new division comes new names as we'll see two UFC newcomers in the show. Both men may be fresh faces to UFC fans, but they are valuable additions to the roster and more than capable of competing inside the Octagon. Here, to get fans familiar with these new contenders, we'll profile both men, starting with Demetrious Johnson's opponent - "Uncle Creepy" Ian McCall. McCall is a 27 year old fighter based out of California. He's nearly a 10 year veteran of the sport, though only has put together an 11-2 record in that time. His early career was largely inactive with only 4 fights in the first 5 years as a pro. He's very candid about his earlier years which were marked by drug abuse and some very scary near-death overdoses, all of which you can learn more about here. In 2007 his career began to pick up steam as he was signed by the WEC to compete in their Bantamweight division. There, he went 1-2 with loses to Charlie Valencia and future Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. Those remain the only loses on his record. Last year, McCall made the move to the Flyweight division in Tachi Palace Fights. His first fight there was against Jussier da Silva, widely considered the world's #1 Flyweight at the time. McCall immediately got into trouble, with da Silva controlling his back for round 1. But in round 2, what looked like a relatively easy da Silva win turned around. McCall adjusted his game, focused on boxing, and began taking the fight to his top ranked opponent. Over the 2nd and 3rd rounds, McCall poured on the pressure. At the end there was no doubt - Ian McCall had defeated the world's #1 Flyweight. That win remains the crown jewel in McCall's career, and is a great example of a fighter making adjustments to succeed. Watch the full fight in the complete article. He followed that up with a win over David Ortiz and then won the TPF Flyweight title from Darrell Montague last August. That title win was his last fight before being signed by the UFC. With those three wins in 2011, McCall is now often ranked #1 at 125 pounds. SBN coverage of UFC on FX 2: Alves vs. Kampmann Stylistically what can fans expect from Uncle Creepy? That depends. McCall started his career with a strong wrestling base. His early fights show good takedowns and takedown defense. Typically, McCall favors a heavy takedown, often with a slam, and then an immediate transition to side control where he looks to land a series of short elbows. His submission defense is solid, so while he has few submission wins of his own, he is comfortable grappling. But starting with the da Silva fight, McCall has become more focused on his boxing, and that boxing game has shown serious improvements. On the feet, McCall uses his speed to build a striking game reminiscent of his former foe Dominick Cruz. McCall jumps in to land punches, then swiftly moves away. He's tightened up his boxing defense over the years as well, bringing his hands up to block and adding good head movement to slip punches. What separates McCall from Cruz is his footwork. Where Cruz moves in a more herky-jerky motion, McCall is much more fluid. His footwork is really exceptional, as he maintains his stance while rapidly moving in and out, never getting caught up as Cruz sometimes does. Also like Cruz, he uses head movement, but his is less exaggerated, as McCall instead dodges just enough to avoid the blows. While Cruz's striking may be more unorthodox and therefore a bit harder to predict, I would argue that McCall implements the same style but with a higher level of technical superiority. There are great examples of this striking skill in round 3 of the da Silva fight (below). Other offensive weapons from McCall include some nice leg kicks, both inside and outside, as well as great body work with punches. McCall is one of the few fighters to really utilize attacks to the body, which he will focus on using hooks, straight jabs, and more. He also is a fan of the headkick, which is effective at throwing opponents off their game for a moment, but has not proved to be one of his more reliable strikes. Against Johnson, expect to see McCall try to use that boxing to outstrike his opponent, while using his takedown defense to keep the fight standing. If he has trouble in the boxing, he may switch gears and focus on outwrestling Johnson, much as Cruz did in his UFC Bantamweight title defense. Johnson is a tough opponent who gave Cruz all he could handle, so this is a very difficult introduction to the UFC. But anyone unfamiliar with McCall and therefore writing him off is making a big mistake. Uncle Creepy has all the tools to become UFC champion - we'll see if he takes the first step on that journey this weekend. Watch McCall vs. da Silva from Tachi Palace Fights below:

Posted in: ufc, fight, flyweight, cruz, mccall

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With just over a week away from the premiere of the 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter, head coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber now know when they are set to square off. The UFC confirmed today via The Ultimate Fighter twitter account that Cruz vs. Faber III is set for UFC 148, which is expected to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on July 7th. This will be the second year in a row the two have fought at the Independence Day weekend event in Las Vegas, with Cruz defeating Faber at UFC 132 last year. Cruz and Faber are both first-time coaches of the long-running UFC reality show. This season will feature an exclusive roster of lightweights, with the entire 32-man roster announced yesterday. This will be the first season that airs on FX, along with the first season that broadcasts fights live. The season debuts next Friday, March 9th at 9 PM, and will run every following Friday at 10 PM until the season’s finale on June 1st. Cruz and Faber have fought twice before, with each one earning a victory in the first two matches. Faber defeated Cruz at WEC 26 in March 2007 via first round submission. Cruz defeated Faber in the rematch last year at UFC 132 in July via unanimous decision. No other fights have been announced as of yet for UFC 148. For complete coverage of The Ultimate Fighter Season 15, along with coverage of UFC 148, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, season, las vegas, cruz, faber

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On July 7, 2012, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Urijah Faber is expected to face division champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 148 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The title bout will be the third time that the two men will meet in mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. The first meeting saw Faber emerge victorious via a first round guillotine submission. The second occurred when Cruz successfully defended his title against Faber at UFC 132 on July 2, 2011, in "Sin City" via unanimous decision after a five-round battle. It's no secret that the pair have never liked each other ... that much has always been clear. However, since the dust settled on their last match, the verbal jabs have been constantly flying back and forth. Tonight (Feb. 27, 2012), "The California Kid" appeared on HDNet's "Inside MMA" to address recent comments that "The Dominator" made about Faber and his level for understanding for the way Cruz fights: "I mean, come on. Let's be serious here. I don't understand the way he's fighting, so I'm frustrated and I'm saying bad stuff about it? The guy's a good fighter. He's good at what he does which is: scoring some points. He's not dangerous. He's not scary. I knocked him down three different times in three different rounds. He had 11 takedown attempts and basically got one and a half and that's about it. So, if the guy thinks I don't know how to beat him...I already did beat him!" Faber, visibly upset by comments that Cruz made during a recent interview, took things a step further. According to him, Cruz is lucky to still be alive: "He's alive right now because there's rules in MMA and I had to release his neck and let him breathe! You're welcome, Dominick Cruz, for giving you life and letting you live! Next time, I'm gonna do the same thing. I'm gonna let you live, but it's gonna be painful." When asked more about Cruz's style, Faber was critical about the way he fights, comparing the way he fights to competitors in a karate tournament: "That's what fighting's about, right? And that's how I approach the fight. Let's finish this fight! And he's doing 'point fighting.' This isn't a karate tournament. I mean, do you wanna take hits to the head away next?" At the end of the day, Urijah believes he's only getting better and not going anywhere, any time soon. He sees the key for him being his improved striking. It's that upper hand that he believes will earn him the belt, which he doesn't plans on keeping for a very long time: "Yeah, I think for me, the striking game is something I've been working on for eight years, and I've really been working with a great coach for about four years now. It takes a lot of time for you to get comfortable and for things to become instinctual and to find your groove, and it's really starting to happen for me now, so I'm excited about it. I've got a lot of years left. I feel young. I feel energetic, and I know I'm getting better. So, I can't wait to get this belt and hold it." So, is it sour grapes, or does Faber have some legitimate points? Do you agree with his commentary? Who are you picking in the trilogy between Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz? Let's hear it, Maniacs.

Posted in: time, cruz, faber, he, im

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The upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter debuts in a few weeks with a new “live” format and a batch of potential-laden prospects looking to become the show’s next graduate to achieve stardom inside the Octagon. However, one of the most intriguing aspects of TUF 15 has to do with the intense rivalry between coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. Though both bantamweights are supremely talented neither seems to respect the other, even where ability is concerned. Faber recently elaborated on his mindset regarding Cruz, saying the champion poses little danger in the cage other than when it comes to picking up points and winning a decision. Unphased by Faber’s remarks, Cruz responded on this weekend’s episode of Inside MMA where he referred to their fight last July, saying, “I’ll always fight him better than he’ll fight me. As much as he wants to talk about being the more dangerous fighter, this and that, the dude was on his heels the entire fight. He didn’t want to come forward. He was countering the whole time (or) looking to counter because he didn’t know when I was going to come or go.” “There’s a style that he doesn’t understand…that he chooses to say negative things about….because he can’t understand it,” Cruz continued. “What you don’t understand you choose to talk bad about. He’s not gonna beat me. He doesn’t know how. I’m gonna go in there and have my way with him just like I did the last fight.” TUF 15 debuts on March 9. Though no specific date/event have been attached to the rubber-match between Cruz and Faber it is believed their bout will go down at UFC 148. Check out Cruz’s complete response to Faber on below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: fight, ’t, doesn ’t, cruz, faber

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Jon Jones and Dominick Cruz will make appearances at NASCAR events in the next two weeks to promote the UFC. Jones will be the “Honorary Race Official” this Sunday and Cruz will be the “Honorary Pace Car Driver” on March 4th. It was announced Monday that Jones would serve as the Honorary Race Official for NASCAR’s Daytona 500 this Sunday. Jones will participate in pre-race festivities and promote his upcoming fight at UFC 145 in April. (H/t: MMA Mania) It was announced earlier this month by MMA Weekly that Dominick Cruz would be the honorary pace car driver at the Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Phoenix on March 4th. The race will be shown on Fox. Cruz will debut as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter on FX 5 days later, March 9th. Payout Perspective: Anderson Silva also participated in a NASCAR event in Phoenix last November. At UFC on Fox 2 in January we saw Kevin Harvick make an appearance to promote the Daytona 500. With Fox Sports partnering with both sports properties, we will see more of the synergy. It would be interesting to see if this helps both sports garner fans and viewership. In my opinion, I think that the cross promotion helps the UFC more than NASCAR. But then again, I am more of a UFC fan than one of NASCAR.

Posted in: ufc, jone, cruz, dominick cruz, nascar

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz is expected to face number one contender Urijah Faber at UFC 148 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 7, 2012, in a rubber match that will pit the coaches from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 up against each other for a third -- and likely final -- time. The 135-pound bout will hopefully bring some closure to the heated rivalry that dates all the way back to March 24, 2007, when the "California Kid" defeated "The Dominator" at World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the only loss of Cruz's bright mixed martial arts (MMA) career. And one that he eventually avenged when he won a five-round decision victory over Faber at UFC 132 on July 2, 2011, and an exciting back-and-forth battle. In a recent interview with HDNet's "Inside MMA," Cruz talked about the upcoming season of TUF and how he plans on approaching being one of the coaches for the upcoming FX reality television series: "You know, it's gonna be intense. This format has never been done, so it's a new thing for everybody; including the guys on the show. When the coaching's going on, it's gonna be about the guys, you know? Making sure that their minds stay right. You can't overwork them during the week because they could be fighting every single week. There's a mental thing where they're going 13 weeks, trapped in a house with a bunch of dudes. You see the guys in the past shows, they were there half the time and they went nuts. So, imagine what 13 weeks is gonna be like. So it's about keeping the guys in check, keeping them focused, not letting their minds wander too much while they're stuck in there and keeping them on point." Just wait till you hear what he has to say about Faber: "At the end of the show, I get to fight Faber and you know, I'll always fight him better than he'll fight me. As much as he wants to talk about being the more dangerous fighter, this and that -- the dude was on his heels the entire fight. He didn't wanna come forward. He was countering the whole time, looking to counter, because he didn't know when I was gonna come or go. So, there's a style that he doesn't understand, the way that I fight him, that he chooses to say negative things about it, because he can't understand it. What you can't understand, you choose to talk bad about. He's not gonna beat me. He doesn't know how. I'm gonna go in there and have my way with him, just like I did in the last fight. Keep the pace high, put him on his butt and beat him down." Ultimately, Cruz believes he is the superior fighter in every way. He is confident that Faber won't beat him, because, according to Cruz, he can't beat him in any aspect of the fight game: "He can't. He can't keep me there even if he does get me down. The one time he did get a takedown on me, in the last fight, he got reversed and ended up on his back. I'm gonna win the scrambles on him, even if he does try to take me down. And, you know, on the feet, I own the range. He can't control the range because I'm taller than him and I have the reach advantage. I use my angles and footwork to keep him offset the whole time. That's the key in those fights. He had a good gameplan in trying to wait, wait, wait and counter, but the fact that he doesn't know when I'm coming and going and he can't control the range, that gives me the edge in striking as well." Cruz may not like Faber. He may not even believe he's capable of beating him. But, he does give him some credit for having a smart gameplan in their last appearance in the cage. He just doesn't believe it will be enough to get the win: "I think that his gameplan, in general, is a pretty good one, in that (he says), 'I'm not gonna chase him.' The times that people have tried to be extremely forceful and offensive on me and had that 'bully' tactic, I usually pick guys apart better that way. So, the fact that he would kinda sit and he waited and tried to pick his shots smart was probably the one thing that was intelligent about him, but in that case, I was able to throw two-to-one on him. That's gonna be the key is just output and pace and takedowns and landing the bigger shots. Getting the finish." The finish. A result that Cruz has not accomplished in more than four years, excluding the injury to Brian Bowles in their fight way back in 2010. That sounds refreshing. And lofty.

Posted in: fight, way, cant, cruz, faber

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Leave it to watching Lars Von Trier's Melancholia to throw off your day of writing about dudes fighting for glory. All I can think about is another planet slowly coming to destroy us all as we pace around panicking and gasping for breath like fish out of water, all while the looming death slowly steals our atmosphere and sanity. And Mary Jane's boobs. The connections between the Dutch filmmaker and creator of the Dogme 95 movement, Lars Von Trier, and the ongoing feud between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are coming together now. You could say that the Cruz/Faber fights are MMA's ongoing version of The Five Obstructions, in which Lars challenges his creative mentor to create a film five times with different....Obstructions. We've witnessed Cruz's sole defeat at the hands of Faber and his guillotine in the WEC, we've seen Cruz and his fancy footwork deny Urijah a second victory. Now we will see a third variation of the fight as we get months of character development from them as the coaches of the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. The best part is that we get to see all the fights live, kicking off on March 9th with sixteen bouts to determine who gets into the house. Maybe we will get 2 more fights between these two in the future, who knows? I'm going to go watch Dancer In The Dark and Dogville now. I bet you thought that Mary Jane link was going to be way different than what it was, didn't you? [Source]

Posted in: fight, cruz, lar, wec weve, character development

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is set to debut its The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) franchise on FX next month (March 9, 2012) after a successful run on Spike TV. TUF 15 will feature a mix of Lightweight and Welterweight mixed martial arts (MMA) hopefuls, competing for one "six-figure" contract that is up for grabs in each respective weight class. Bantamweight enemies, division champion Dominick Cruz and number one 135-pound contender, Urijah Faber, will serve as coaches. Cruz and Faber will then collide at the conclusion of the show in a trilogy match that is currently scheduled to headline UFC 148 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 7, 2012. The premiere episode of TUF 15 will be a two-hour television special. Subsequent episodes will run for one hour every Friday night for 13 weeks and, thanks to the new format, will feature LIVE fights. For more on TUF 15 be sure to check out our comprehensive archive right here.

Posted in: tuf, cruz, faber, championship ufc, fx debut

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A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA & UFC Twitterverse UFC 144, ANIME STYLE "Pretty Sick! RT @ElmerAugusto: @FrankieEdgar @RenzoGracieBJJ News from Japan!!" -Frankie Edgar MIESHA TATE HAS A MESSAGE FOR RONDA ROUSEY "Happy Valentines Day @RondaRousey!!! :)" -Miesha Tate There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Leland Roling, Richard Wade, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould, Matt Roth, Ben Thapa, Josh Nason. PROMO VIDEO FOR TATE VS. ROUSEY BJ PENN AND THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH "my friend Greggie texted me this pic. me at 17, first cauliflower ear :) #oldschool" -B.J. Penn TWIDBITS "I appreciate all the support and some of the criticism, looking forward to the next match up" -Carlos Condit "I don't do drugs.... I suck naturally." -Forrest Griffin "Yep that's why I fight!! Sure the f*ck can't spell! Dew-due all the same sh*t to me???" -Donald Cerrone "Actually, the cut was 53 pounds in 2 months @ufc. Already feeling great after all this, eating and getting the weight back" -Ronny Markes, I don't think that's a good thing. TWIDEOS "My first #UFC144 video blog!" -Joe Lauzon "Guys check out my behind the scenes blog from #UFC143 - Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson - History in the Making Pt 3" -Stephen Thompson UFC 1-5 MEMORABILIA "Who was at #UFC 1,2,3,4,5 ? #backstage" -Gracie Brothers "I remember u guys so young cleaning all the blood like is nothing." -Xande Ribeiro DOMINICK CRUZ VS. URIJAH FABER 3 "Lmao RT @fightcorner: Faber says of Cruz: "I can beat him in a coaching gig. I can beat him in a fight." -Dominick Cruz "@TheDomin8r Haha, let em' talk homie." -Travis Barker "u think thats funny boys?" -Urijah Faber ".@UrijahFaber let's keep it real...im 4-1 against any1 you've coached 2 try n beat me including yourself...so YES its funny!" -Dominick Cruz "In ur own world again? @TheDomin8r The stinky kid on the playground. 4-1? U can run homey, but u can't hide. What u gonna do Decision me up?" -Urijah Faber"@UrijahFaber wat u call a Decision I call a win!...u can keep the prom queen tiara mr popular, I'll keep the @ufcbelt! #stinkykidsrule!" -Dominick Cruz ANDERSON SILVA VS. CHAEL SONNEN 2 "From #ufctonight on @fueltv - Anderson Silva: "Chael Talks Too Much. It's Not Working." -UFC "When I want your advice I'll beat it out of you, Stupid. Now go back to singing to hamburgers and telling Segal he's legit." -Chael Sonnen HAPPY VALENTINES! "Happy valentines day from me to U!!!" -Arianny Celeste "Happy <3 Day from Phoenix!! Just wrapped a 2 day shoot and happy to be heading home for date with my valentine :)" -Logan Stanton "Got my Valentines Pants all done..birthday Pants that is! Or maybe I'll just wear my birthday suit all day tom! ;)" -Natasha Wicks "Blonde Fridays?!?" -Arianny Celeste AMIR SADOLLAH... AND HIS SWORD!!! "Back home visiting, always nice to see familiar faces AND THEN I FOUND MY SWORD!!!!!!" -Amir Sadollah "Got to work some new combos tonight WITH MY SWOOOOOOOOOORD!!!!!!" -Amir Sadollah "Time for a healthy post-gym snack WITH MY SWORD!!!!!!!!" -Amir Sadollah

Posted in: ufc, day, cruz, amir, valentine

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When it comes to rivalries in mixed martial arts (MMA) today, none are as bitter and rooted in reality as the one between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. The two arch enemies have a rivalry that dates back five years to their days spent competing in the now defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) organization. The two first met at WEC 26 on March 24, 2007, which saw Faber hand Cruz his first and only loss to date in the very first round via guillotine choke to retain the WEC Featherweight championship. Soon after WEC closed up shop, "The California Kid" and "The Dominator" both made the move to the UFC and met once again. This time, they competed in the 135-pound division and it was Cruz who was the bearer of the title. After a five round war at UFC 132 on July 2, 2011, Cruz was awarded the unanimous decision victory, tying up the score at one a piece. Now, the top two bantamweight fighters in the world will go at it one more time in what will complete the trilogy in their bitter rivalry and will remove all doubt as to who really is the best fighter between the two. Appearing on Pro MMA Radio, Fabedr talks about the great opportunity both he and Cruz have in being the first ever coaches in the new era on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) that will now air on FX and what it will be like to be around someone for three months that he is not very fond of: "It's a great opportunity on a lot of different levels. I think the fans are going to be pleasantly surprised at the action that he lighter weight guys have. They get to see some good coaching skills from Dominick and I and you can know us a little bit better which is important because people want to know who they are watching and who they are cheering for, it's going to be a great opportunity. It's going to be fun, it's going to be a good experience. I don't know how much interaction we are going to have, but I will definitely be seeing the guy (Cruz) a lot more than I want to or have ever had to before, so we will see how that goes. I have never been put in that environment when you get put around someone you don't really want to be around, it's part of the reason why I became a fighter was that so I didn't have to have the nine to five's of being around people I didn't like." Faber also touched on what it means to finally settle the score and find out who the best 135-pound fighter in the world really is, something he feels still isn't clear after their close fight in Las Vegas last year. "Yeah, I feel a little unsettled after the last fight. I felt like it was still undecided still who the better fighter is, so I can't wait to get in there again and put all the doubt out of mmy mind and everyone elses. I think the relationship (between me and Cruz) is we're not the best of friends, but there is some mutual respect as far as competitors go. But, he gets on my nerves, and vice versa. So we deal with each other as professionals, but we don't really like each other very much. Not to say I don't respect certain aspects of his game, but, you know, it's going to be interesting being around each other for three months on the reality show." As a member of team Alpha Male in Sacramento, Calif., expect Faber to call on the services of training partners such as Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes and Danny Castillo to assist in coaching duties from time to time on the show. This year's season of the TUF will feature live Friday night fights on FX, a first in the shows history. Of course, as is customary with TUF, the two coaches will battle it out at the conclusion of the show, and in this case, will put to end the long and heated rivalry between the two bantamweights. Though no official date and location has been announced, it is widely expected that the two will return to the scene of where their rematch took place, Las Vegas, Nevada, at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012. Any of you Maniacs anxious to see if the two rivals can go the whole season without going at each others throats? And who takes the third and, possibly, final fight between the two?

Posted in: fighter, cruz, faber, urijah faber, rivalry

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Urijah Faber handles himself with aplomb as he heads into one of the biggest opportunities of his career, saying he's happy to have a true enemy in UFC champion Dominick Cruz.

Posted in: cruz, faber, dominick, urijah, enemy

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A trilogy bout between UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and top challenger Urijah Faber has been set for UFC 148.

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, trilogy bout, roundup

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

The UFC now has a tentative date/event targeted for the upcoming title-fight between bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and fan-favorite Urijah Faber. According to CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, the organization is aiming for July 7 at UFC 148 in Las Vegas, giving the bout both a major stage to play out on as well as an event far enough away to allow Faber-Cruz to fully prepare after coaching this upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter. Fertitta confirmed the UFC’s plans via Twitter. “The California Kid” will be looking to avoid a case of déjà vu when he clashes with Cruz after losing a hard-fought, five-round decision in July allowing rival Cruz to retain his title and even the score at 1-1 a piece. Faber beat Cruz as a featherweight in WEC. The 26-5 Faber submitted Brian Bowles in his only fight since the scrap, his third victory in four outings. Meanwhile, Cruz will be looking to close the chapter of his life dedicated to Faber by edging him out in their trilogy. The 26-year old champ holds an overall record of 19-1 and hasn’t been beaten in five years. TUF 15 is set to debut on FX come March 9 and will feature Faber/Cruz serving as the heads of two teams comprised of lightweights/welterweights. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, brian bowles, éj vu

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will serve as honorary pace car driver at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

Posted in: pace, cruz, dominick cruz, car, nascar

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For the second straight year it looks like bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will meet Urijah Faber in headlining action on July 4th Weekend, as UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta revealed the organization is looking at UFC 148 to host the event. Cruz-Faber met at UFC 132 in 2011 where the 19-1 title-holder held “The California Kid” off for 25 minutes to pick up the closely-contested decision win. Prior to their pairing inside the Octagon, Cruz and Faber will face off as coaches on the upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter. The long-running reality show starts March 9 on FX and will feature live fights for the first time in the series’ history. Faber Doesn’t See Cruz as Dangerous UFC 148, specifically set for July 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, will actually mark the third time the talented 135ers have faced off with Faber getting the better of a still raw Cruz during their WEC days. The loss remains the only of Cruz’s career. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, urijah faber, octagon cruz

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Star Wars. The Godfather. Back to the Future. Cruz vs. Faber? As far as trilogies go, there may not be one better in MMA and it comes to a close on July 7 in Las Vegas.

Posted in: vs, vega, la, cruz, faber

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Right now, the score is 1-1. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz will put his 135-pound title on the line (again) against arch rival Urijah Faber at UFC 148, tentatively scheduled for July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Says who? Yup, it's that guy again. UFC big boss Lorenzo Fertitta, who recently turned his official Twitter account into a billboard for posting fight announcements. But Cruz and Faber aren't doing anything in "Sin City" until they satisfy their coaching duties on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15, which debuts via its new home on FX next month (March 9, 2012) with a two-hour season premiere. Subsequent episodes will run for one hour every Friday night for 13 weeks and, thanks to the new format, will feature LIVE fights. Cruz and Faber have beef from their days competing under the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) banner. Faber, the promotion's 145-pound champion, made quick work of "The Dominator" with a first round submission (guillotine choke) in March 2007. Cruz dropped 10 pounds shortly after the loss, the first of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, and went on to win the bantamweight belt. "The California Kid" eventually followed suit after two losses to Mike Brown and another to Jose Aldo, hoping a change of scenery would help get him back to the promised land. However, in the most recent match up between Cruz and Faber at UFC 132 -- a fast-paced and furious, five-round fight -- Cruz would exact revenge in the form of a unanimous decision. Ever since that fateful night on on July 2, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Faber has been calling for another crack at Cruz, who he believes he defeated when they last squared off. He'll now get another (title) shot at the culmination of the coaching season. Who ya' got? Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for future updates to the UFC 148 fight card as they become available.

Posted in: ufc, fight, cruz, faber, garden arena

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Amidst a late-night marathon on Twitter on Thursday night, UFC co-owner Lornzo Fertitta broke quite a bit of news, including heavyweights Cain Velasquez vs. Frank Mir and bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber 3 being likely for the summer. Fertitta also announced that heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem will take place at UFC 146 and that a rubber match between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz is in the works. According to Fertitta, Velasquez, who dos Santos knocked out in just 64-seconds to win the heavyweight title in November, is likely to take on another former champion in Mir next, but he did not announce which upcoming event will host the matchup. Velasquez (9-1) has not fought since that loss, the first of his career, while Mir (16-5) was in action at UFC 140 in December, defeating Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via kimura. While Fertitta did not go into detail on the matchup, it is likely to be a number one contender’s bout, with the winner taking on the winner of dos Santos vs. Overeem. Meanwhile, Cruz and Faber will appear as opposing coaches on the upcoming 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter on FX and, according to Fertitta, the rubber match between the two is expected to take place at UFC 148 on July 7th in Las Vegas. Cruz and Faber each have one win in their first two matches against each other, with Faber defeating Cruz via guillotine choke in their first matchup at WEC 26 in March 2007 and Cruz avenging his only career loss four years later at UFC 132, where he defeated Faber via unanimous decision. Fertitta added that Rich Franklin is also expected to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 148. Franklin, the former UFC middleweight champion, has not fought since UFC 126, where he lost to Griffin. He was scheduled to fight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 133 in August, but Nogueira withdrew, and the UFC was unable to find Franklin a replacement opponent. He then underwent shoulder surgery in October to repair a torn labrum suffered during training. Finally, Fertitta commented on Nick Diaz failing his drug test at UFC 143. While he did not comment on when he expected Diaz to be eligible to return, he did confirm that the UFC would like to have him back, stating “really like the kid just needs to get it together. I’m a sap for real fighters.” For the latest UFC news and UFC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

Posted in: ufc, vs, cruz, faber, fertitta

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Last Saturday night Renan Barao defeated his 3rd straight opponent in the UFC. It was his 5th straight victory under the Zuffa banner including his WEC appearances. In fact, it was Barao's 18th straight victory after a no contest that interrupted a 10 fight win streak he already had going. Renan Barao has not tasted defeat since his first professional fight in 2005 and that is a grand total of a 29 fight undefeated streak. Now much has been said about the level of some of his competition in those fights, but to go roughly 7 years without a loss given the crazy things that can happen in MMA is astounding. The last time Renan Barao lost a fight Richard Pryor was alive, 50 Cent's "Candy Shop" was the #1 song in America and Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture were cutting weight for their rematch held at UFC 52. Even after all this, the next step in his career is very much up in the air. There are a few options and all of them have their risks and rewards. The UFC Bantamweight Title is currently in possession of Dominick Cruz and Cruz's schedule is a little booked up right now. He will be coaching the upcoming season of The Ultimate FIghter opposite Urijah Faber and subsequently defending his belt against "The California Kid". Faber was awarded a coaches slot and a trilogy fight with Cruz after massacring Brian Bowles at UFC 139. The show will begin sometime in the spring of this year and will take three months to complete. After the title fight the participants will need a few months off so that means the next open title fight time period is roughly in the last 2 months of 2012. Barao really cannot afford to sit out 9-10 months at this stage of the game. He is still a new face to most fans and is in a division that is relatively new to most fans as well. Exposure is crucial and the more he gets the better his star can shine. After thoroughly dominating Scott Jorgensen on Saturday night and steamrolling Brad Pickett in November, he certainly deserves a shot at the champ now. I feel he deserves a shot far more than Faber does but Urijah is one of the most popular guys in the company so I understand how that factors into the equation. If Cruz beats him again, it cements him as the king of 135 in the eyes of everyone especially more casual fans. So it would seem like Barao should take another fight to keep busy and visible, but against who? There are very few fighters that he could face that would not be a step down in competition for him (Barao is currently ranked 7th). Cruz and Faber are ranked #1 and #2, Joseph Benavidez (#3) is moving to Flyweight, the aforementioned Bowles is at #4, Jorgensen 5th and Demetrious Johnson (also moving to Flyweight) is 6th. This really only leaves the option of Brian Bowles for Barao to take on. The beating Urijah Faber put on him has certainly taken away a lot of the luster that a victory over Bowles would have earned someone previously. Even a recognizable guy like Miguel Torres is a worse option than that due to the tepid nature of his recent performances, getting fired and re-hired over "Suprise Van-Gate" and the fact that Torres has a huge task upcoming against Michael McDonald in mid April. If "Mayday" wins that fight, he should not be put up against Barao because they would derail one of their most promising stars regardless of the outcome. Whatever Renan Barao decides to do in the next few months will be crucial to the future of his title aspirations and career. All he really has to do is what he has been doing for the last 6+ years and that is win. The only problem is that he is going to be facing nothing but the elite of the division from here on out and a loss now could set him back for a significant amount of time. The risks and rewards are there with all options but I think vanishing from the eyes of the fans might be th riskiest of all. Poll What should Renan Barao do next? Wait for the winner of Cruz v. Faber III Fight Brian Bowles Fight the winner of Torres v. McDonald He is not next in line behind Faber so fight whoever. Fight the loser of Cruz v. Faber III   1 votes | Results

Posted in: fight, cruz, faber, renan, barao

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Renan Barao walked into the Octagon at UFC 143 as the #7 ranked bantamweight in the world according to the USA TODAY/MMA Nation Consensus Rankings. He beat #5 Scott Jorgensen by unanimous decision (30-27 x3) last night and now he's very near the top of the division. Barao is the highest ranked bantamweight who hasn't already lost to UFC 135 pound champion Dominic Cruz so he should be very close to a title shot. He'll have to wait for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter which features Cruz vs. rival coach Urijah Faber and the third installment of Cruz vs. Faber. So don't be surprised if Barao has to fight again before he gets his shot. "I have worked very hard and this feels great. I was ready for this moment. The title is my goal. I train every day and I'm ready for it," Barao told a translator after the fight. "Barao's a tough guy, he's a very well-rounded fighter. I had no sense of urgency and I felt too comfortable in there. It's a tough loss," said Jorgensen. Barao passed a tough test against Jorgensen, a skilled wrestler who's been lurking around the top of the division for a while. Barao fought very much like his Nova Unaio teammate Jose Aldo last night. He won the striking portion of the bout handily, relying heavily on kicks and used incredible take down defense to keep the fight standing. It wasn't a spectacular win, but Barao might have the ideal skill set to dethrone Cruz, should Faber not be able to do it in his second attempt.SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

Posted in: ufc, cruz, barao, jorgensen, wrestler whos

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HeavyMMA's Duane Finley tracked down UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and former featherweight champ Urijah Faber in Chicago to talk to them about their upcoming coaching stints on TUF 15...

Posted in: cruz, faber, dominick, urijah, coaching stints

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Reigning Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, who will coach opposite long-time rival Urijah Faber on TUF 15, discusses their impending trilogy fight, and shares his thoughts on being a part of the reality series. Cruz explains that he's always known that he could beat Faber, and says he's looking forward to being a part of The Ultimate Fighter.

Posted in: cruz, faber, urijah faber, he, trilogy fight

Read the full article at Low Kick

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is running out of interesting storylines. Win the WEC title? Check. UFC belt? Check. Avenge your lone career loss? Check. So with Cruz now preparing to face his nemesis, Urijah Faber, for the second time in just three fights, is "The Dominator" struggling for motivation? Hardly. After all, who wouldn't want to beat up their annoying co-worker?

Posted in: ufc, check, cruz, faber, tuf gig

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Perennial Bantamweight contender Urijah Faber, who will coach opposite division Champion Dominick Cruz on The Ultimate Fighter 15, discusses his expectations for the show, and shares his thoughts on spending 12 weeks with his long-time rival. Faber admits he's "not too excited" about hanging out with Cruz for an extended period of time, but says he looks forward to being able to get into the champ's head before beating his physically at the finale. Photo: Scott Hirano

Posted in: cruz, faber, dominick cruz, urijah, champs head

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MMAWeekly.com got Dominick Cruz' thoughts on the UFC 141 showdown between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, brock lesnar, lesnar, cruz

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz talks coaching against Urijah Faber on TUF 15, his recovery from his latest hand injury and more.

Posted in: hand injury, injury, cruz, urijah faber, recovery

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

Former WEC featherweight champion and current UFC bantamweight number one contender Urijah Faber says goodbye to his trademark locks to show support for his sister, who was forced to undergo brain surgery following a car accident. The UFC recently announced that "The California Kid" will coach opposite his arch rival, Dominick Cruz, for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 when it debuts on the FX channel on March 9, 2012, with a two-hour premiere. Cruz and Faber have beef from their days competing under the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) banner. Faber, the promotion's 145-pound champion, made quick work of "The Dominator" with a first round submission (guillotine choke) in March 2007. Cruz dropped 10 pounds shortly after the loss, the first of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, and went on to win the bantamweight belt. Faber eventually followed suit after two losses to Mike Brown and another to Jose Aldo, hoping a change of scenery would help get him back to the Promised Land. However, in the most recent match up between Cruz and Faber at UFC 132 -- a fast-paced and furious, five-round fight -- Cruz would exact revenge in the form of a unanimous decision. Ever since that fateful night back on July 2, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Faber has been calling for another crack at Cruz, who he believes he defeated when they last squared off. He'll now get another (title) shot at the culmination of the coaching season. For more on TUF 15 click here.

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, dominick cruz, car accident

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"I think a lot of people have misconceptions about me. People usually believe what Faber's been saying about me, that I'm a d-bag and all these negative things. Of course, he's going to say negative things about me. I've beaten him and some of his teammates. What nice stuff will he have to say about me?" -- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz tells Sports Illustrated that he feels fans have based their opinions of him due in large part to what one Urijah Faber has said about him in the past. "The California Kid," who is among the most popular and endeared mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters today, has had a bitter rivalry with "The Dominator" that dates back to the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) days of old. The two first locked horns at WEC 26 on March 24, 2007, which saw Faber defeat Cruz via guillotine choke in what remains his only loss to date. Ever since then, the two have had a heated war of words with Faber calling Dominick an immature punk, disrespectful and an irritator -- verbal attacks that Cruz believes could be the reason several fans have a misconception of him. Four years after their initial encounter, Cruz avenged his loss to "The California Kid" by earning a unanimous decision win at UFC 132 this past July to retain is 135-pound strap. Now, the score will be settled as the two bantamweights are scheduled to meet one more time in a trilogy fight scheduled to take place in mid 2012 after the two serve as head coaches of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15, which is set to debut on March 9, 2012, on FX. With their heated rivalry already intact, TUF 15 could prove to be a very entertaining season. How about it Maniacs, have your opinions on Cruz been swayed by the past comments made about him by his rival or does he have himself to blame?

Posted in: cruz, faber, dominick, urijah faber, california kid

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With so many fights coming up spread across seven different weight classes, it's easy to lose track of what's happening in every division. Here, we take a look at where a particular division stands right now, and where it's headed. Earlier this month, the UFC announced that UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz would be coaching on the upcoming Ultimate Fighter season 15 alongside former Featherweight kingpin Urijah Faber. As always, the show will culminate in a battle between the coaches, with Cruz defending his title for the third time. It's a good move for the UFC, as the Bantamweight division is still developing and is short on challengers at the moment. Putting these two in the spotlight, while also putting the belt on the sidelines to let other names develop can only help the division increase its profile. While Cruz and Faber get ready for their time on TUF (set to begin on March 9), let's take a look at the rest of the 135 pounders and see where things stand. Next in Line: The date isn't set yet, but it will be Cruz vs. Faber part 3, probably sometime next summer. They're 1-1 so far, with Faber successfully defending his WEC Featherweight belt against Cruz in 2007, and Cruz getting even with a successful UFC Bantamweight title defense last summer at UFC 132. That 2nd fight was a good back and forth, and one of the overlooked fight of the year candidates. Faber has since defeated Brian Bowles, and is now ranked as the #2 Bantamweight in the world behind Cruz. I expect part 3 should be another good one. Key Match Ups: Somewhat slim pickings here, with only a few Bantamweight fights scheduled in the coming months, and not that many of note for future challengers. Still, a couple good fights to watch for: Johnny Bedford vs. Eddie Wineland (UFC on Fox 2) - Admittedly, this isn't a massive fight, but it's a big opportunity for Bedford. He came out of The Ultimate Fighter with a nice win on the live Finale, and thanks to his time on the show, he has a higher profile than many other Bantamweights. Wineland is a good test for him, and if Bedford can take the win, and look good, he'll be in a good position moving forward. #5 Scott Jorgensen vs. #7 Renan Barao (UFC 143) - Barao made a huge impression with his win over Brad Pickett at UFC 138. He's now in a good position for setting up a future title shot, but he has a tough challenge here in former #1 contender Jorgensen. Barao is a dynamic fighter, and if he can get a big win here it would be great for him and the division, while a Jorgensen win would be, in some ways, another step backwards as the division develops. #11 Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso (UFC 144) - Cariaso is only 3-2 in the UFC and WEC, but those 2 loses both come against impressive names in Michael McDonald and Renan Barao. He has potential, but will need to show that he can get wins against more upper ranked opponents, and this is a good opportunity to prove it. Mizugaki comes in off an impressive win over Cole Escovedo - he's been a solid staple of the division since his WEC debut against Miguel Torres in 2009. In The Mix: There are a handful of other Bantamweight fighters who don't have any fights set up at the moment, but could find themselves in the title picture soon: #4 Brian Bowles - The last man to hold the belt before Cruz, Bowles was one fight away from a rematch when he lost to Faber at UFC 139. Those are the only two loses on Bowles's record, but his real challenge may be dealing with recurring injuries that have caused him troubles since losing to Cruz. He's an excellent all around fighter who could easily get back to a title shot soon. #9 Brad Pickett - The loss to Barao was a decided setback, but Pickett has a strong resume, including a win over the last challenger, Demetrious Johnson. He's a seven year veteran with a lot of high level experience. I would love to see him against Bowles in the future. #12 Michael McDonald - A sort of quiet sleeper in the division, McDonald has put together a 14-1 record, going 4-0 in the WEC and UFC. He's coming off a 1 minute knockout of the night over Alex Soto at UFC 139, and deserves a bigger shot next time out. Ivan Menjivar - The veteran is finally fighting at a good weight class for him after spending his earlier career at much higher weights. He's fought all kinds of major names, including Georges St. Pierre, Urijah Faber, Matt Serra, and more. He's won his last 2 in the UFC, including the nasty elbow KO of Charlie Valencia at UFC 129. He's only 29 years old, but is an 11 year veteran, so he may not have too much longer to make a run. John Dodson - The TUF Bantamweight winner is only 1-0 in the UFC and 12-5 overall, so I'm sure many will balk at the idea that he is already in the title mix. But like Bedford, in this shallow of a division, his TUF credentials give him a huge leg up. A few big wins and he will be right there. Others to Consider: And finally, a pair of names that may not find themselves in the title picture right now, but should be mentioned: Darren Uyenoyama - He made his UFC debut at the Fox show, defeating Kid Yamamoto and extending his overall record to 7-3. He has good experience in Strikeforce and Japan, and even though he is new to the UFC, I think he has a bright future ahead of him. T.J. Dillashaw - Once more, TUF experience + shallow division = good position for the future. Poll After Faber vs. Cruz, who will be the next Bantamweight title challenger? Renan Barao Brian Bowles Scott Jorgensen Other   6 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, title, division, bantamweight, cruz

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The flyweight division is officially coming to the UFC on March 3, as Demetrious Johnson will meet Ian McCall and Joseph Benavidez will face Yasuhiro Urushitani at UFC on FX 2 to determine the contenders for the UFC’s first 125-pound title, UFC President Dana White announced after UFC 140 on Saturday. Johnson (9-2) was slated to face Eddie Wineland in January at UFC on Fox 2 after coming up short to bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz in October to snap a four-fight win streak, while McCall (11-2), known for his “Uncle Creepy” nickname, has won four-straight since losing to Cruz in the WEC in 2009. Benavidez (15-2) also came up short to Cruz when they met last August, but has since won three-straight including an August win over Eddie Wineland. Urushitani (19-4-6) fought just once in 2011, scoring his fifth-straight win via second-round TKO in his native Japan. UFC on FX 2 also features a showdown between top welterweights Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves. For complete coverage of UFC on FX 2 stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com. Pictured: Demetrious Johnson

Posted in: ufc, fx, johnson, cruz, mccall

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The UFC announced on Tuesday that Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz would serve as coaches for The Ultimate Fighter 15 debuting on Friday, March 9, 2012 on the FX channel. TUF 15′s finale will culminate with the coaches squaring off for Cruz’s Bantamweight title sometime mid-2012. Via UFC Press release: “We’re producing ground-breaking television with The Ultimate Fighter LIVE and we can’t wait to kick this season off with FX in March,” UFC President Dana White said. “It’s going to be can’t-miss TV. Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are two incredible personalities who also happen to be two of the best fighters in the world. They genuinely dislike each other and I expect this to make for the best season yet.” “We believe that Dana and Lorenzo (Fertitta), along with Executive Producer Craig Piligian, have come up with exciting new changes to the format of The Ultimate Fighter that will expand and grow the series,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President, FX Networks. “The fact that the fights at the end of each episode will now be televised live is certain to create a sense of urgency for UFC fans.  Furthermore, the move of TUF to Friday nights will provide a great ratings boost to the network.” It appears that Faber and Cruz will be coaching welterweights and lightweights for TUF 15. Payout Perspective: This coach pairing was rumored earlier this year and we’ll finally be able to see it. TUF 15 should be aided by TUF 14′s featuring of bantamweight and featherweights plus Faber and Cruz have fought since coming into the UFC from the WEC so fans should be familiar with them and their rivalry. Faber has the marketability to carry a show and the rivalry with Cruz should foster the bad blood. The personality of the coaches seems to help with attracting viewers. TUF 14′s Bisping and Miller helped keep this past season entertaining. We should see more of the same this spring. It will be interesting to see what impact TUF’s move to Friday nights will have on its ratings. As noted earlier this week, Bellator will be moving to Fridays as well.

Posted in: ufc, coach, tuf, cruz, friday nights

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Unlike in previous years, UFC officials didn’t make fans wait long to find out who will serve as coaches on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter as it has been announced that UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and top contender Urijah Faber will mentor up-and-coming lightweights and welterweights on The Ultimate Fighter 15. The season will debut on March 9 on FX with a two hour premiere episode at 9PM EST and then move permanently to a one hour format at 10PM the following week. The season is scheduled to last 13 weeks. The show, which has aired on Spike TV since it’s premiere in 2005, will move to FX starting in 2012 and take on a live format for the first time ever. Each week fans will not only see Cruz and Faber train their team of competitors but they’ll see the elimination fight live on the show. “We’re producing ground-breaking television with ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Live,’ and we can’t wait to kick this season off with FX in March. It’s going to be can’t-miss TV,” said UFC president Dana White. “Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are two incredible personalities who also happen to be two of the best fighters in the world. They genuinely dislike each other, and I expect this to make for the best season yet.” Once the show wraps up, Cruz and Faber will meet for a third time in a five-round title fight for Cruz’s divisional strap. The two are 1-1 in their series with Faber handing Cruz the only loss of his career back in 2007 in a featherweight title fight via Guillotine Choke. Cruz extracted a measure of revenge earlier this year in July when he defeated Faber by unanimous decision and defended his bantamweight title. Both fighters are upbeat about not only coaching on the show, but also to get another chance to beat each other up. “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a gym rat and love learning and teaching mixed martial arts,” stated Cruz. “This is a dream come true. To get a chance to coach TUF and beat Faber again is all the motivation I need. This is going to be an insane season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’” Faber had similar thoughts, saying, “I am looking forward to mentoring a bunch of hungry and talented fighters. The new cast needs to be ready to work hard and learn. Having Dominick coach on the opposite side couldn’t be more perfect. I’m not too thrilled about being in each other’s space for an extended period of time, as I am sure we are going to get on each other’s nerves. But I can’t wait to mentally beat him up as a coach and then literally beat him up in the cage and swipe that UFC strap.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: fighter, season, coach, cruz, faber

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The UFC has decided to go the rivalry route for the next season of TUF by naming Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz as coaches for the reality show’s run on FX in early 2012. The popular bantamweights have fought twice before, splitting the series with Cruz earning a decision nod and retaining his divisional title in their most recent rumble. “I can’t wait to be the next coach on The Ultimate Fighter,” commented Faber in an official press released from the UFC. “I am looking forward to mentoring a bunch of hungry and talented fighters. The new cast needs to be ready to work hard and learn!” “Having Dominick coach on the opposite side couldn’t be more perfect,” the proud Californian continued. “I’m not too thrilled about being in each other’s space for an extended period of time, as I am sure we are going to get on each other’s nerves. But I can’t wait to mentally beat him up as a coach, and then literally beat him up in the cage and swipe that UFC strap.” Faber Doesn’t Believe Cruz is “Dangerous” “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a gym rat and love learning and teaching MMA. This is a dream come true,” Cruz added. TUF 15 plays host to lightweight and welterweight tournaments and, for the first time in series history, will feature live fights every Friday night with a two-hour debut scheduled for March 9 and then in sixty minute increments for the following thirteen weeks. The format is expected to be as “real time” as possible with episodes showing highlights from inside the house/gym occurring over the previous six days. No word was mentioned in relation to when Cruz and Faber will settle their score inside the Octagon but fans can definitely expect things to get heated a time or two during taping given their genuine dislike for one another. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: time, coach, cruz, faber, dominick cruz

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With the final season of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV coming to a close this past Saturday at The Ultimate Fighter 14, the UFC has confirmed coaches for The Ultimate fighter 15, which begins on FX on March 9. TUF 15 will feature both lightweight and welterweight contestants competing for the six-figure contract guaranteed to the winners of each weight class. Those contestants will be coached by current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber. Tryouts have already started for the season, which will be the first to ever feature live fights throughout the season. It will also be the first season to air on Friday nights. Cruz and Faber have fought twice before. If they are to fight a third time, this would be an unprecedented feat for the show, as the show has never led up to a third match between coaches before. The pair first fought while under the WEC banner in March 2007, where Faber defended his featherweight title against Cruz, defeating him via guillotine choke in the first round. Both then eventually made the move to the bantamweight division. Cruz (19-1) was the first to make the move, as he made his bantamweight debut in June 2008.  He would go on to defeat Brian Bowles in March 2010 to win the WEC bantamweight title. He has since defended the belt four times, including a victory over Faber in their rematch at UFC 132 in July 2011. He then went on to defend his championship again, defeating Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 in October. Following the win against Cruz in the first matchup, Faber (26-5) would fight in the featherweight division for nearly four more years. He made his bantamweight debut against Takeya Mizugaki in November 2010. Following the loss to Cruz at UFC 132, Faber defeated Brian Bowles in the second round via TKO at UFC 139. This was scheduled as a number one contender matchup, thus creating the rubber match between Cruz and Faber. With the match at UFC 132 in July so closely contested, a possible immediate rematch was discussed. However, Cruz went on to face Demetrious Johnson instead, while Faber defeated Brian Bowles the following month. The thirteen week season begins live on Friday March 9th at 9PM, with a two hour premiere. The show will then air live at 10PM starting the following Friday. Cruz and Faber will then matchup at a yet to be announced card in mid-2012 following the finale. For complete coverage of TUF15, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, season, bantamweight, cruz, faber

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and number one contender Urijah Faber will usher in the new live TUF era on FX. The UFC announced tonight that Cruz and Faber will coach TUF 15 on FX. “We’re producing ground-breaking television with The Ultimate Fighter LIVE and we can’t wait to kick this season off with FX in March,” UFC President Dana White said. “It’s going to be can’t-miss TV. Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are two incredible personalities who also happen to be two of the best fighters in the world. They genuinely dislike each other and I expect this to make for the best season yet.” “We believe that Dana and Lorenzo (Fertitta), along with Executive Producer Craig Piligian, have come up with exciting new changes to the format of The Ultimate Fighter that will expand and grow the series,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President, FX Networks. “The fact that the fights at the end of each episode will now be televised live is certain to create a sense of urgency for UFC fans. Furthermore, the move of TUF to Friday nights will provide a great ratings boost to the network.” Both Cruz and Faber seem excited about the opportunity. “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a gym rat and love learning and teaching mixed martial arts,” Cruz, who trains at Alliance MMA in San Diego, said. “This is a dream come true. To get a chance to coach TUF and beat Faber again is all the motivation I need. This is going to be an insane season of The Ultimate Fighter.” “I can’t wait to be the next coach on The Ultimate Fighter,” Faber, whose gym in Sacramento has helped produce UFC stars Benavidez, Chad Mendes and Danny Castillo, said. “I am looking forward to mentoring a bunch of hungry and talented fighters. The new cast needs to be ready to work hard and learn! Having Dominick coach on the opposite side couldn’t be more perfect. I’m not too thrilled about being in each other’s space for an extended period of time, as I am sure we are going to get on each other’s nerves. But I can’t wait to mentally beat him up as a coach, and then literally beat him up in the cage and swipe that UFC strap.” TUF 15 will kick off on Friday, March 9, at 9pm ET/PT on FX with a two-hour season premiere. Subsequent one-hour episodes will air each Friday night at 10pm ET/PT on FX. The season will span 13 weeks and will feature live fights between the lightweight and welterweight participants at the end of each episode. What do you think of the coaching selection? Image via CombatLifestyle.com

Posted in: ufc, fx, tuf, cruz, faber

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submitted by craggadee [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: coach, cruz, faber, rival, craggadee

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Filed under: UFC, NewsLess than six months after Dominick Cruz defeated Urijah Faber to retain his UFC bantamweight title, the champ can begin preparation for a rematch. That's because on Tuesday, the UFC confirmed that the pair would coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter when the revamped series moves to its new home on FX. The season, which will feature both lightweight and welterweight contestants, will begin airing on March 9, 2012, with a two-hour premiere. Cruz (19-1) has solidified his stronghold as the 135-pound division's best fighter, capturing 10 straight fights overall. Most recently, he defeated Demetrious Johnson by decision at October's UFC on Versus 6. But just prior to that, he beat Faber in a long-awaited rematch of their 2007 fight which remains the only loss on his record. Cruz injured his hand in the Johnson fight but apparently will be ready to go by the springtime. "This is a dream come true," Cruz said in a statement. "To get a chance to coach TUF and beat Faber again is all the motivation I need. This is going to be an insane season of The Ultimate Fighter." The new season will air on Fridays for 13 weeks, with live fights on each episode. That would likely put a Cruz-Faber bout in June, about a year from their last match. In that bout, Cruz won by scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47 but Faber said afterward that he believed he did enough to earn the win. The Cruz victory puts them at 1-1 heading into a rubber match. Faber is 26-5 overall, but despite his overall history of success, he's struggled recently in some big fights, going 0-4 in his last four title bouts. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, season, cruz, faber

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Following his victory over Brian Bowles at UFC 139, Urijah Faber let it be known that he wanted to be considered for one of the coaching positions on the 15th season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” His preference for the opposing coach, none other than UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. On Tuesday, December 6, Faber was given his wish as the UFC announced that he and Cruz would indeed coach the upcoming season of “TUF,” which debuts on March 9 on FX. The 15th season of

Posted in: ufc, season, cruz, faber, coach none

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Dominick Cruz, the current UFC bantamweight champion and one of the pound-for-pound best fighters on Earth, has never lost a fight at 135-pounds. "The Dominator," a fitting nickname for a fighter sporting a 19-1 career record and barely a scratch on him, has run through the absolute best of the best since dropping down from the featherweight division. In fact, if you look at the rankings list, Cruz has defeated fighters ranked two through six at 135-pounds, including Joseph Benavidez (twice), Brian Bowles, Urijah Faber, Demetrious Johnson and Scott Jorgensen. It's actually to the point that he's rematching these guys because there just aren't any other challengers. Or are there? The man ranked number seven in the division, Miguel Torres, seems to think he, of all people, who present the biggest threat to Cruz's seemingly untouchable title. Here's what he told Sherdog.com: "I think I pose the biggest threat to him as far as anybody at 135. ... I don't know who he's fought with good leg kicks, that kick to the leg a lot, but I know a lot of the guys that I train with, that move like him, you hit them in the leg a couple of times, they don't move as much in the later rounds. And when he gets that takedown, I don't think he's fought anybody that's as dangerous off their back as I am. I think I pose a lot of threats for him on the ground. ... I pose problems for him that he hasn't seen yet." If there's anyone who would know about dominating the bantamweight division, it's Miguel Torres. The East Chicago, Indiana native ruled the roost at 135-pounds for years, compiling an unbelievable 36-1 record, including three title defenses, before finally falling at the fists of Brian Bowles in 2009. That, coincidentally, was around the same time Cruz had made his come up in the division. In fact, Bowles first title defense was against "The Dominator," who handled him with ease. As stated, Cruz has been nothing short of unstoppable since then while Torres has had his ups and downs. He may be 3-3 in his last six fights but he believes he's got the tools and the right game plan to bring an end to Cruz's reign. Anyone care to agree with him?

Posted in: pound, torre, cruz, he, threat

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My guess is Frankie og Cruz. While Frankie might truly be the greatest lightweight at the time the division is so fierce that one slip will make him lose his belt. Cruz, well, because... I don't really know! I guess the other champions are already legends in their own way, also I think he has a real handfull against Faber. submitted by Kingstein [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: champion, cruz, frankie, i dont, belt cruz

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Fan-favorite Urijah Faber wasted little time turning his attention to rival Dominick Cruz after picking up a “Submission of the Night” win over fellow former WEC champ Brian Bowles this past Saturday night at UFC 139, opting to question how much of a threat the current bantamweight title-holder poses on a recent episode of Inside MMA. When asked whether or not he felt Cruz had improved any since they fought in July, “The California Kid” replied, “I don’t know (but) he’s not dangerous though.” “He’s a world champion, there’s a reason why he’s there,” Faber continued, adding, “He has my respect, but he doesn’t have my respect when it comes to punching power or danger. I’ll walk right through his punches and march forward. It’s just gonna be tracking him down and scoring more points on the way to finishing him.” Supporting Faber’s claim, Cruz has yet to stop an opponent under the Zuffa banner with the lone exception involving an injury sustained by Bowles in their March 2010 title-fight. Cruz’s last finish came in early 2008 against Kenneth Aimes. As far as he own stand-up, Faber expressed his belief that he’s constantly evolving, citing a few of his recent performances. “I’m a better striker every day. It’s crazy. I mean I do a lot of things to work on it and, I mean, I haven’t been bad. I’ve had a lot of great fights and I’ve been knocking everyone down. The last four fights I’ve knocked guys down or shook em at least, wobbled em, and you’re gonna see my best knockouts coming.” Cruz Feels He’s Already Seen Faber at his Best Faber and Cruz are expected to compete in a rubber-match at some point in 2012 after splitting their first two fights with Faber submitting “The Dominator” at WEC 26 and Cruz earning the nod from the judges earlier this year at UFC 132. Check out the full video below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ’t, i ’ve, cruz, faber, dominick cruz

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“The way that he beat Bowles, I think it warrants a title fight for him. That’s fine with me. I’ve got no problem. It was going to be him or Bowles, I knew that coming into that fight, and I was ready to take on either one of them. He beat somebody in the Top 5 of the division. That’s the first time he’s been matched up with someone in the Top 5 of the 135-pound division… I thought he looked good. He did exactly what he was supposed to do to be the No. 1 contender. He finished Bowles quickly and put a beating on him. I’m excited for the fight to come.” — UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani talking about a rubber match with Urijah Faber There’s been a lot of debate over whether or not Urijah Faber should get another title shot so soon after losing to Dominick Cruz earlier this year. On one hand, there really aren’t any other top contenders in the division to fight Cruz and even if there were, none of them are going to draw the same kind of attention that Urijah Faber will. But on the other, the Bowles victory was his first since losing to Cruz at UFC 132. Their fight was closer than some of the scorecards would lead you believe, but it wasn’t the kind of situation that warrants an immediate rematch like Shogun vs. Machida did. In any of the more established weight classes, Faber would likely need one or two more wins to get the title shot, but the fact of the matter is, he really is the best choice. They put on a great fight back in July and likely will again. Cruz seems to want it and it’s not like the UFC is snubbing anyone by giving it to Faber, so why the heck not? Image via CombatLifestyle.com

Posted in: fight, title shot, cruz, faber, urijah faber

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Filed under: UFC, WECThere's a school of thought that Urijah Faber was declared the No. 1 contender in the bantamweight division following his victory at UFC 139 not because he has really earned another shot at champion Dominick Cruz, but because Faber is a big name who has drawing power. But Cruz doesn't see it that way. In an appearance on The MMA Hour, Cruz said he believes Faber demonstrated by defeating Brian Bowles at UFC 139 that he deserves another shot at the title. And Cruz said he believes the result of the next Cruz-Faber fight is going to be the same as the result of the last Cruz-Faber fight: Cruz will get his hand raised. "The way that he beat Bowles, I think it warrants a title fight for him," Cruz said of Faber. "That's fine with me. I've got no problem. It was going to be him or Bowles, I knew that coming into that fight, and I was ready to take on either one of them. He beat somebody in the Top 5 of the division. That's the first time he's been matched up with someone in the Top 5 of the 135-pound division." Cruz said he was impressed with Faber, who submitted Bowles in the second round on Saturday night. "I thought he looked good. He did exactly what he was supposed to do to be the No. 1 contender. He finished Bowles quickly and put a beating on him," Cruz said. "I'm excited for the fight to come." One option for the UFC would be to have Faber and Cruz coach against each other on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, then meet in the Octagon in the summer. Cruz likes that option a lot. "I haven't heard anything about it yet, but I think me and Faber both campaigned for the idea before our last matchup, and I think a lot of people were interested in it and want to see us both as coaches," Cruz said. "I think it'd be an awesome opportunity. I'd love to do it." Faber beat Cruz in 2007, handing Cruz the only loss of his MMA career. But Cruz, who wasn't even a full-time fighter until he got that fight, says the first Faber fight barely registers as he considers how the two of them match up. "He beat me fair and square that fight but I don't look at myself anywhere near where I was then," Cruz said. "My last fight with Faber I feel I fought the best Faber there's been so far and I beat him. So I know I'm going to do it again." Cruz had some interesting observations about the rest of the bantamweight division, saying he anticipates the 20-year-old Michael McDonald fighting for the bantamweight belt in the future. And he said that Faber's friend and training partner Joseph Benavidez has been put in a difficult position because the biggest fight Benavidez could get would be a fight with Faber -- except that the two of them won't fight each other. "Faber is holding back Benavidez now and they're supposed to be teammates," Cruz said. "By not fighting Faber he's holding himself back." Cruz said he can't punch yet after having hand surgery several weeks ago, so it will be a while before he's ready for the Faber fight. But whenever the fight happens, Cruz is confident in the outcome. "I think there's a lot of reasons he lost that fight," Cruz said. "He wasn't able to get in his zone and get comfortable and do what he wanted to do. I was able to keep him out of his rhythm and that's going to be the case in any fight I have with him. He's never going to know what's coming or when it's coming." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, cruz, faber, bantamweight division, bowle

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Urijah Faber turned a lot of heads with his very impressive win over Brian Bowles last night at UFC 139. The former long time featherweight kingpin looked much improved, and dominated both standing and on the ground as he finished off his opponent to earn a title shot to complete the trilogy with Dominick Cruz. The third fight between the two best bantamweights in the world was mentioned in the PPV broadcast, and Dana White confirmed the news on the press conference, and hints on a few things as well: "I think Urijah looked good tonight... We've got some ideas we were getting together tonight and talking about. We've got to talk to Urijah and Cruz first. Cruz just had hand surgery, so he's out for a little bit, but we have an idea. We have a plan." When asked about a possible coaching slot at the revamped The Ultimate Fighter planned for the promotion's debut at FX, White didn't comment, but Faber was very much open to the idea. He also campaigned for the TUF 15 coaching gig when he spoke to Ariel Helwani after the bout: I have no idea (if the UFC will want us coach TUF)... but I would be great for TV. Dominick, with his widow's peak which I called out -- I know he slaps gel on it, and shaves his arms, he'd be good for TV too. The coaching slots would be great for giving the much deserved exposure to the lighter weight classes. Both guys would be great for TV, and they would definitely be excellent choices for the new 'Jive-live' format that the Ultimate Fighter will have for their 2012 FX debut. The two fighters are 1-1 in against each other. Faber handed Cruz the only loss of his career when he defended his featherweight title back in 2007, while 'The Dominator' won the second outing after earning a close decision on UFC 132.

Posted in: ufc, title shot, cruz, faber, idea

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After an impressive victory last night over Brian Bowles at UFC 139 it appears Urijah Faber will rematch UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. The fight will be the rubber match between Cruz and Faber. The two heated rivals most recently faced off at UFC 132, a fight which Cruz won a hard-fought decision over Faber. UFC President Dana White did not name when the two will face each other but did rule out January UFC on Fox 2. Cruz had surgery to repair an injured finger sustained against Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 and is not expected to be ready until the spring. At the UFC 139 post-fight press conference, Faber lobbied White to make Cruz and Faber coaches on the upcoming TUF 15. While White did not confirm or deny the idea, he intimated it was possible. Faber and Cruz were nearly coaches on the current season of TUF before being scrapped for Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping, and finally Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Bisping.  

Posted in: ufc, tuf, michael bisping, cruz, faber

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz will settle their score in the very near future. UFC president Dana White on Saturday night confirmed that Faber's UFC 139 win over Brian Bowles was indeed enough to earn "The California Kid" a quick rematch with UFC bantamweight champion Cruz. Cruz, of course, defeated Faber in the main event of July's UFC 132 event. However, Faber remains the only man to have ever beaten Cruz after downing the then-featherweight in a March 2007 contest under the WEC banner.

Posted in: ufc, cruz, faber, brian bowles, urijah faber

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Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz will officially go to war for a third time, but could they also be on tap as coaches for the 'Ultimate Fighter' season 15?

Posted in: coach, official, cruz, faber, dominick cruz

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"The California Kid" earns another crack at Dominick Cruz with a dominant win and submission over Brian Bowles.

Posted in: cruz, dominick cruz, brian bowles, brian, california kid

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Dominick Cruz, you have an opponent for your next title defense and you know him well.

Posted in: ufc, title, title defense, cruz, faber

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Second chances. That's what is on the line tonight (Nov. 19, 2011) when former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champions, Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles, battle for the division's number one contender position at UFC 139: "Shogun. vs. Henderson" from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Both 135-pound fighters have sipped from the championship chalas, only to have UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz deny them from indefinitely quenching their title thirst. Faber dropped an action-packed, five round unanimous decision to "The Dominator" at UFC 132 earlier this year, while Bowles was forced to bow out of his bout with Cruz at WEC 47 -- and in the process forfeit his crown -- in 2010 because of a broken hand. Whoever wins later this evening will get one step closer to earning another opportunity to conquer Cruz, but it won't be a walk in the park ... not even close. Faber and Bowles are both ranked among the top-five bantamweight fighters in mixed martial arts (MMA) today, according to the SB Nation/USA Today Consensus Rankings. "The California Kid" failed in his bid to topple Cruz, which he did as a featherweight via submission (guillotine choke) way back in 2007, after putting together back-to-back wins to begin his bantamweight campaign. Faber, a former WEC featherweight champion, made the 10-pound dip down in competition after losses to Mike Brown (twice) and Jose Aldo. Since losing his 145-pound belt to Brown in 2009, Faber has been winless (0-3) in world title fights. He does have four wins during that span; however, if Faber intends to resume his postion atop the divisional perch, he's going to have to demonstrate that at 32 years old, he is still capable of winning the fights that matter most. And tonight's battle with Bowles is a step toward proving that his best days are still yet to come. Bowles, meanwhile, has quietly marched back into contention with consecutive wins over Damacio Page and Takeya Mizugaki. The hard-hitting Athens, Ga., native has just one blemish on an otherwise perfect record (10-1), earning a reputation throughout his professional career as an effective fight finisher. In fact, only one man, the aforementioned Mizugaki, has taken Bowles the distance. With such definitive success, one would imagine that Bowles would mentioned more frequently in contender discussions. His humble personality and unassuming Kenny Florian-like appearance are more than likely contributing factors to the lack of Bowles buzz. But, he can change that perception tonight in one fell swoop with convincing win over the popular Faber in a high-profile pay-per-view (PPV) scrap. In doing so, Bowles wouldn't just earn his second chance to fight Cruz, he'd forcibly claim it. The same goes for Faber, too.

Posted in: ufc, fight, cruz, faber, bowle

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MMAFrenzy continues its coverage of UFC 139 with our preview of a bantamweight bout between Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy as we breakdown each fight on the UFC 139 main card leading up to the main event between Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson and former UFC light-heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Keys for Faber (BR) - We are in quite a pickle with the bantamweight division right now. Dominick Cruz is seemingly waiting on his next opponent…to face again. He has already defeated many top challengers, including Faber, Bowles, Joseph Benavidez (twice), and most recently Demetrious Johnson. That leaves us with a possible number one contender bout in Bowles taking on Faber. Both are former champions, both have lost to Cruz recently. Both have the opportunity to challenge Cruz again. The circumstances between the two are quite different. Faber, while he has a win over Cruz, he has a full five round loss to him as well. Bowles does not have a victory, but in his loss he was unable to continue in the fight with Cruz due to a broken hand suffered in the second round. That brings us to Saturday, where the two will square off to decide who will have their rematch with Cruz. Faber, a legend of the smaller weight classes, is just 4-4 in his last eight fights. Those losses all came in championship fights, to Mike Brown (twice), Jose Aldo, and most recently, Dominick Cruz. Only one of those fights did not go the entire 25 minutes, though. The Californian still holds a strong wrestling pedigree, and his striking is still above most in the division. In Bowles, he fights an opponent who also has a strong wrestling background, but is very willing to keep the fight on his feet and use strong striking to set up takedowns. Sound familiar? With how even the pair’s styles and strengths are, the smaller intricacies will be noticeable during this fight. Faber possesses a speed advantage over nearly every other fighter in the division. That will be the case against Bowles, who tends to counterattack more than create his own opportunities. Another factor is Faber’s size. Bowles is not a small bantamweight, so he rarely fights guys of similar size and strength. His most recent opponents like Takeya Mizugaki and Damacio Page are significantly smaller. Faber is a stronger fighter, especially in his upper body. If he can take the fight to the ground, Faber should be able to outmuscle Bowles Keys for Bowles (Chris Leslie) - Brian Bowles originally shot to fame when he defeated former pound-for-pound candidate Miguel Torres. The dream ride ended quickly however as Bowles lost his first title defense to then-WEC champion Dominick Cruz. Bowles has been aiming for a rematch ever since that night and if he takes out Faber he gets a shot to redeem his only loss. Bowles is a strong overall fighter with few holes that are not tied to the fragility of his hands. Fighting Faber presents challenges that few bantamweights possess with his fast paced style. Faber’s ability to change angles and attack from unorthodox positions creates a specific problem to Bowles as it can mean his fists can land at the wrong angle, leading to another broken hand. Bowles needs to stalk Faber against the fence and use his strikes to slow down the “California Kid.” If Bowles can keep Faber trapped, he can pressure him into making mistakes and keep Faber from using his wrestling by keeping from setting his feet. Bowles has a good submission game but that may not come into play as Faber has never been submitted. That does not mean that he cannot rock Faber and then finish him with choke after Faber shoot, just makes it less likely. Bowles best chance to win is simply to keep this fight vertical. While Bowles is not a bad wrestler by any means, Faber is better at it and it could leave Bowles over-extended. The longer this fight stays standing, the more Bowles chance of winning increase.

Posted in: fight, cruz, faber, dominick cruz, bowle

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A lot of people are already talking about Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz 3. Don't count Brian Bowles among them.

Posted in: vs, cruz, faber, brian, bowle

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Who is going to win when Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles hook 'em up at the UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" pay-per-view event on Nov. 19, 2011, from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California? According to our fiscal friends over at Odds Shark, it's likely to be "The California Kid," who's a -250 favorite over Bowles, the underdog at +195. The winner is expected to earn a rematch against 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz in 2012. Faber is no doubt disappointed that he failed in his bid to earn an immediate rubber match against "The Dominator," coming up short at UFC 132 via thrilling five-round war. While he put on a "Fight of the Night" performance, it wasn't enough to convince the matchmakers to do it again ... not yet, anyway. That's because Bowles, himself a former champion, also competed at the "Cruz vs. Faber 2" event, working as hard as he ever has to earn a unanimous decision win over the always-game Takeya Mizugaki. It was the first time in 11 career fights the West Virginia native has made it to the judges' scorecards. While it was initially thought that Bowles suffered yet another hand injury, it was later learned that he was merely banged up and he began making his voice heard that he was the best option to take on Cruz. After all, the lone blemish on Bowles' otherwise spotless resume is courtesy of "The Dominator." He was losing the fight -- badly -- but the stoppage only came because of an injury and a responsible cageside doctor. If he wants another crack at Cruz, he'll have to earn it the hard way. Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles at UFC 139. Who ya got and why? For more "Shogun vs. Henderson" odds and betting lines click here.

Posted in: ufc, vs, cruz, faber, bowle

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Filed under: UFCSAN JOSE, Calif. -- Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz wasn't at the UFC 139 open workouts on Wednesday afternoon. He didn't have to be. Between Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles, the champ managed to loom over nearly every conversation even in absentia, though his former foes weren't exactly singing his praises. For instance, when asked what he thought of Cruz's decision win over Faber in July, Bowles seemed unimpressed. "It was a typical Cruz fight," said the former WEC 135-pound champ. "He did what he did. He was able to dance around and keep from being on bottom. He does what he does. He just executed his game plan and does what he does best. He hits you without getting hit. A typical Cruz fight." If that sounds like Bowles isn't in a hurry to get his popcorn and locate the edge of his seat every time the champ defends his belt, that's no mistake. As Bowles said of Cruz: "If he's fighting on TV, I'm not watching him as a fan because I like watching his fights. I would be watching because he's my competition and I'm trying to take something from it. If he wasn't in my weight class, I probably wouldn't watch him fight." Faber, however, insisted he follows every fighter mostly because he's "a huge fan," and claimed that he actually enjoys watching Cruz fight. But even that praise had a needle hiding behind it. "I think Dominick's style is entertaining. It's not dangerous. It's not a guy you're scared to fight. Anybody, you shouldn't be scared to fight him either," Faber said, adding, "It's not that he doesn't hit hard, it's that he doesn't hit hard enough to hurt me." It's almost enough to make you forget that Bowles and Faber are fighting each other on Saturday night, not Cruz. Maybe it's the lack of any personal rivalry between the "California Kid" Faber and, as UFC PR man Dave Sholler jokingly tabbed him, the "Southern Gentleman" Bowles. Or maybe it's just that former champs can't stop thinking about the current champ and how much they'd love to snatch that hardware from around his waist. As Bowles put it, "The belt is the most important thing, I think, in doing what you're doing. If you're not wanting to be a champion, then you probably shouldn't be in it. Another thing is, if I'm not trying to be champ, the guy standing across from me probably is. He might be training harder. I train like I'm fighting for the belt every time." Faber has good reason to do the same since, at least for the past few years, it sure feels like he's fighting for the belt every time, or at the very least fighting for the chance to fight for the belt next time. Then again, as he sees it, that's not a mistake of marketing so much as the natural and justifiable order of things. "If [Bowles] is the number one contender and I beat him, then what's the sense of going any lower than that?" Faber said. "It doesn't make any sense. If he beats me, that's a different story. But I'm not going to let that happen. There's a reason I've been at the top of the weight class -- any weight class -- since I started this sport, and that's because there's not many guys up there that can beat me." Of course, you could also make the case that one reason why Faber never falls far from a title shot is his popularity with fans. With or without the belt he's still one of, if not the biggest draws below 155 pounds, and some would say that the UFC grants him special treatment because of it. Why else would exactly half of his last eight fights have been title fights, even though he lost all of them? Bowles thinks he has a pretty good idea. Not that he's terribly upset about it. "Some people are going to be popular and some people aren't. Sometimes you're just gifted with that. It's like the cool kid in school: you don't know why he's cool, but he is. I happen to not have it. Some people have it. Faber has it. It is what it is." For Bowles, a win over Faber might be a chance to get some of that popularity to rub off on him, or at least get enough of the pixie dust to earn him another shot at Cruz. For Faber, it's a chance yet another crack at that same title. This time he even has a plan for how to get through to the dense judges at cageside. "You've got to paint a picture that a kindergartner could understand," Faber explained. "So [if] attempting 12 takedowns and getting one is what I have to do to tell them that, hey, I'm going to win this fight, then so be it. If slap-boxing and touching a guy a couple times instead of knocking him down is what I've got to do, I'll do some of that in addition to knocking him down. You've just got to do more." Not that he's still stewing over that loss or anything. Not at all. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, cruz, faber, bowle, he

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Some fighters will always be linked to each other forever. Such is the case with Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz. It's no secret that they don't like each other and likely never will. On July 2, it was Cruz who came away with the upper hand when the two took part in one of the most memorable fights of 2011 at UFC 132 in "Sin City," evening the score (1-1) with the "California Kid." Earlier this week, Faber appeared on Pro MMA Radio with Larry Pepe to discuss his loss to Cruz and his plans on moving forward, which immediately include taking on the heavy-handed Brian Bowles at UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif., this weekend. It's an opportunity that, according to Faber, will get him one step closer to finalizing his feud with the "Dominator" once and for all with his fists: "Dominick's not my favorite person. It's not like we're best friends. It is what it is. I gotta go in there and finish what we started. We're one-and-one now. That last fight, I really feel like I won. I don't feel like I was beat up, and I feel like I landed some real damaging blows. It's just unfinished business with us. I gotta make a statement when I go up against Bowles, but the Cruz fight is something that's gonna happen." A large portion of the conversation was spent discussing Cruz and Faber's aspirations of getting back into the cage with him. But, as mentioned earlier, Faber has a little work to do to achieve his goal. And it's not going to be easy. On Sat., Nov. 19, Faber will fight Bowles, himself a former bantamweight champion, in a 135-pound bout that will determine the division's next number one contender. Faber discussed how he's preparing for his upcoming fight against a man he once trained with and has called a friend: "I'd like to think there is no difference but there probably is. To be honest, Bowles is a hard guy to get up for. He's so monotone and he's a nice guy. I do have a history of knowing him on a personal level. So, it is a little more difficult to really get pumped up for a fight. It won't be difficult when I'm in the cage. When I'm in the cage, I know what his intentions are. I'm gonna have a crowd out there. I've been there too many times. When it's all said and done, it should be the same result. I'm gonna go in there with fire and try and impose my will and finish the guy. I approach every fight is as if I was fighting on the street, or in the park or on the playground. I've got someone across from me that's gonna beat me up and that's just not in my nature to let that happen. I'm competing here. I've got a guy who's coming in and thinking he's gonna beat me up and take things that I want and impose his will on me. That's what motivates me the most." Aside from the opportunity to get another crack at Cruz and his belt, Faber may be motivated by Bowles questioning his motivation. Isn't it ironic? "I don't think he's the guy who should be judging how people feel. He seems kinda introverted and not much of a people person, so he may have got that mixed up a little bit. I'm as motivated as I've ever been and I'm the better fighter -- and I am gonna beat him up." Bowles is a well-rounded fighter. Of his 10 wins, six have come via submission. However, fans often overlook that because of his phenomenal striking power.  Faber spoke to the rumblings that this upcoming fight could possibly end with Bowles recording a knockout. "That's never happened yet. Even in the fights I've lost by TKO, I was not unconscious. I've been hit with some heavy punches by big guys. Guys that were 10 to 15 pounds bigger than me. Bowles does hit hard. There's no doubt about that. I'll be aware. I'll be ready. I'm not worried about getting knocked out cold. It hasn't happened yet." Ultimately, Faber believes he will win this fight, no matter what it takes. Though he isn't taking Bowles lightly, his opinion is that he is better at every aspect of the game.  Faber plans to use his advantages to score himself an early finish and another chance to challenge his nemesis, Cruz, for the championship gold. "I think my advantages are pretty big everywhere. Aside from honoring what he has, which is a great will to fight and some heart and heavy hands and a choke, I think I've got all that and much more.... I think it's gonna be a little bit of everything. I think there's gonna be some grappling involved, definitely some heavy punches and I'm hoping for a finish. I don't think that Brian or myself are the kind of guys that try and eek out decisions. I'm expecting fireworks and I hope to finish him in the first or second round." Can't wait. For more on Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles and their fight at UFC 139 be sure to check out our complete breakdown of the fight right here.

Posted in: fight, cruz, faber, bowle, im

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Everyone knows that Urijah Faber wants another chance to wrest the UFC bantamweight title away from his nemesis, Dominick Cruz.“The California Kid” thought he had done enough to accomplish the feat at UFC 132 in July.  Over 25 minutes, Faber and Cruz went back and forth, combining to deliver one of the most entertaining fights of 2011 as the first bantamweight duo to headline a UFC Pay-Per-View in the organization’s history.When the scorecards were read, Cruz’s hands were raised as Faber threw his head back in disbelief. Four months later, the charismatic former WEC featherweight champion is one win away from earning a place opposite Cruz inside the Octagon once again.“I think it’s pretty high up there,” said Faber of where a trilogy bout with Cruz rests on his personal “To Do” list. “He has the belt and that’s what I want; that’s the pinnacle of this sport, to be UFC champ, and that’s where I want to be. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get back in with him, but I’ve got to earn it, and that means beating Brian Bowles.”Tucked into the third position on Saturday night’s UFC 139 event, the pairing of Faber and Bowles matches two former WEC champions hungry to once again stand across the cage from the current 135-pound king.Despite his championship pedigree, Bowles isn’t as well known as some of the other fighters in the bantamweight division — a former world champion who currently competes in anonymity in the UFC. While his own star shines brighter than most amongst the lighter weight fighters, Faber knows that fan recognition isn’t going to be a factor in determining Saturday night’s outcome.“The thing that matters most is that I entertain, I dominate, and I show my skills. I wish that it made a difference that nobody knows who Brian Bowles is, but it doesn’t. He doesn’t care about that. He’s going to go in and fight tooth and nail, and that will make for a great fight.“It’s going to be best man wins, and I believe that’s going to be me, and I’m going to do it in a dominating, exciting fashion. That’s what it’s about for me — putting my best foot forward, having fun doing it, and making sure everyone else has fun while I’m doing it also.”As much as he’s itching for a chance to face Cruz for a third time, Faber isn’t overlooking Bowles, not in the least.“I know he’s got a strong skill set. He’s a dangerous guy because he goes for broke, which are the kind of fighters I like. He’s got a heavy overhand right, solid standup all around, and a lot of good chokes. He’s pretty good at everything, but I think I’m going to have an edge in every area.“The one thing that you have to do is be respectful; respecting what he has to offer. He can knock guys out, he can choke guys out, and as soon as you think you’re above that — that it can’t happen to you — that’s when you see black belts like Wagnney Fabiano and Miguel Torres getting submitted by our guy, Joseph Benavidez.“You’ve got to respect the fact that if somebody knows how to do something, you’ve vulnerable to it. That’s why I don’t get caught in anything; I’ve fought a lot of black belts and heavy punchers, and awareness is the key.”In addition to being aware of Bowles’ abilities inside the cage, Faber also knows there are some who question his potential quick return to a championship bout.Just four months after losing to Cruz at UFC 132, the 32-year-old leader of Team Alpha Male will earn another kick at the championship can with a win on Saturday night, a much faster return to title contention than is afforded to most contenders. To Faber, there is a simple explanation.“It’s not really my concern, but what it comes down to is how many guys can beat me? I had a one-sided fight against Mizugaki. I had a one-sided fight against Eddie Wineland. I have the #2 guy in the world, Joseph Benavidez, as one of my training partners.“Who else do you give that to? You give it to somebody that can beat me and you give it to guys that have a chance like Eddie Wineland or Brian Bowles, and the winner gets a title shot, and I’ve been winning those. Any opportunity they give me, I’ll take it, and they’re usually hard earned.”Securing the chance to face Cruz for a third time is about more than hoping to win the rubber match in their personal battle; it’s about filling the one gap that remains on Faber’s resume.“Getting that UFC title is a big goal on my list, and it’s what I’m shooting for, what I’m working for. I see improvements all the time, and especially now at the new weight, I have every advantage to win, so I’ve just got to make it happen.”He was successful the last time he was in this position, earning a victory at UFC 128 and channeling YouTube celebrity Antoine Dodson while offering Cruz a warning in his post-fight interview.Saturday night, Faber hopes history repeats itself, with a win over Bowles bringing him the chance to settle things once and for all with the UFC bantamweight champion. The only difference is that this time, he’s chosen to offer his warning to Cruz in advance.“Dominick, I can hurt you, you can’t hurt me; we both know it. Run tell that, homeboy.”

Posted in: ufc, ’t, cruz, faber, bowle

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Urijah Faber was the face of the WEC before the organization was folded into the UFC. Now, “The California Kid” hopes to take care of Brian Bowles this Saturday night at UFC 139 and secure himself another shot at UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz. Faber and Cruz are 1-1 against each other, with “The Dominator” having claimed a decision earlier this year. Faber had won two straight, with his lone losses since 2005 coming in championship matches to the likes of Cruz, Jose Aldo, and Mike Brown. Bowles, meanwhile, is 10-1 with his lone career loss coming via doctor’s stoppage to Cruz in 2010 for the WEC bantamweight title. “I think I am a little bit faster and a little more elusive and can be more creative in there. I know I will probably frustrate him a bit. I know Brian Bowles, he is a buddy, he is also a tough guy that doesn’t say much, no bark and a big bite,” said Faber, in a recent interview with ABC News. “Not many people know who he is, but they’ll know when we have this fight how tough he is and how tough I am and I am looking to make statement.” UFC 139 features a main event pitting Dan Henderson against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and takes place this Saturday from San Jose, California on pay-per-view. Faber-Bowles will be part of the main card, as well match-ups like Rick Story vs. Martin Kampmann and Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, career loss, cruz, faber, brian bowles

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After two highly controversial but spectacular battles, pound-for-pound stalwarts Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Márquez stepped into the ring tonight to finally, once and for all, prove who the better fighter was. Mission failed. After 12 highly contentious rounds that, unlike their first two efforts, saw no knockdowns, Pacquiao retained the WBO title by scores of 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112. A shift of two rounds would have given Márquez the victory. Our SB Nation sister site BadLeftHook scored it 115-113 for Márquez, while MMAMania had it 115-113 for Pacquiao. That shows the diversity in opinion for this bout, which is now the epitome of controversial. Both men landed hard shots and both men displayed excellent ring generalship. But in the last couple rounds, Márquez took his foot off the gas on the advice of trainer Ignacio Beristain. This attempt to cruise to the scorecards may have cost him the fight. It was entertaining, but it wasn't anywhere near definitive enough for anyone's taste. This one's going to be argued for a long, long time. Pacquiao expressed willingness to fight for a fourth time, but in the morass that is modern boxing politics, there's no guarantee it will ever happen. Such is boxing. In the co-main event, top-ranked Top Rank junior welterweight Timothy Bradley returned to the ring for the first time since getting his WBC belt stripped for refusing to fight Amir Khan. Cuban veteran Joel Casamayor stood in his way, and he stood firm as a wall. Specifically, the Berlin Wall circa 1989. A soft, overweight Casamayor generated no resistance whatsoever, eating a huge number of flush Bradley punches and feebly clinching in retaliation. While I'm going to have to take a look at the CompuBox numbers to be sure, I'm fairly certain his hug count was greater than his punch count. After getting a point taken away for leading with his head and going down three times, his corner mercifully threw in the towel at 2:59 of the eighth round, sparing Casamayor further embarrassment and the viewers further frustration. I can't even think of anything witty to say as a suffix. That fight stunk. In a lighter and much better fight, Breidis Prescott, the man who defeated Amir Khan in 54 seconds and has never shut up about it, took on Colorado's Mike Alvarado in a junior welterweight slugfest that promised fireworks. It's good to know that some fights have integrity. Prescott controlled the early portion of the fight with a surprisingly effective jab, utilizing his five-inch reach advantage in a bout of strategy entirely antithetical to his brawler reputation. Whenever Alvarado moved inside, he was met with short uppercuts and soon found himself cut badly above the eye. Going into the final round, several observers had him needing a knockout to win. Wish granted. Two nasty uppercuts, one from each hand, put Prescott down hard halfway through the tenth. While the Colombian banger was able to get to his feet, he continued eating uppercut after uppercut until the referee was forced to step in, granting Alvarado an improbable TKO victory with sixty-one seconds remaining. America, f**k yeah. Kicking off the show were super featherweight prospects Juan Carlos Burgos and Luis Cruz, both highly-touted prospects. Burgos entered the bout with only one loss on his record, Cruz with none. Zeroes aren't forever. Despite demonstrating an effective jab, Cruz found himself unable to handle the power and body attack of his Mexican foe, who managed to cause quite a bit of swelling over Cruz's right eye with a constant stream of left hooks. While he wound up coasting in the final rounds, Burgos still took home a clear majority decision. Half a good night of fights, one quarter frustration, and one quarter arguments for months to come. Pretty standard for boxing nowadays. For complete results and play-by-play from tonight's event, click here (http://www.mmamania.com/2011/11/12/2556137/pacquiao-vs-marquez-iii-results-and-live-fight-coverage-tonight)

Posted in: fight, round, pacquiao, cruz, uppercut

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On Nov. 5, 2011, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight Renan Barao increased his undefeated streak to 28 fights when he picked apart "One Punch" Brad Pickett at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England. Barao was very impressive, putting on a virtual muay thai clinic, which was followed up by a rear-naked choke that had the hometown favorite, Pickett, gasping for air and tapping desperately. After winning his first two UFC fights, Barao feels he's ready to take on the best of the best. He wants to be considered the top contender and thinks he should get a crack at Dominick Cruz and his belt next. Here's what Barao had to say to Tatame about his future aspirations: "I'm training with my team and, when I have the chance, I'll grab it with all I've got. I'll be prepared to do my best for the fans each time I go in there," Renan said. "When the opportunity presents itself, I'll be prepared and focused to bring this belt to Brazil. I know he's (Cruz) a tough guy, he got a lot of stamina, but I'll set a game plan along with my coaches to bring the win." Barao is still somewhat of an unknown to many UFC fans, but he's unlikely to stay under the radar for much longer. He hasn't lost since 2005, when he was unable to secure a win in his very first mixed martial arts (MMA) bout. He hasn't lost since, and for the most part, it hasn't been close. Barao is a Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) black belt, who happens to have a strong muay thai background and a very exciting stand up game. But should the promising Brazilian be next in line for the belt? Many believe that when Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles throw down at UFC 139 on Nov. 19 in San Jose, Calif., the winner will get an automatic title shot.    If Faber were to win, it would set up an exciting re-match that would be a sure hit with fans. If Bowles is able to upset "The California Kid," it certainly creates a less marketable situation, but it would be hard to deny him a chance to fight for the belt. Joseph Benavidez is also an option, having won his last three fights in a row. However, Benavidez has already lost to Cruz -- twice. For now, it looks like Barao's best chance is to hope for either an injury to push him to the front of the line or that the UFC ends up wanting to feature Cruz on an event sooner than Faber or Bowles would be able to be ready for. What do you think, Maniacs? Does Barao deserve the shot or does he still need to prove it in the Octagon? Who do you want to see Dominick Cruz fight next? Sound off!

Posted in: ufc, fight, belt, cruz, barao

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At UFC 138 Renan Barao made quick work of Brad Pickett. It was a breakout performance, and one fans, hardcore or otherwise, probably remember the most. It was a frenetic first couple of minutes. Both guys came out swinging, and for every aggressive combination Pickett threw, Barao would throw an equally but more varied combination of his own. It wasn't until Renan caught Brad with a knee that Pickett was hurt. Barao pounced on Brad with vicious intensity: his subsequent ground and pound would have been enough to shut the lights off against a lesser fighter. Instead Pickett persevered, only to be choked out from one of the smoothest transitions to back control I can remember. Brad Pickett was no chump. With a win over Demetrious Johnson, who would later contend for the title, Pickett was himself lined for a potential shot against Cruz. And so it's for that reason that I think Joe Silva and Dana White should pull the trigger on a fight between Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao. Right now the BW division is in a strange place. Yes, it lacks history, but it also lacks proper contenders. Cruz has dispatched BW's ranked two through six (!). On top of that, few fans are interested in any of these rematches. Why? Well, a fight against Benavidez would mean Cruz would have to beat Joseph for the third time. That's a hard sell to the public: "Cruz dominated Benavidez through ten rounds...whether or not he can dominate five more is the question MMA fans have been asking since August of last year". Doesn't have the promotional ring to it (though Benavidez did win rounds, I'm just being hyperbolic). However, Bowles and Jorgensen were dominated, which leaves Faber. Everyone would love to see an end to their trilogy, but it's a fight that can and should wait. Faber doesn't have the wins to justify a shot so close to the one he already had. Barao, meanwhile, just picked off the #8 ranked BW in the type of fashion you'd expect out of a contender. Sometimes, the best thing you can do to be a contender is to allow the guys in the Zuffa truck to make a nice highlight reel. It's why no one cares for Jon Fitch, win or lose. When that stupid song is playing during the gladiator intro, nu-metal and spooning simply don't go together. That's not an affront to Fitch, who I personally respect, and whose style doesn't bother me. But it's not what fans are interested in. Barao has fan interest. Perhaps the most interesting part of Barao's game is his aggressiveness. I never would have expected anyone to outhustle and intimidate Brad Pickett, and Renan did just that.  And so, as typically happens for whatever strange reason, I disagree with Fraser Coffeen over at BloodyElbow. Fraser believes Barao shouldn't be rushed. I say, rush him. The UFC can't afford to set up Barao against one of the main contenders, only to see him potentially falter. It's just not worth the risk when he's already earned himself a shot at Cruz.  BW needs new blood, and needs to strike while the iron is hot. Barao is that iron, and he showed zero reluctance on the biggest stage of his career. He's fighting to be on an even bigger stage, and so I say give it to him. Against Dominick Cruz...it's a fight that is bound to deliver. If he has to wait until Dominick's hand heals, perhaps it would be wise for his management to accept this financial calm before the pugilistic storm.

Posted in: cruz, renan, barao, pickett, brad pickett

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Many fighters, especially those that are wearing UFC championship belts, seem to prefer not taking rematches. UFC bantamweight title-holder Dominick Cruz is not like those fighters. Cruz, who is recovering from surgery to repair an injured hand he suffered in a title defense over Demetrious Johnson, knows that he will likely have to face many of the same guys he already owns wins over if he wants to completely clean out the 135-pound division. For starters, “The Dominator” is looking at either Urijah Faber or Brian Bowles as his next challenger. Faber-Bowles meet later this year in what has been classified as a No. 1 contender match. “The bottom line is it looks like I’m going to run into rematches wherever I go,” said Cruz, in a recent interview with MMAFighting. “That’s where I’m like, I fought everybody, so why do I really care? I’m trying to fight for the best position in the world. I believe I know I’m the best in the world, and anybody that’s going to come challenge me for it, I’m ready for it.” Cruz topped Faber to avenge his lone career loss earlier this year, while he defeated Bowles to win the then-WEC title. The Cruz-Bowles fight was stopped early after Bowles broke his hand and was not allowed to continue. “It wasn’t conclusive to people who say he broke his hand, but I broke my hand several times in a few fights now, but I never stopped, and I finished those fights,” Cruz said. “Need I say more? It’s not an option to stop. Anything wrong with your body, you ignore it. You get your minute to rest between rounds, and you try to take your instructions from your corner and make the adjustments in your mind, and then keep fighting.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: fight, i ’m, hand, ’m, cruz

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

A glance at the UFC Bantamweight rankings reveals a rather interesting fact; current Champion Dominick Cruz has already defeated half of the top contenders to his crown. While some fighters would find this problematic, perhaps even leaving them uninspired, that is not the case with Cruz, who is unfazed by the spectre of possible rematches. "The bottom line is it looks like I'm going to run into rematches wherever I go. That's where I'm like, I fought everybody, so why do I really care? I'm trying to fight

Posted in: rematch, cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, bottom line

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Matt Roth had the chance to catch up with UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz for MMA Nation. In this video, Cruz talks about his hand injury, Dana White and who he is picking in the bout between Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles. The video: Some quotes from the MMA Nation write-up of the article: After the UFC 136 pre-fight presser, Dana White was asked about Dominick Cruz and why he didn't bring up his broken hand even after the fight. Dana commended the champion saying he's one of the toughest fighters he knows. When Cruz was made aware of White's comments, he was elated saying, "I appreciate it. I appreciate the fact that he sees things the way we do. It means he things the way a fighter sees things. It's good that somebody like Dana who has all these things to worry about, I can't even image where his head's at, and to take the time and think about the fact that I had to go into this fight with my hand hurt from round one to round five, and fight through it." "I appreciate the fact that he recognizes it is really all I can say. i didn't want to say anything about my hand because I don't want to sound like I'm trying to make excuses or say look I did that with this problem. Who cares, it's why I didn't say anything. It didn't really matter. Demetrious fought an awesome fight. WE had an awesome fight. It didn't really play a difference in the fight and do what I needed to do. It hurt but if you're fighting for a title, you have to be willing to die out there."

Posted in: fight, hand, thing, cruz, dominick cruz

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsIt's been an action-packed two-year stretch for Dominick Cruz, who won the WEC bantamweight championship, broke his left hand, avenged his sole loss, held on to his title through a UFC transition, broke his right hand, and basically ran though the division's top five in the process. In his most recent fight, he worked his way to a unanimous decision win over Demetrious Johnson despite injuring himself early in the bout. Earlier this week, the 26-year-old Cruz underwent successful surgery on his right hand that will keep him out of action for the foreseeable future. But when he returns, who will be there waiting for him? As I noted in an interview with Cruz, he's kind of gone through the division's top five. "Not kind of," Cruz told MMA Fighting. "I have. "The bottom line is it looks like I'm going to run into rematches wherever I go," he continued. "That's where I'm like, I fought everybody, so why do I really care? I'm trying to fight for the best position in the world. If they give me [Brian] Bowles, they give me Bowles. If they give me [Urijah] Faber or [Miguel] Torres or [Joseph] Benavidez, OK. I've fought everybody. I believe and I know I'm the best in the world, and anybody that's going to come challenge me for it, I'm ready for it." If we're talking rematches, perhaps Bowles would be the most interesting possibility of the group. He's the man Cruz (19-1) beat for the championship back in March 2010, a fight that was halted after the second round when Bowles broke his hand. Bowles is set to fight Faber at UFC 139, and a win might propel him to a title shot. Maybe since that was not a clear-cut win, it would be a more interesting matchup? "It wasn't conclusive to people who say he broke his hand, but I broke my hand several times in a few fights now, but I never stopped, and I finished those fights," he said. "Need I say more?" Cruz doesn't have any patience for the injury excuse because of what he himself has gone through. For his first injury, he not only suffered through it during the fight itself, but also through training camp. And his most recent injury against Johnson came in the first round of a five-round battle, meaning he fought hurt for more than 20 minutes. How headstrong is he? He even delayed meeting with a specialist until after taking care of previously scheduled commitments, including appearances at last week's UFC Fan Expo in Houston. During those appearances, Cruz simply had his middle and ring fingers taped together, and was forced to shake hands with his left. Despite that, he went five rounds, refusing to surrender his title due to pain. "It's not an option to stop," he said. "Anything wrong with your body, you ignore it. You get your minute to rest between rounds, and you try to take your instructions from your corner and make the adjustments in your mind, and then keep fighting." The performance was vintage Cruz, using his length and footwork to mix up strikes and takedowns. Cruz said it took him one round to absorb Johnson's gameplan and understand how to properly attack the speedy challenger. He grades himself an "A" for his efforts, saying that the biggest in-fight adjustment was working off of Johnson's constant stance switches and punch combinations. So the past is in clear focus, but the future is a bit more murky. Cruz declines to name anyone on his wish list of opponents. According to him, though, it's easy to stay motivated when you're defending the No. 1 spot. "If I have to fight them five times and beat them five times to prove I'm still better than them, I'll do it," he said. "That's my job and what I love to do. To compete and prove what I'm capable of." But for now, that will have to wait as he lets his hand heal. It seems that finally, he'll treat himself to the fruits of his labor. Despite being the champ for well over one year, Cruz still rides around San Diego in a Honda Civic. But he's got his eye on a significant upgrade, a Cadillac CTS-V. The car is the world's fastest production sedan, going 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. Somehow that seems fitting for Cruz. Fast-healer, fast on his feet, fast car. But he promises he won't get complacent. Though he admits he may take a small vacation, he plans to work around his injured hand, focusing on conditioning with roadwork and running bleachers. He'll build up his leg strength. He'll still be in the gym helping out his team. In short, he won't sit around being lazy. One of Cruz's goals is to the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. Right now, most MMA rankings have him somewhere around the top five, within shooting distance. "When you're the best pound-for-pound on the planet, rankings do matter because you can't contest the spot," he said. "Anderson Silva right now is the best on the planet and you can't contest that. That's what I like about that. I want to add to my legacy. And pound-for-pound best? That's superhero stuff right there." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, right, round, hand, cruz

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Dominick Cruz has another centipede growing out of hand. Or at least that what it looks like. In actuality, Cruz underwent surgery yesterday on the hand he injured during the Demetrious Johnson fight. As he explained to ESPN, the crazy thing is it’s the same exact injury and surgery he had on his other hand earlier this year. “It’s basically the exact same injury I had on my left hand,” Cruz said. “Same knuckle, same everything. The tendon is completely ripped off the bone and my finger is popping out of its socket due to that. And the knuckle just dislocates when I make a fist. I have to get that tendon that ripped reattached with surgery.” But the good news is it’s stronger than before! “After I got the surgery on my left hand the doctor said it would be stronger. And it’s true. It is stronger,” Cruz said. “He put an extra piece of tendon over the top of the knuckle so it’s braced for impact. “He did some voodoo stuff with it that he drilled a hole through the knuckle and tied it so tight that there’s no way for that tendon to lift back up off the bone again. I really feel like it’s stronger than it was in the first place and I won’t have any issues with it anymore.” Check out the appetizing post-op pic below! Images via Twitter.com/TheDomin8r

Posted in: hand, cruz, surgery, tendon, post-op pic

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Earlier this year we posted a picture of Dominick Cruz's left hand shortly after surgery and it seemed as if a worm-like being was incubating just underneath his skin, minutes from hatching into the world. Now it appears this worm infestation has spread to his right hand shortly after his surgery from an injury sustained in his title fight against Demetrious Johnson on October 1st. It's nice that Dominick Cruz tweets pictures of his newly found lifeform for the world to see, so in turn, the only way to pay my gratitude to this new being is to publish its existence on MiddleEasy. [Source]

Posted in: title fight, hand, cruz, dominick cruz,  demetrious johnson

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Dominick Cruz tweets: "My hands all dressed up n ready 4 halloween! 1st day post surgery ...now im getting better everyday!"

Posted in: post, cruz, dominick, tweet, halloween

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No, this isn't the poster to "The Human Centipede 2." Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz shredded his hand in the main event of UFC on Versus 6, where he successfully defended his 135-pound title against Demetrious Johnson at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., back on Oct. 1, 2011. "The Dominator" explains the injury to ESPN.com: "It's basically the exact same injury I had on my left hand. Same knuckle, same everything. The tendon is completely ripped off the bone and my finger is popping out of its socket due to that. And the knuckle just dislocates when I make a fist. I have to get that tendon that ripped reattached with surgery. After I got the surgery on my left hand the doctor said it would be stronger. And it's true. It is stronger. He put an extra piece of tendon over the top of the knuckle so it's braced for impact. He did some voodoo stuff with it that he drilled a hole through the knuckle and tied it so tight that there's no way for that tendon to lift back up off the bone again. I really feel like it's stronger than it was in the first place and I won't have any issues with it anymore." Cruz is on the shelf until 2012 when he will likely defend his bantamweight crown against the winner of Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles, who are scheduled to hook 'em up at the UFC 139 pay-per-view event next month in San Jose. So ... who's hungry?

Posted in: injury, hand, cruz, knuckle, tendon

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UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz sat through the recent UFC on Versus 6 post-fight press conference without revealing that he had broken his hand during his win over Demetrious Johnson. In fact, the only way the assembled media found out about the injury was when UFC President Dana White disclosed the damage to the select media he spoke to following the press conference. On Wednesday, October 12, Cruz underwent surgery on the damaged right hand.  Before going in for surgery, Cruz took time to

Posted in: press conference, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz, right hand

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Dominick Cruz talks to MMAWeekly.com about his injured hand, surgery, and who he believes he'll be fighting between Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles.

Posted in: hand, cruz, dominick cruz, brian bowles, urijah faber

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Filed under: UFCHOUSTON -- The right hand injury sustained by UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has yet to be diagnosed by a specialist, but he expects to undergo an MRI in the coming week to learn the extent of the damage. Cruz told MMA Fighting on Friday that while he couldn't conclusively say what the injury was, he believes it to be similar to one he suffered on his left hand after a successful WEC 53 title defense against Scott Jorgensen at WEC 53 in December 2010. That resulted in a broken hand that required a soft cast for six weeks followed by extensive rehabilitation. Cruz said he hurt his right hand early in the first round of his UFC Live fight with Demetrious Johnson last weekend, but he still won decisively, earning a unanimous nod from the three judges. "My hand was hurting real bad," said Cruz, who currently has the middle and ring fingers of the hand taped. "I don't know exactly when it happened. It's hard to say because when you're fighting, the way I work, you keep going. It's not an option to stop. You go until the fight's over and figure out a way to make it work. That's what happened." Cruz (19-1) has held the bantamweight belt since March 2010, successfully defending it four times, more than anyone else. That place in history was among the many motivating factors for Cruz to continue on in the bout, suggesting that to surrender to injury would be something that would haunt him long after his fighting days are over. "It's a long time, but it's five rounds for the rest of your life," he said. "It's something you'll remember for the rest of your life. Am I going to say, 'Ow, my hand hurt and I'm done? No. It's for the rest of my life. You only get these opportunities a few times in life. You have to tough it out." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: time, life, injury, hand, cruz

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submitted by emoticon [link] [comment]

Posted in: fight, cruz, emoticon, old-timey newsreel, old-timey

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In studying Demetrious Johnson’s fights, Dominick Cruz noticed one mistake his opponents were making above all others.

Posted in: johnson, opponent, cruz, dominick cruz, control

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will require surgery for a finger injury suffered in the opening round of his successful title defense over Demetrious Johnson this past Saturday at UFC on Versus 6 in Washington, D.C., Cruz confirmed to ESPN. Cruz outpointed Johnson in a five-round unanimous decision after a back-and-forth fight, despite dislocating and tearing ligaments and tendons in the middle finger of his right hand in the first round. Cruz underwent surgery for a nearly identical injury on his left hand following his WEC title defense over Scott Jorgensen in December before returning in July to defend the UFC title for the first time over Urijah Faber. Though the surgery is expected to make the finger stronger, Cruz will likely be sidelined a few more months than usual for recovery, with a timeline similar to his first surgery lining him up for a spring return. For the latest UFC news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com. Pictured: Dominick Cruz (via UFC.com)

Posted in: ufc, title, cruz, surgery, finger

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Get all of MMAWeekly.com's video coverage from UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson in one convenient playlist

Posted in: ufc, vs, johnson, cruz, video coverage

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Demetrious Johnson had one of the best styles for Dominick Cruz, his conditioning was...

Posted in: main-card, cruz, dominick cruz, d.c, style

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) its final Versus broadcasted show last Saturday night (Oct. 1, 2011) with UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" featuring Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz defending his 135-pound crown for the second time inside the Octagon with a gritty decision victory over Demetrious Johnson. But that's not all. Heavyweight "Skyscraper" Stefan Struve used his long legs to choke the life out of Pat Barry in the co-main event of the evening, securing a second round submission finish to get back on the right track. And what else is there to say about the incredible performance turned in by Anthony Johnson? In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Washington D.C. In we go: UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" Results and live blow-by-blow Recap and discussion Bonuses and awards Event photos gallery Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson fight video highlights Fight recap: Matt Wiman wins bloody decision over Mac Danzig Fight recap: Anthony Johnson knocks out Charlie Brenneman with a head kick Fight recap: Stefan Struve submits Pat Barry Fight recap: Dominick Cruz decisions Demetrious Johnson to retain his title Review and analysis: Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman Review and analysis: Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry Review and analysis: Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson UFC on Versus 6 post-fight fallout An evening of good fights was marred by bad officiating Is too much of a good thing bad for the sport? UFC on Versus 6 might have answered that question Dominick Cruz beat Demetrious Johnson with a broken freaking hand Pat Barry powerbombs Stefan Struve (gif) Pat Barry won't be cut after losing again Was the Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman fight stopped too early? Stefan Struve stares down Jon Jones ... and it's scary Matt Wiman dissects his win over Mac Danzig That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC on Versus 6? Sound off, Maniacs.

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, johnson, cruz

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Filed under: UFCDominick Cruz and Dana White see a big future for the UFC's bantamweight division, but for now, all I see is a one-man stomping ground. After going to plan B and still soundly defeating Demetrious Johnson on the judges' scorecards, who is going to beat Cruz? He's already beaten most of the top fighters in a somewhat thin division, and there really isn't anyone on the way up who has shown the all-around game to alter what he does and take the fight to him. Johnson had half of the equation down on Saturday. He took the fight to Cruz, standing in the pocket and aggressively moving forward. Instead of being drowned by Cruz's volume, he threw first and often. A lot of good that did him. Johnson couldn't keep the fight where he needed, getting taken down to the mat on 10 of 19 Cruz attempts and losing handily on all three judges' scorecards. Counting his time as the WEC champ, Cruz has now held the bantamweight title for 577 days. He's defeated Johnson, Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez (twice), Scott Jorgensen and Brian Bowles. Who is left for him? What is left for him? At 26 years old, is he already out of challenges? Cruz is as dangerous a positional fighter as we have seen in lower-weight MMA. Where Urijah Faber has always taken risks that put him in danger and Miguel Torres had no problem fighting off his back, where Takanori Gomi welcomed standup exchanges, Cruz prefers battlefield tactics over brawn. That approach is the hallmark of his success, and it's also the frustration of his critics. With most fighters, you can say he's very good at one specific thing, like wrestling or jiu-jitsu. With Cruz, though, he's just very good at mixed martial arts. His striking gets lauded for his footwork, but he's not exceptionally accurate, landing only 30 percent of his thrown strikes. His wrestling was his savior on Saturday, but his career takedown accuracy? Only 56 percent. A solid number, but not elite. He doesn't have one-punch knockout power, he hasn't submitted anyone in five years and he's not a physical freak of strength. Somehow, these above average passing grades in all categories add up to make the division's best. The crazy thing about Cruz's success is that he truly doesn't have a whole lot of room for error. Over and over, we hear that a fighter should never leave the fight in the hands of the judges, but Cruz has been to a decision 12 times in his career, and he's never lost one. Since becoming a Zuffa fighter, he's waited for a decision eight times, and eight times the announcer called out his name. That's not luck. This isn't coin-flipping. Cruz is simply great at adjusting on the fly, continually exploiting small advantages and coming into every fight prepared to go to the final bell. Against Johnson, he needed it. Johnson may have won only a single round on a single judge's scorecard, but he came to give the champion a fight. The 5-foot-3 Johnson, though, is probably better equipped to fight as a flyweight, and the strength differential was too much to overcome. If he could have stuffed a few more takedowns, the judges' job would not have been quite so easy. Cruz said afterward that it's his aim to prove to fans that the 135-pound weight class is the most exciting one in MMA, but to do that, he's going to have to fight shadows from his past. That's because UFC president Dana White recently admitted that it would be hard not to give a rematch to the winner of November's Brian Bowles vs. Urijah Faber fight. Faber continues to be an exciting fighter, but he has lost four straight title matches in just the last three years, and dropped a clear decision to Cruz in July. What does Cruz have to gain in fighting him again so quickly? (And frankly, at what point does Faber's chances run out?) Bowles had his fight against Cruz stopped due to a hand injury, so at least he wasn't decisively beaten. Beyond those two, there isn't anyone who looks to be on the verge of wresting his title away. Renan Barao is 26-1, but he's yet to face anyone in the top 10. Michael McDonald has been impressive, but he too hasn't yet moved into the upper tier of the division. Miguel Torres has lost three of his last five, so he has some work to do. In the distance, there are tumbleweeds and rematches for a fighter who's barely been threatened. So what can Cruz do to add to his legacy? Well, finish, for one. The Bowles' fight may be a TKO on his fight ledger, but fighters don't dream of winning on an opponent's self-sustained injury. Any criticism can be somewhat muted by the fact that he's basically laid waste to the division. There's really no one on the horizon who he's not equipped to beat. But when you've proven yourself the best, the expectations only begin to grow. Georges St-Pierre gets criticized for not finishing, and Anderson Silva has faced down storms of anger at times he's been unfocused. Cruz has stated that he wants to be the best and to carry his division to the masses. He's accomplished the first task, but to do the second requires imagination-capturing performances. And the reality is that as good as he's fought, as impressive as his romp through the bantamweights has been, fans don't fantasize about decisions being read off scorecards.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, fighter, division, johnson, cruz

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UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" took place last night (Sat., Oct. 1, 2011) from the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. In the main event of the evening, UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz successfully defended his 135-pound belt against Demetrious Johnson. But it wasn't easy, not in the early rounds of the fight, anyway, with "Mighty Mouse" pushing the pace, closing the distance and daring "The Dominator" to a duel. Cruz, who typically never stops moving forward, actually seemed to be a bit flustered with Johnson's aggression. And it wasn't until about the third round where he finally figured out the key to victory: Wrestling. From the point on, Cruz coasted for the remaining 15 minutes, putting Johnson on his back -- even with several highlight-reel suplexes -- and keeping him there until the final bell. Johnson only won one round on the judges scorecards when all was said and done, but he definitely turned in a very solid performance against one of the best fighters in the sport today. Once again, Cruz failed to finish a fight early (he hasn't truly done that in more than three years), but he looked as sharp as ever. And his ability to switch gameplans mid-fight speaks volumes for his intelligence.  He also happened to break his hand on Johnson's face, which also could have contributed toward the final outcome. Regardless, Cruz remains undefeated at 135 pounds. And the amount of notable competition to challenge him is already running thin. Former champions Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles are on the short list, but Cruz has already bested them both. He might just have to try to do it again. (To read Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson UFC on Versus 6 immediate post-fight recap click here. To check out a Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson fight review and analysis go here.) In the co-featured fight of the night, Stefan Struve stopped the one-dimensional former K-1 kickboxer Pat Barry with a second round submission (triangle choke). However, not before Barry strafed the legs of the lanky Dutchman with lashing leg kicks. "HD" was starting to find his range toward the tail end of the first and to start the second, but he made a fatal error and let Struve wrap his long limbs around his neck. It started with a guillotine and then Struve transitioned to a slick triangle that appeared to be a fight ender. Sensing the end was near, a desperate Barry channeled Quinton Jackson, scooping up his 260-pound counterpart and slamming him to the canvas in an attempt to break free. It looked awesome, but it didn't work. In fact, it allowed Struve to tighten his grip and even hasten the tap with a dual armbar. That's now two straight losses for Barry, who continues to struggle with anything other than striking. Struve, meanwhile, has won three of his last four fights and is quickly emerging as one of the more exciting heavyweights on the promotion's roster win, lose or draw. And he's just 23 years young. (To read Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry UFC on Versus 6 immediate post-fight recap click here. To check out a Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry fight review and analysis go here.) Charlie Brenneman
 was out to prove that his most recent win over Rick Story on just one day's notice was no fluke when he locked horns with Anthony Johnson in a welterweight fight. Early on Brenneman made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with Johnson's powerful stand up, diving for takedowns and not looking to get to his feet even though "Rumble" was punishing him on the ground. When the "Spaniard" finally did make it to his feet, Johnson demonstrated the reason Brenneman was so reluctant to stand and trade. Did he ever. Johnson connected with a vicious kick to the face of Brenneman while he was trying to recover and collect himself from a healthy helping of ground and pound. But, Johnson didn't give him anytime, putting his foot literally in Brenneman's mouth and sending him crashing to the canvas. It was so brutal that the referee intervened immediately, fearing that Brenneman was a goner. He wasn't, but he was clearly stunned -- it's remarkable that he didn't go to sleep. Brenneman protested the stoppage, but at that point there was nothing he could do. The fight was over. And so, too, is his fast rise up the welterweight ranks ... at least for now. (To read Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman UFC on Versus 6 immediate post-fight recap click here. To check out a Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman fight review and analysis go here.) Last but certainly not least, lightweights Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig collided in a rematch that was more than one year in the making. Their first encounter ended in controversy, with Wiman getting the submission win thanks to referee error (Danzig never tapped nor was he put to sleep). Wiman would once again walk away the winner, but not after a three-round, blood-soaked battle to earn a unanimous decision. The pair set a furious pace in the first two rounds, splitting them and heading into the third and final frame with the fight on the line. It was Wiman who dug a little deeper, connecting with punches and several skin-splitting short elbows along the fence that had Danzig bleeding badly. He'd continue to literally lump him up and bust him open with powerful ground and pound that likely contributed to the final result significantly. Danzig attempted a guillotine choke as the fight ended, and it appeared to be tight, but it was too little to late. It was a great fight. One that overwhelmingly proved that sequels can indeed outshine their predecessors. (To read Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig UFC on Versus 6 immediate post-fight recap click here. To check out a Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig fight review and analysis go here.) That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss "Cruz vs. Johnson" in the comments section below. Sound off, Maniacs! For complete UFC on Versus 6 results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here.

Posted in: fight, vs, johnson, &nbsp, cruz

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UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" went down last night, Oct. 1, 2011, from the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. The event featured bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz successfully defending his title for the second time inside the Octagon by gutting out a unanimous decision victory over Demetrious Johson despite a broken hand.  Ouch. The co-main event featured a giant and a dwarf and while Stefan Struve started slow against Pat Barry, he finished strong with a sweet transition from a guillotine to a triangle choke for the win in the second round. He even took a powerbomb slam and kept on choking. In other main card action, Anthony Johnson kicked Charlie Brenneman's head off while Matt Wiman proved once and for all that he's a better fighter than Mac Danzig by working his way to a bloody decision. Photo gallery from the event (via UFC.com) after the jump. Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira Paul Sass vs. Michael Johnson Mike Easton vs. Byron Bloodworth TJ Grant vs. Shane Roller Josh Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski Walel Watson vs. Joseph Sandoval

Posted in: washington d.c, vs, event, johnson, cruz

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MMA Nation's Luke Thomas attended UFC on Versus 6 in his hometown of Washington, D.C. as press last night. One of the great things that comes with media credentials is the opportunity to speak with and take in the Dana White media scrum before and after the events to get the UFC head honcho's thoughts on the fights and the immediate future of the organization. In the above video White talks about Dominick Cruz's ability to overcome a broken hand and win his championship fight. Luke asks what Dana thinks it will take to build Cruz into a marketable fighter. Dana's response is pretty great regarding Cruz's future: I thought he looked great tonight. He looked like a well rounded fighter. Especially when you know he fought the entire fight with a broken hand. It's just gonna take time. Some people will love him and some people will hate him. Look at how awesome "Bones" Jones is. You have all kinds of people talking sh*t about him. It's weird.  White also speaks about the issues the UFC has faced when trying to build the sport on the East coast: The East Coast market is one that we're still cultivating. There's a lot of fans down here but it's different than the mid-West or the West coast or down South. One of the things I say traditionally about the East coast, I always use Boston as the example. But you can go Boston, New York, Chicago, Philly, all of them. These kids grow up Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots. They're into these sports and teams that they grew up on. And the UFC breaking into these East coast markets, we're still working on it.  This is an interesting point. I grew up on the East coast and I can say I was raised to be a stick&ball sport fan. I became a Knicks fan early on and fell in love with baseball and football because I had major market teams in the Tri-State area. I've never really given much thought as to why the mid-West is more open to MMA. A second video after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Part two picks up where part one leaves off. Snooki was in the building but some Capital Hill senators were in the building to see the fights. The first question is pretty telling as to the UFC's opinion on fighters and if Pat Barry will have another shot in the UFC. In Dana White's words: We like guys who are exciting and guys that come out and fight. Pat is a guy that we do like. He's one of the guys that always brings it. It's like people saying "you're cutting Dan Hardy". Dan Hardy comes to fight and always puts on wars. I like those Arturo Gatti type fighters. The guys that are always bringing it. That's what this is about. When you're a fight fan you tune in to see fights and I like people that do it.  The full interview is worth a listen.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, cruz, coast

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According to UFC president Dana White, UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz  successfully defended his title last night against Demetrious Johnson despite fighting with a broken left hand. Cruz broke it in the first round of the bout, but never mentioned it to anyone. Here's what he had to say to a media scrum after last night's post-fight press conference (video provided by MMA Nation's Luke Thomas): "He sits through the whole press conference, doesn’t say anything. I said to him, You’re not gonna talk about your broken hand? He said, "What’s the point? I’m going to get it done and I’ll be back." I respect that." According to Dana, Cruz will be undergoing surgery on the injured hand next week, which will probably delay his return to the cage. It was expected that Cruz would defend his title next against the winner of the Brian Bowles vs. Urijah Faber bout at UFC 139, but that is all up in the air now. Regardless of the injury, White is a fan of Cruz: "I thought he looked great tonight. He looked like a well rounded fighter, especially when you know he fought the entire fight with a broken hand." SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson

Posted in: ufc, &rsquo, i &rsquo, hand, cruz

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It's time to give UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz the credit he deserves as one of the best fighters in the world.

Posted in: time, fighter, cruz, dominick cruz, dominick

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz's latest title defense is in the books, and the titleholder was a popular topic in this week's edition of The Sunday Junkie. Cruz's win over Demetrious Johnson and the rest of the UFC on Versus 6 card, including some heavily debated stoppages, were discussed from all angles in our weekly reader-feedback feature. This week's winner, Ohio's Kevin "Finish Him" Durig, focused on Cruz's performance and why he and other champs deserve credit they don't always get.

Posted in: title defense, sunday junkie, demetrious johnson, cruz, reader-feedback feature

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UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz may have exited the Verizon Center last night with his title-reign intact but, as it turns out, the same cannot be said for all of the bones in his left hand. During a post-even press conference relating to UFC Live 6, company president Dana White confirmed Cruz had broken his hand in the fight and would be shelved for an unknown amount of time as a result. UFC Live 6 Bonus Information “You know one of the things I respect about the kid,” White asked rhetorically. “He’s got a broken hand and had one the entire fight. He broke his hand and is going to have surgery. Not only did he not stop fighting and keep coming up 100%, he doesn’t even f*cking say anything about it.” Cruz nonchalantly brushed White’s comments off, responding, “What’s the difference? Who cares? I’m going to have surgery and come back.” The 26-year old Californian won his tenth consecutive fight over the weekend, taking out top contender Demetrious Johnson by way of decision in Saturday evening’s main event. He improved his overall record to 19-1 with the victory including past success against Joseph Benavidez, Scott Jorgensen, Brian Bowles, and Urijah Faber. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, i ’m, hand, cruz, ’s comments

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Dominick Cruz had a successful title defense Saturday night in the main event of UFC Live 6, defeating Demetrious Johnson by Unanimous Decision to retain his bantamweight championship. Unfortunately, the night didn’t go completely perfect, as Cruz suffered a broken hand. Cruz (19-1) broke his left hand and will have surgery soon. He is expected to be placed in a bout with the winner of the upcoming Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles match which is set for UFC 139. “The Dominator” has faced both fighters before, going 2-1 against them both, including a win over Faber earlier this year in defense of his title. “You know one of the things I respect about the kid? He’s got a broken hand and had one the entire fight,” said UFC President Dana White after the post-fight press conference. “He broke his (left) hand and is going to have surgery. Not only did he not stop fighting and keep coming up 100%, he doesn’t even f*cking say anything about it.” White said he was told by Cruz after the press conference that he didn’t mention it during the event because he didn’t feel like it mattered, telling White, “What’s the difference? Who cares? I’m going to have surgery and come back.” Using his reach advantage and superior wrestling skills, Cruz was able to control “Mighty Mouse” throughout the five-round war, as two judges scored the fight 50-45 for Cruz. The other one had it 49-46 for the champion. As for the Faber-Bowles contest, Cruz himself is very excited to see the fight and believes it will only help push the bantamweights more into the spotlight. “I’m pumped for that fight. I believe the 135-pound division is going to set the bar for everyone else in the UFC. I fought both of those guys,” Cruz said. “I’m extremely excited to watch it. Both those guys are finishers. Both those guys come to compete. That fight is going to be something to watch.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, ’t, hand, cruz

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Alright I can't think of a good witty introduction. I've got a pounding hangover from seeing Lucero last night after doing play by play. It's also way too early and I'm not functional yet. Anyways, let's take a look at the biggest winners and losers of the night. Maybe I'll add some snark. Probably not.  WINNERS Dominick Cruz - This was the best performance of Dom's career. He was pushed harder than any of his past fights and still persevered. He fought to finish the fight on numerous occasions and pulled off two picture perfect german suplexes. If there is one complain it is that he was exhausted by the end of the fight and started getting hit a bit too much. Demetrious Johnson - For a natural flyweight he did better against Dominick Cruz than pretty much anyone else in the division. He constantly landed on Cruz and fought off the takedowns and control. When Zuffa finally launches 125 he's gonna beast it on everyone. Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig - Holy crap that was a great fight. It had everything and both fighters looked fantastic. Mac needs to drop to 145 because he'd look great at that weight. Wiman should be fighting better competition. He's definitely made a case for being just outside the UFC's top 10.  Yves Edwards - He looked great. His boxing was crisp and he was slipping a lot of punches. The flurry that ended it was great. He's still one of the best in the division and has better boxing than anyone not named Frankie Edgar and Melvin Guillard. Mike Easton - Fighting in your hometown has to be impossible on such a big stage. The crowd was more into Easton than any fighter last night. He looked like crap in the first but the second he looked good. The knees at the end were awesome. It was  Matt Roth - Me. For being totally right about Pat Barry. You guys thought I was too negative but how can I be too negative when I'm totally right? Yep. I'm one of the biggest winners.  Leland Rolling - If you follow Leland on twitter you know he won every one of his bets. He's one of the big winners on the night.    LOSERS Dominick Cruz - Yes he had a fantastic win. Yes he looked good doing it. Unfortunately the sobering fact is that he just isn't connecting with fans and his style of fighting is just not conducive to a PPV draw. He didn't do himself any favors by not finishing the fight last night and getting hit constantly by Demetrious Johnson. It looks worse when you remember that Johnson is a natural 125er. Hopefully Cruz isn't fighting safe for his legacy and instead is still in the process of putting his skills together. I enjoy watching him fight. I just fear I'm the only one.  Pat Barry - He looked terrible or as Charles Barkley says: turrible. He landed a couple shots to Struve's chin but never really had the young Dutch fighter in trouble. His inadequacies on the ground are becoming more and more noticeable. Trying to powerbomb out of a triangle choke never works and it showed last night. He was forced to tap. He'll get another shot but man, he doesn't deserve it. He's just not a high enough quality fighter to be in the UFC.  The Yamasaki brothers - Holy crap has there ever been more bad calls in a single night? Mario and his brother both boned multiple fights and calls. The un-knockout in Watson/Sandoval, the no-tap from Roller, letting Yves Edwards beat on a visually out Rafaelo Oliviera too long, and the Charlie Brenneman/Anthony Johnson fight. This was an awful night for referees and it's obvious that the janky Yamasaki brother* won't get the call again. *credit to Rob Nashville for this term.   FINAL THOUGHTS Versus got screwed on this show. It could have been a major success but there was no promotion. Honestly the first time I saw the commercials for the fights was during the Facebook portion. They promoted it in good faith when the UFC was thought to be buying G4. When those talks broke down there was no reason to promote this show. Versus didn't run a pre or post show for this very reason. Hopefully this wasn't the end of MMA on the network.  Watching Josh Neer vs Keith Wisniewski was possibly the most baffling fight experience. Wisniewski was allowing Neer to land standing inside elbows over and over and never once backed away or defended them. I'd love to know what he was thinking because that was an extremely easy way to lose a fight and it ended up costing him money from his win bonus. If he thought it would win him a fight of the night bonus he was sadly mistaken.  I expect more of the Washington D.C. area. Drawing less than 10,000 people for a title fight isn't a good number. The gate being just over $700k is another terrible number. The UFC doesn't prioritize areas that don't draw well at the gate and if you're a fight fan in D.C. you blew it last night. The UFC has no reason to return with that kind of turn out. You'll likely get another card within three years but until then you'll need to travel to Philly or Jersey for the UFC.  It was a solid show and definitely deserved more attention than what it received. The fact though is that the stories coming out of 135 were much more important and there just wasn't much interest in this card. Judging from yesterday's traffic more people were excited for the Barnett/Kharitonov card. It's not a good fact for someone like Dominick Cruz who needs to draw fans and money to headline cards. If he can't the UFC will relegate him to headlining cards they don't expect to do well in the first place. It's not a good position to be in. SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, .&nbsp, cruz

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Or did Dominick Cruz merely prove some fans don't care about him? Call me an elitist, or an idiot. Call me whatever you'd like, but I can't in good conscience let go of this frustration whenever a fan opens their mouth about Dominick Cruz, and his failure, in their eyes to impress or compel them. Brian Hemminger has a fantastic breakdown of the fight over at Mania, complete with gifs, and so I encourage you to read it.  The gifs were one among many moments worthy of highlight. The first round was interesting because for the first time, Cruz was being outstruck, and outsped (?) by "Mighty Mouse" Demetrious Johnson. Johnson took the first with conviction. And gone was Dominick's trademark elusiveness, and footwork. He wasn't gonna dance his way out of this fight. And so he didn't. He adapted, took the fight to the ground, and made the match a grappling war. The criticism that he wasn't looking for the finish holds no malodorous water here. Cruz pulled out all the stops, constantly passing guard, and against a very tricky fighter in Johnson no less (which I felt made Cruz' performance more impressive). He even snuck in a German Suplex that led to what seemed like a fight ending rear naked choke.  Tomas Rios tweeted that "if you don't appreciate this fight, you don't like MMA. You just don't." Which prompts the question: what exactly are fans looking for to excite them, if not a five round grappling war of attrition? Is the prospect of a finish what necessitates excitement? There was one in the third. So why the disconnect? I don't expect all upper level MMA to be appreciated in this way. I respect Jon Fitch, but don't find his handy work especially appealing. Yes, I've grabbed a beer during one (some) of his fights, but it's not something I gloat about. The guy's one of the world's top welterweights and so that demands my attention, even when his style strains that attention. But Cruz has been a fountain of frenetic action. Few people will leave out his modern classic with Urijah Faber at UFC 132 in their top ten lists when all is said and done. So what's the problem? My suspicion is that part of it is due to the sport itself not knowing what it wants. It wants to be a sport, but the emphasis on entertainment has led to bouts being set up as "grudge matches" rather than performance challenges. With so many ways to finish a fight, we expect a dominant fighter to find ways to do so. Chris Lytle finished Dan Hardy. Why the hell couldn't GSP? I've always been of the belief that MMA fans are nothing if not terrible at contextualizing performance. A quick knockout, or a first round submission is somehow the ultimate indicator of dominance. But quick knockouts and first round submissions don't offer narratives. You saw this with Mauricio Rua's win over Forrest Griffin where fans had a hard time believing Shogun wasn't "back" despite looking relatively sloppy. MMA is characterized by how sudden it is, and so the logic follows that a great fighter should reflect that element of MMA. Dominick Cruz is not sudden enough for MMA fans. That's a fair description, but the conclusion that Cruz isn't compelling as a result feels like a non sequitur when you look at his past two performances. High level MMA is played on a chess panel. Not a checker board. Next week Frankie Edgar is defending his title against Gray Maynard in a fight that will likely go to a decision. Later this month GSP defends his title against Carlos Condit in a fight that will also likely go to a decision. Until Nate Diaz submitted Takanori Gomi at UFC 135, there hadn't been a single win via armbar in the UFC in all of 2011. As fighters become more informed, I suspect the description of MMA as "sudden" will slowly fade. The irony in the Cruz criticism is that should he lose at BW, I have a hard time envisioning anyone capable of finishing him with his capacity to grapple, strike, take a shot, defend a takedown, score a takedown, defend submissions, etc. I look forward to the future of MMA...it's too bad some fans won't be around to see it. Poll Do you agree with this post? Yes No   0 votes | Results

Posted in: fight, mma, fan, cruz, dominick cruz

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One question that lingered following UFC on Versus 6 was, why do the lighter weight divisions struggle to find footing with the casual MMA fan?  Once a fight drops below welterweight it seems like it just does not draw the fans in like even the most mediocre heavyweight scrap can and that’s a shame. Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson both delivered solid performances on Saturday night during their main event, a fight that saw Cruz defend his bantamweight title for a fourth consecutive time.

Posted in: saturday night, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz, heavyweight scrap

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UFC champion Dominick Cruz did exactly what he needed to do to hit a curveball out of the park on Saturday night in the UFC on Versus 6 main event title showdown with Demetrious Johnson. Johnson's blazing speed countered Cruz's dominant stand-up game, making it difficult for the champion to utilize the herky-jerky movements that got him to where he sits today atop the division. Champion make adjustments however, and Cruz did exactly that, out wrestling Johnson to neutralize his speed and winning convincingly on the scorecards. Unfortunately, there weren't many fans who watched the chess match unfold. The marketing in the week leading up to this card was nearly non-existent. Crossover promotion for the event on other channels didn't exist. Buzz for the event on our own website was abysmal to say the least. Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry received far more interest from fans than a title fight for the UFC bantamweight strap.  Cruz isn't doing himself any favors either, but how can we lay any blame on him for dominating the competition? His dizzying array of movements on the feet have been likened to Jon Fitch's smothering ground game. Boring and expected. Opponents can't figure it out however. It took a speedy natural flyweight named Demetrious Johnson to solve the puzzle, and he still couldn't bring home gold. For some hardcore fans, last night's title tilt was an entertaining showcase of skill filled with great scrambles and solid grappling. Strangely, even hardcore fans have criticized Cruz's style. Many fans were bored by his efforts last night. Casual fans? They probably didn't even watch the show. Far more appealing sports programming existed, and they likely didn't even know about the event, headlined by two guys they never heard of. The future is even more grim for Cruz. While he attempts to make a long, lengthy run at the record for the most consecutive title defenses, his options are growing more and more bleak. The bantamweight division isn't filled with talent. In doing research for the upcoming edition of the Scouting Report, it's been difficult finding new talent to fill the lower rungs of the division. Title contenders who have a legitimate chance, at least on paper, of stopping Cruz don't exist. Joe Rogan is wrong. There isn't a long list of contenders awaiting Cruz. Cruz is in a difficult situation. Fans don't hear his name and think "I have to see that fight". Some fans have never heard his name... ever. His style of fighting isn't appealing to the casual fan. The bantamweight division is almost as shallow as the heavyweight division. The only saving grace is that it sits below the featherweight division, creating chances for 145 pounders to make the drop. If the UFC ever creates a flyweight division, it takes away from Dominick Cruz's contender pool.  Fans want knockouts, and Dominick Cruz, despite his dominance, doesn't produce that type of offense. His rangy stand-up tactics will never destroy the chins of his opponents. The bantamweight division, in general, isn't a power division like the light heavyweight or heavyweight divisions. For all the talk that the product sells itself, these fights sure haven't produced any buzz.  The UFC isn't doing the division any favors. The division barely has a presence on UFC pay-per-view main cards or events aired on free TV. That won't change. It will never change. Bigger, stronger, faster mantras will always rule the combat sports' landscape no matter how hard we try to convince people that the lighter weight classes are far more exciting. There are many fans who look past two tired heavyweights slapping each other in the third round of a UFC PPV main card fight. Time may be the answer, but it's going to be a very long time.

Posted in: ufc, isn, division, fan, cruz

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Dominick Cruz entered the Octagon as the UFC bantamweight champion last night (October 1, 2011) in the UFC on Versus 6 main event. He left the cage as the champion too. His opponent, Demetrious Johnson, was thoroughly testing him in the speed department and hanging with him strike for strike. So how was Cruz able to dominate "Mighty Mouse" and come away with a solid unanimous decision victory, only losing one round on one judges' scorecard? We'll take a closer look at the 135 pound title scrap and find out what's next for both fighters after the jump. In the beginning, Johnson was clearly hanging with Cruz and pushing the pace. Cruz, normally known for his crazy footwork, constant movement and odd striking angles was completely getting neutralized by the speed of "Mighty Mouse." Notice here how after initially using a whizzer to fend off the takedown attempt launches a barrage of offensive strikes in Cruz's direction. While Cruz is normally known for being the man pushing the pace, it's Johnson who's coming after him, making him go backward and staying in his face with punches and even kicks. The Matt Hume-trained Johnson is giving "The Dominator" no room to breathe in the stand-up and Cruz had some serious issues with spacing early because of his aggression there. The big neutralizer for Cruz were the takedowns. It seemed like he fended off nearly every takedown attempt from Johnson while really outworking the young grappler in that department throughout the rest of the fight. While the first two rounds were hotly contested and fans may have wondered whether Johnson had an upset brewing, Cruz made a statement in the final three rounds with aggressive takedowns, guard passing and some serious top control. This was perhaps the turning point of the fight. Cruz took Johnson's back standing, stepped forward with his left foot and pulled him straight backwards with a beautiful German suplex. This is a pretty damn rare move in an MMA fight and Cruz pulled it off with ease, actually doing it three total times in this five round affair.  Notice how Cruz arches his back to get full torque on his slam and keeps his arms locked so he can turn into Johnson and take top position while his opponent is temporarily stunned. In rounds three, four and five, Cruz was 2 for 3, 2 for 4 and 3 for 5 respectively with his takedown attempts and he passed Johnson's guard a total of six times, even nearly finishing the fight in round three with a rear naked choke before "Mighty Mouse" squirmed free of danger. In the end, while Johnson was able to go toe-to-toe with Cruz in the striking department, something no fighter had been able to do before, he couldn't handle the wrestling of the champion. It was a tremendous change in gameplan for "The Dominator" not even two rounds into the fight. Putting "Mighty Mouse" both in the clinch and on his back completely nullified his speed. For Demetrious Johnson, the fight was much closer than the judges' scorecards. "Mighty Mouse" put on a hell of a fight. His biggest issue was his inability to stop from being put on his back and especially his inability to bounce quickly to his feet once Cruz took him down. He had to work extra hard to bring the fight back to the stand-up portion and that ate precious seconds off the clock. The AMC Pankration product will be given a tough fight for sure as he's still one of the top bantamweights on the planet (and will easily be one of the top flyweights on the planet once the UFC actually creates the division). Perhaps the loser of the upcoming Brian Bowles vs. Urijah Faber fight will be on tap for "Mighty Mouse" or even the loser of the Brad Pickett vs. Renan Barao match at UFC 138. Either way, he'll remain at the top of the division until 125 enters the picture. For Dominick Cruz, this was a tremendous showing of how a fighter can adapt due to having extremely well-rounded skills. He wasn't getting lit up on the feet or anything, but the fight was closer than he liked in that department so he switched things up and utilized his offensive grappling game. His size advantage played a huge part in helping him control Johnson. His next opponent has already been determined. It will be a rematch either between the man he originally beat for the title, Brian Bowles, or the man he defeated earlier this summer who is the only fighter to ever best him in the cage, Urijah Faber. In either match-up, Cruz will have the speed advantage again and will be showcasing that unorthodox attack. So what did you think Maniacs? Did Johnson make you a fan with his effort last night? Can Dominick Cruz be stopped in the UFC bantamweight division? If so, who do you think has what it takes to pull it off? Sound off! For complete UFC on Versus 6 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event, click here and here All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.

Posted in: ufc, round, fight, johnson, cruz

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UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz and the challenger Demetrious Johnson went to war for all five rounds in the main event of last night's UFC on Versus 6. Cruz was announced as the winner via Unanimous Decision, winning all five rounds according to 2 of 3 cageside judges. ESPN.com has all the highlights from the Verizon Center in Washington

Posted in: ufc, demetriou, cruz, dominick, verizon center

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Reigning Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, who defeated Demetrious Johnson to retain his title Saturday night, discusses the frenetic-paced bout, as well as his failure to finish "Mighty Mouse." Cruz says he is pleased with his performance against Johnson, and that though he was looking to finish the fight, he wasn't bothered by the booing crowd.

Posted in: decision victory, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz, frenetic-paced bout

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Dominick Cruz may not have finished Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 on Saturday night, but it’s impressive that he even finished the fight

Posted in: saturday night, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz, faber v

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

In case you missed it live, here's a quick highlight video from ESPN on the UFC on Versus 6 main event bout with Dominick Cruz taking on Demetrious Johnson with the UFC Bantamweight Championship on the line. SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Here's the complete play-by-play from our live blog of the event: 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.

Posted in: round, johnson, demetriou, land, cruz

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Dominick Cruz proved once again why he’s the top-ranked bantamweight in the world, using a varied attack to turn away game challenger Demetrious Johnson in the main event of UFC Live 6.

Posted in: ufc, johnson, eye, cruz, dominick cruz

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz may have a next opponent on deck, but his timetable for a return remains a question mark. Following a decisive decision victory over Demetrious Johnson in the headliner of Saturday's UFC on versus 6 event, UFC president Dana White shared some disappointing news. Cruz suffered a broken hand in the fight, and he's set to undergo surgery.

Posted in: ufc, decision victory, cruz, question mark, faber-bowles winner

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Video highlights from the UFC on Versus main event between Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson via ESPN.

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Following his record breaking 4th bantamweight title defense, UFC champion Dominick Cruz says that he wants to continue to prove his weight class is the best and most exciting in the sport.

Posted in: bantamweight, cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, weight class

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An early broken hand couldn't stop UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz as he rolled to his 10th consecutive victory.

Posted in: bantamweight, couldn, hand, cruz, hand couldn

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Dominick Cruz demonstrated his versatility Saturday night by winning a unanimous decision over Demetrious (Mighty Mouse) Johnson.

Posted in: title, johnson, saturday, cruz, dominick cruz

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Dominick Cruz uses his superior size and strength to neutralize the speedy footwork of his opponent, Demetrious Johnson, to retain his bantamweight championship in the main event of UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" tonight (Oct. 1) in Washington D.C. The win marks the second time "The Dominator" has successfully defended his crown inside the Octagon and bolsters his case as one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world today. Johnson, for his part, made his case for top contender in the flyweight division, whenever the UFC gets around to bringing it into the fold. Impressed by both men tonight, Maniacs? For complete UFC on Versus 6 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.

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Dominick Cruz showed another wrinkle in his game tonight. The problem of Demetrious Johnson's speed was made apparent early on. Cruz relies heavily on speed and constant movement, which overshadows serious fundamental flaws in his footwork. Johnson proved he could not only keep up with Cruz, but set the pace himself. Cruz, normally used to controlling the distance in a fight, found himself pressured and, even more surprising, touched up in the first round. Most MMA fighters resign themselves to their fate, vainly trying to force a gameplan that just isn't working. Cruz adapted. Unable to control the fight standing, Cruz worked for takedowns -- 5 in the second round, 3 in the third, 4 in the fourth, and 5 in the fifth. He suplexed Johnson in both the third and fifth rounds. His work did not stagnate on the floor either. Cruz worked for positional gains, earning the mount and tacking Johnson's back at multiple times during the fight. And take nothing away from Johnson, either. I had serious concerns for Cruz's title reign at the conclusion of round one. Cruz made the necessary adjustments, but Johnson remained game throughout. FightMetric credits Johnson with a virtual tie in striking totals -- 145 total strikes to Cruz's 146.  The biggest tragedy of the night is that it's likely that very few people watched it. Some of that is no fault of the UFC -- baseball had a rare doubleheader playoff night. But the fight was grossly underpromoted, especially given the tagline that this was the first live UFC title fight on free television. It's unlikely Cruz will ever become a big star -- he doesn't have the charisma to overcome an unpopular stick-and-move style, and unfortunately this show will do little to change that. UFC President Dana White has promised a flyweight division in the UFC sometime within the next year or so. Demetrious Johnson made a huge case for it tonight. Stefan Struve exploited Pat Barry's inability to grapple in the co-main, but he's made little progress on his distance management. Barry, with a foot disadvantage in both height and reach, was able to consistently get inside and tag Struve with punches on the chin and kicks to the legs. This is unacceptable, and while he's only 23, it's unlikely he'll make drastic changes as he closes in on 30 professional fights. Speaking of unacceptable, it's Pat Barry's grappling. Barry refused to react as Struve deliberately set up a triangle choke. Then, when firmly locked in, he decided to try his best "Rampage" Jackson, which only dropped him deeper into the choke. It's Barry's third submission loss in the UFC. The Brothers Yamasaki had themselves some evening, capped off with Anthony Johnson's head kick "knockout" of Charlie Brenneman. Johnson, who had dominated the first 2:30 of the fight, landed a left kick to the head, putting Brenneman on his back. Mario Yamasaki stepped in to stop the fight as Brenneman sat up with a clear look in his eyes. This followed his decision to allow Rafaello Oliveira every opportunity to have his face bashed in by Yves Edwards and brother Fernando's own flub when he stepped in to "save" Shane Roller from a T.J. Grant armbar. Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig put on what many described as the Fight of the Night in the Versus opener. I, admittedly, was preoccupied with other things. Let your imagination run wild.

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The UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson fighters that scored postfight awards walked away with an additional $65,000 for their efforts.

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UFC on Versus 6 took place in our nation’s capital tonight and was headlined by a UFC bantamweight title fight between champion Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson. Johnson proved to be a game challenger in the main event but it was not enough as Cruz was just a little bit better in each round. Cruz nearly finished the fight with a rear naked choke to neck crank chain but Johnson showed heart and fought through it. Stefan Struve used his striking to set up a nice submission finish against Pat Barry. Barry tried an impressive power bomb on Struve but Struve defended it perfectly and finished Barry with a triangle arm bar. Elsewhere on the card, Charlie Brenneman’s dream year ended violently with an Anthony Johnson headkick. Mac Danzig and Matt Wiman’s rematch more than made up for the quick stoppage in their first bout as Wiman again secured the victory, only this time by decision. UFC on Versus 6 Results MAIN CARD Dominick Cruz defeats Demetrious Johnson via unanimous decision (50-45,49-46,50-45) UFC Bantamweight Championship Stefan Struve defeats Pat Barry via submission (triangle armbar) at 3:22 of Round 2 Anthony Johnson defeats Charlie Brenneman via TKO (head kick and ref’s stoppage) at 2:49 of Round 1 Matt Wiman defeats Mac Danzig via unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28) PRELIMINARY CARD Yves Edwards defeats Rafaello Oliveira via TKO (punches) at 2:44 of Round 2 Paul Sass defeats Michael Johnson via submission (heel hook) at 3:00 of Round 1 Mike Easton defeats Byron Bloodworth via TKO (knee and punches) at 4:52 of Round 2 TJ Grant defeats Shane Roller via verbal submission (double armbar) at 2:12 of Round 3 Josh Neer defeats Keith Wisniewski via TKO (doctor’s stoppage due to cut) at 5:00 of Round 2 Walel Watson defeats Joseph Sandoval via TKO (punches) at 1:17 of Round 1

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The gap between champion Dominick Cruz and the rest of the bantamweight division remains wide, and, despite his considerable efforts, Demetrious Johnson was not the man to close it.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Demetrious Johnson had one of the best styles for Dominick Cruz, his conditioning was superb, his aggression was evident, and his will to win was unquestionable. Still, it wasn't enough to solve the puzzle that is the UFC's one-of-a-kind bantamweight champion. "Mighty Mouse" fell short in his attempt to dethrone Cruz in the headliner of Saturday's UFC on Versus 6 event, which took place at Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center.

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I'm being 100% serious when I say I just gulped down a cup of coffee so I can power through and write this fight recap. Call it a kind of method writing, I think being completely jacked on caffeine is the only conceivable way to keep up with the frenetic pace that was set in this match. OK, coffee done, left eye twitching. Lets begin. The fight started out with Demetrious Johnson bulldozing forward, knocking the champ out of his usual footwork laden rhythm. Cruz works the whizzer, multiple reverses happen, punches kicks elbows are thrown from all kinds of angles and levels and a brief takedown by Johnson gets foiled by a spring like Cruz. They separate and regroup. Twenty seconds have passed since the opening bell. The rest of the fight continues like a game of Tekken with infinite health, both competitors are bouncing around, inside and out landing strikes and leg kicks and things look to be evenly matched. Then halfway through the fight Cruz shifts gears and heads into takedown mode, starting with this amazing belly to back. Chris Benoit would be proud. Johnson tries to scramble out but Cruz manages to sink in a hook and then works a rear naked choke/neck crank. It looks tight but some how Mighty Mouse manages to escape to his feet yet again. My God this pace. As the match wears on Cruz looks to be getting somewhat tired but is taking down Johnson with relative ease, hip tossing and flat out using the cage. Grinding out the Xbox clad 135'er like a tiny Jake Shields. The final round begins and Mighty Mouse knows he has to make something big happen, it looks like he chugged a Red Bull after the fourth because he is throwing all sorts of strikes and keeping Cruz off balance. Somehow, the champ is able to clinch and control the Tesla like energy of Johnson, taking him to the mat once again, where he pretty much controls the fight until the end. Joe Rogan interviews Demetrious Johnson post fight and there is literally a swelling growing larger and larger on his cheek before our very eyes. It's amazing. Thanks to Tracy Lee for the banner pics and thanks to IronForgesIron for the gifs.

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Dominick Cruz retained his UFC bantamweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Demetrious Johnson in the main event of UFC on Versus 6 tonight in Washington, DC. The final scores were 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46. He dominated the grappling, getting a ton of takedowns, advancing to full mount twice, and almost finished the fight with a choke in the third. The fight looked closer than it was, and Cruz definitely showed off some excellent well-rounded skills tonight. Cruz threw a leg quick early, but Johnson came right at him nonetheless. Both guys are throwing and missing early. Johnson shot for a takedown, got stuffed, and landed a nice throw of his own. Cruz ended up on top, and quickly passed to side control. Johnson managed to scoot and got back to full guard, then eventually to his feet. Johnson had a head kick caught and fell to the ground. He immediately looked for a leg lock, but Cruz controlled and ended up on top. They got back up and DJ briefly got a takedown, but Cruz popped up immediately. The fighters traded shots standing for the rest of the round. Cruz missed with a punch right away to start the second and Johnson landed a nice combination. Cruz responded with an immediate takedown though. Johnson came back up quickly though, and pressed Cruz against the fence, but ate some knees to the body. They spent a lot of time against the cage exchanging knees. Finally they separated with Cruz missing a huge knee. Cruz landed a nice uppercut, but Johnson responded with a right and a flying knee. Cruz blocked another DJ takedown and got one of his own. Round ended with Cruz on top. Cruz landed a few kicks while Johnson missed with pretty much everything for the first minute of the third. Johnson finally connected with a combination. Cruz ended up with Johnson's back, and landed a german suplex. Cruz took full back control on the ground again, flattened him out, and went for a rear naked choke. He went palm-to-palm, but Johnson escaped and managed to get  back to his feet and land some shots. Cruz again got a takedown, but couldn't do anything with it and Johnson eventually got back up. It was too late to get much going though. Johnson came out with some nice leg kicks. Both fighters missed with a lot, but Cruz managed a nice leg kick and beautiful jab. Johnson landed a good overhand left, but Cruz responded with a takedown again. Cruz finally got some offense going on the ground and managed to get to full mount, but Johnsnon managed to get back to full guard relatively, quickly, then got up. Once again, Johnson landed a couple of punches and a kick, but Cruz got another takedown. Rinse and repeat before the round ended. Johnson came out invigorated in round five and landed a few shots, but Cruz managed to get a hold of him and land another huge german suplex. He ended up in side control. Cruz just controlled position for a large portion of the round, not even looking to punch. Johnson finally got up with half of the round left, and threw some shots. He ate an uppercut in return though. Johnson kept attacking, but Cruz kept hitting throws and avoiding strikes. He came forward with a bevy of strikes, but Cruz ducked right into a big takedown and advanced directly to full mount. DJ flipped over and got back up though. Cruz appeared to hurt Johnson with a late strike, and finished the fight on top of Johnson. It was a great fight and a great example of how awesome the bantamweight division is. Cruz originally won the WEC bantamweight title by defeating Brian Bowles back at WEC 47 and defended it twice over there before the championship was transferred to the UFC. In his first UFC defense, Cruz won a unanimous decision over Urijah Faber in one of the best fights of 2011. Johnson earned his title shot with a razor-thin decision win over Miguel Torres at UFC 130, and was on a four-fight winning streak coming into this title fight. More SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6

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The main event of UFC on Versus 6 tonight (Oct. 1) in Washington D.C. featured a championship fight on free TV for the first time since 2007 with bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz putting his belt on the line against Demetrious Johnson.  They may have been forgotten by the promotion in terms of marketing and lacked any clear and present hype but the fight was almost guaranteed to deliver excitement. And that's exactly what it did. Cruz and Johnson battled back-and-forth for five long rounds, gutting their way through an absolute war of attrition that ultimately saw Cruz retain his title. Speed was the name of the game in this one and that was clear from the outset. Johnson, quite possibly the fastest man on the UFC roster, looked to utilize his best attribute early but Cruz, a spry chicken himself, nullified it with quickness and superior technique ... at first.  By the time the horn sounded to signify the end of the opening frame, Johnson was getting the better of the striking game, his speed creating problems for the champion. Cruz got cerebral in the second, bringing a heavy clinch game to slow his opponent down and lean on him as much as possible. It worked, to an extent, but he couldn't hold Johnson down the entire round and the "Mighty Mouse" continued to create problems. The third round saw most of the same but this time Cruz utilized a jiu-jitsu game we rarely see from the 135-pound champion. He threatened constantly with a rear-naked choke but Johnson survived and kept the pressure, his aggression and pacing nearly impossible to keep up with. Still, Cruz was doing just enough to keep himself ahead on the scorecards. The tale of the rest of the fight remained the same. Brief bursts of brilliance from Johnson were quickly followed by moments of steely resolve from Cruz, who just refused to give up the title he's worked so hard to defend. One more title defense in the books for the bantamweight king. Was there every any doubt? For complete results of UFC on Versus 6 and to follow along with live blow-by-blow of all the night's action click here.

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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.  SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Matt Wiman vs Mac Danzig:  Round 1:  Round 2:  Round 3:  Official Result:    Anthony Johnson vs Charlie Brenneman Round 1:  Round 2:  Round 3:  Official Result:    Pat Barry vs Stefan Struve Round 1:  Round 2:  Round 3:  Official Result:    Dominick Cruz vs Demetrious Johnson Round 1:  Round 2:  Round 3:  Round 4:  Round 5:  Official Result: 

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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. 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. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Filed under: UFCThis 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. The live blog is below. More Coverage: UFC on Versus 6 Results | Latest UFC News Round 1: Round 2: Round 3: Round 4: Round 5: Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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submitted by Vercingetorixxx [link] [comment]

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If I weren't here to tell you about it, it's entirely possible you would have no idea that Dominick Cruz will defend his bantamweight championship against Demetrious Johnson tonight (Sat., Oct. 1, 2011) in the main event of UFC on Versus 6 in Washington D.C. The remarkable lack of hype for this fight -- and event -- has led to a lesser perception of the 135-pound title and, in turn, the entire division. It's sad, too, considering the unbelievable amount of talent and skill that will be on display when these two mixed martial artists meet inside the Octagon to ply their craft. Don't blink or you'll miss it. Not because it will be over quickly but rather the insane athleticism and quickness exhibited by both competitors is likely nothing you've ever seen before. If you scour the Internet for MMA rankings, Dominick Cruz's name will appear in the top 10 of nearly every pound-for-pound list you can find. At just 26-years-old, the Tucson, Arizona native has amassed a record of 18 wins to just one loss -- and he later avenged that defeat. What truly makes his record special, though, is that it's not inflated with cans. He's fighting the best of the best in the 135-pound division.  In fact, it's quickly gotten to the point that a superfight against Jose Aldo has been seriously discussed. It's up to Demetrious Johnson to put an end to all that talk and if there's any man suited for the job, it's the kid from Kentucky.  Don't let his stature -- he stands just 5'3'' -- fool you. This is one of the most dangerous threats to Cruz's title just yet. His speed mixed with his wrestling presents a problem that even the very best in the world will have trouble solving. Will Cruz be able to do so tonight? You'll have to tune in to find out ... and despite the lack of promotion for the show, you definitely should. It's going to be one hell of a scrap.

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Footwork and motion are integral aspects for both fighters in tonight's UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson headliner. Opinions vary on bantamweight Dominick Cruz's effervescent footwork, mobility and head movement: some feel it's "all show and no go" with fundamental flaws while others laud it as largely innovative. Though much more subtle and deliberate, the supercharged set of wheels that rocket Demetrious Johnson around the Octagon might be his best combat attribute. If you can tolerate a corny metaphor: I've always likened footwork to the torsional tracks of a tank that are intrinsic in providing the ideal base, balance and position to maximize the violence of the swiveling artillery mounted up top. Achieving the quintessential angle where you are at your strongest and your opponent is at his weakest is the simple function of footwork. The accuracy, power and effectiveness of all strikes are cooperatively amplified by the effectiveness of footwork, just as one's defensive efficacy is directly related to the virtues of footwork. Judo Chop overlord Fraser Coffeen and I have assembled a rundown of the cage characteristics exhibited in past performances by Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Fraser Coffeen: One of the things I really like about Demetrious Johnson's footwork is his ability to throw strikes while moving and not break his stride. A great example of that came against Damacio Page at WEC 52. Watch Johnson's attack after Page gets up at the start of the clip. As soon as Damacio regains his feet, Johnson charges forward with a flurry of punches. As he throws the punches and moves forward, he keeps his feet a good shoulder width apart. But the great moment is when, in the midst of moving forward, he throws a left kick to the body and keeps moving without missing a beat. This takes some incredible timing. Johnson throws the kick, then brings that left foot down in the lead position. As soon as his foot is down, he takes a small step with the right foot (still keeping the proper distance). As he steps, he throws a punch, and the combination of the kick and punch with their forward momentum are enough to drop Page. Dallas Winston: Further to Fraser's observations, an excellent indicator of a successful strike or combination is the balance with which it is thrown. We've seen "fast" fighters in MMA but generally the quicker they move and react, the more off balance and out of control they are. That is not the case with Johnson, who accelerates with blinding speed while always maintaining exceptional poise, composure and balance to react on the fly accordingly. Fraser Coffeen: Here is another example, this time from Johnson's UFC debut against Kid Yamamoto. Again we see Mighty Mouse able to push forward while throwing knees, punches, and kicks. One of the reasons he can string blows together like this is his total comfort in either the orthodox or south paw stance. In this sequence, Johnson is in south paw (right leg in front, left leg back) when he comes up from the scramble. He uses a left knee to switch to orthodox (left leg in front, right back), then after the right high kick, he brings the right foot back down in the lead position, putting himself back in south paw and allowing him to immediately continue attacking with punches. Dallas Winston: I had to include this sequence for Johnson because of it's sheer perfection. Notice how, after Johnson's initial flurry, he slips on a sidestep when re-engaging and Kid is so locked into reaction mode that he nearly loses his own footing when trying to adjust. Another subtle factor is how methodically Johnson keeps cutting off angles and steering Kid back into the cage wall. The double leg that concludes the sequence is poetic: it's set up with strikes, his level change is textbook and he gets ultra-deep penetration. Fraser Coffeen: Switching back and forth so fluidly gives Johnson more options in his combos, and makes his already fast strikes come together even faster. The biggest time Johnson's footwork failed him was against Brad Pickett in Johnson's lone loss. In that fight, Pickett was able to read Johnson's leg kicks, consistently catching the leg and using it to score takedowns. Pickett also managed to control the cage positioning at times. Here you see Pickett able to secure a takedown with relative ease thanks to having trapped Johnson against the cage. Dominick Cruz's footwork is interesting in that there is a lot that is technically "wrong" with what he does. Similar to Rashad Evans, Cruz does things that are usually big problems, but he makes it work withhis style. Here's a great example of that from the Scott Jorgensen fight. At the start of the clip, as Cruz backs away he completely crosses his feet, almost looking to be off balance for a moment, but then uses a hop to get back to an orthodox stance and resumes his attack. Here's another example of what some call a lack of footwork fundamentals. Throughout this sequence, keep an eye on Cruz's feet. He constantly brings them together, giving up the shoulder width stance that you should always maintain. A wider base in your feet gives you more power in your shots, and a greater ability to quickly move away from incoming shots. When Cruz has his feet together, he needs an extra step to escape. The feet together also forces his body to be more square to his opponent, which makes Cruz an easier target to hit. But Cruz uses distance and head movement so well that he doesn't get hit in these moments. Dallas Winston: What I respect about Cruz's head movement and footwork is that it's unpredictable. Even though certain consistencies and repetition can be tracked, his degree of angle and distance of travel are fairly drastic compared to the norm. In the clip above, check out the extreme difference in the hard circle he cuts to his back-left compared to the ground he covers going straight forward with the low kick and left hand. When trying to get a bead on his motion, your target switches in enormous increments from drifting backward and out of the pocket several feet back to charging straight forward with stiff strikes in your face. This ploy of motion and direction is also what enables Cruz to catch Jorgensen on his heels by springing forward aggressively after a number of circular and less volatile retreats backward. Fraser Coffeen: Cruz does also use more traditional footwork very effectively at times. In the above sequence he does a great job using footwork to position Jorgensen where he wants him and secure the takedown. At the start, Jorgensen is moving to his right and Cruz is following. Cruz takes a quick hop step in that direction, getting ahead of Jorgensen and cutting him off. At the same time, Cruz throws a left hook. Jorgensen responds by changing directions and moving left, which is exactly what Cruz anticipated. Cruz drops down and uses Jorgensen's momentum to the left to get the takedown. That hop step or hop switch is one of Cruz's best tools in his footwork. In the above clip, we saw him use that hop to quickly cut Jorgensen off. He also uses it to quickly get inside his opponent's range, or to get himself back to orthodox stance, as we saw in the first Jorgensen clip. Above is another example of Cruz using the hop to get back to orthodox (against Urijah Faber), then immediately attacking with a jumping knee. While Cruz is comfortable in either stance, when he has separation, he will often use that hop to reset to orthodox before beginning his attack, and frequently will begin attacking immediately after the switch. Against Faber, we saw some good examples of Cruz's footwork being figured out. Here's one example of Cruz trying to use that same hop to the outside that he did against Jorgensen: Faber responds with an outside leg kick, which immediately stops Cruz's momentum. Cruz resets, but he's sloppy when he comes back inside - notice the hesitation in his feet as he moves back in after the kick. Without that crisp movement, Cruz leaves himself open, and Faber is able to follow up with a nice right hand that staggers the champion. Dallas Winston: My last observation was how Cruz unleashes a surprise attack with sudden forward movement after dawdling backward to lullaby his opponent, but here we see the same strategy to catch him off-guard.  Quite consistently in the Faber fight, Cruz was tagged with a simple and straight punch while bouncing around on the perimeter and trying to find his rhythm. His overall activity and level of motion is extremely high and sometimes he's overly fixated on it. It was no coincidence that Cruz scored his best shots when he was leading exchanges and quickly pivoting at a unique chain of add angles, and Faber countered most effectively when he didn't let Cruz mesmerize him with a sequence of clever set ups.

Posted in: feet, johnson, cruz, footwork, jorgensen

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Filed under: UFC, ResultsMMA Fighting has UFC on Versus 6 results for all of the Oct. 1 UFC on Versus 6 fights, live blogs of all the fights and live Cruz vs. Johnson twitter updates. In the main event, Dominick Cruz defends his bantamweight title against Demetrious Johnson. In the co-main event, Pat Barry will take on Stefan Struve. Check out the full results below. Main card Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson (live blog) Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve (live blog) Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman (live blog) Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig (live blog) Preliminary card Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira (live blog) Michael Johnson vs. Paul Sass (live blog) Mike Easton vs. Byron Bloodworth (live blog) Shane Roller vs. TJ Grant (live blog) Josh Neer def. Keith Wisniewski via TKO (doctor stoppage) - R2, 5:00 (live blog) Walel Watson def. Joseph Sandoval via TKO (punches) - R1, 1:17 (live blog) Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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The WEC was built on the premise that the lighter weight classes in Feather and Bantamweight were the most exciting in the sport. To a certain extent this was true. The WEC cards never failed to impress and from top to bottom were some of the best fights the audience had ever seen. With champions Urijah Faber and Miguel Torres it was believed that the casual fan base of the sport would finally accept the fighters below 155 pounds. Faber became the face of the organization. Torres to a lesser extent became the man to beat at bantamweight. Both fighters dominated the divisions and the WEC was planning on running an eventual pay per view headlined by the two competing against one another.  Unfortunately, Mike Brown knocked out Faber and Torres was stopped by Brian Bowles. The divisions were in a state of flux until Jose Aldo defeated Mike Brown in dominant fashion. Jose Aldo throughout his WEC career excited people with his muay thai and fan friendly fight style. Bowles was supposed to be the future of bantamweight as a wrestler possessing knockout power. Unfortunately, in his first title defense Bowles was bested by Dominick Cruz and since then, the division hasn't received the same attention.  Dominick Cruz has become one of the most dominant champions under the Zuffa umbrella in the history of the organization. Besides Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre, there is no other champion in Zuffa that has successfully defended their belt as often as Cruz. There also has never been an easy fight for him either. Miguel Torres never faced the same level of competition during his title reign. Brian Bowles never got the chance to go on a run. So why hasn't Cruz caught on like his peers? Hindsight being what it is, we know that the WEC went all in marketing-wise with Miguel Torres as champion. When he lost to Bowles they were forced to get behind Brian Bowles who was also an equally as exciting fighter. When Cruz became champion it was almost as if the Zuffa brass gave up on the division. They had a champion that was a ratings disaster who was much so much better than the rest of the division that there really was no way for him to ever be defeated. Cruz is perhaps one of the most humble champions in the UFC. He's got a style of fighting that not only confuses opponents but also the audience. He doesn't win by knockout or submission and rarely has his opponent in danger of being finished. And he's possibly on of the best fighters in the world. The UFC booked a grudge match between Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz earlier this year. The fight was marketed as Cruz's toughest test to date and it was a fight of the year performance. Yet the booking was also intended to dethrone Cruz with the far more marketable Faber. Dominick Cruz won a hard fought decision and now is set to face Demetrious Johnson tonight in Washington, D.C. The fight is not on pay per view. It seems that the UFC sees Dominick Cruz as a box office failure and is attempting to save face with a defense on free television.  Dominick Cruz defends his belt tonight. He knows that he's one of the best in the world. He needs to learn that he needs to begin to fight for the fans. At the end of the day this a pay per view business and if Cruz can't draw people into watching his title defenses then he's a lame duck champion. He'll be in the awkward position where the UFC can't have him headline a PPV yet also can't feel comfortable with putting him on Fox or FX. His style is the very definition of elusive and his inability to finish an opponent has made his fights ones that fans are willing to DVR instead of watch live. The UFC needs to figure out a plan to market him in the future because he's not going to be dethroned for a while. There is no one at 135 that can defeat him and he may even possess the skill set and talent to defeat Jose Aldo should the opportunity for a superfight occur. If that does happen, they may need to back their champion instead of finding challengers to bet on. He'll defeat almost everyone at bantamweight and potentially at featherweight. It may be time for the UFC to appreciate the greatness that is Dominick Cruz and treat him like the champion he is and the fighter he can be.  SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson

Posted in: ufc, fight, champion, cruz, dominick

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For fans of mixed martial arts, this past week has been a slow crawl of steadily rising anticipation for tonight's "Cruz vs. Johnson" event, going down at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. UFC on Versus 6 will feature Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz defending his title for the second time inside the Octagon against speedy top contender Demetrious Johnson. In the co-main event of the evening, the biggest height difference between opponents in the history of the UFC will be highlighted when 6'11'' Stefan Struve slings leather with 5'11'' Pat Barry. It's been a flurry of non-stop news, analysis, quotes, predictions and previews for the past week and it's certainly understandable if you missed out on a few stories. But don't worry, Maniacs, we've got you covered.  In cased you missed any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — below are links to all the major storylines heading into tonight's broadcast. In we go: UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" Fight card and line-up Results and live fight coverage UFC on Versus 6 predictions and previews: Predictions from the man himself, Nostradumbass "Prelims" preview and predictions Fight preview: Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson Fight preview: Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve Fight preview: Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman Fight preview: Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman UFC on Versus 6 press conferences: Pre-fight press conference Press conference staredown pics UFC on Versus 6 weigh-ins: Weigh-in results Weigh-in staredown pics Weigh-in photo gallery Weigh-in video highlights UFC on Versus 6 odds: Complete odds and betting guide Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman UFC on Versus 6 news: Event poster   Conference call and live blog Open workout videos Exclusive interview with Demetrious Johnson UFC on Versus 6 editorials Dominick Cruz wants to finish Demetrious Johnson or embarrass him for five rounds Demetrious Johnson will give Dominick Cruz problems with his speed Stefan Struve is not afraid to strike with Pat Barry Pat Barry isn't going to sit and rot away in his chair, man Yves Edwards is willing to fight Rafaello Oliveira behind a Walmart If Mike Easton can beat death, he can beat Byron Bloodworth UFC on Versus 6 videos Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson video preview Dominick Cruz has something bigger to prove than Demetrious Johnson Dominick Cruz beat the crap out of himself to prepare to defend his title Pat Barry strategy for Stefan Struve includes a flying clothesline Stefan Struve trains with Brock Lesnar in preparation for Pat Barry Charlie Brenneman's newfound fame means nothing if he can't beat Anthony Johnson That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What has been the biggest story heading into this event? The lack of hype for a free card featuring a championship fight? The giant vs. the dwarf? Something else? Sound off, Maniacs.

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Check out this UFC-produced video preview of Saturday night's UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson main event between Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson.

Posted in: saturday night, johnson, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz

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Properly hyped or not, tonight’s bantamweight title fight between Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson offers both competitors the chance to make a name for themselves. Sadly, the matter of fact is, this bout would not have sold well had it headlined a PPV. As it stands, Cruz and Johnson will get to display their skills for a wider audience, which on the long run, can only be beneficial. Slowly but surely, Cruz has managed to put on quite the title run, having successfully defended his title three times, besting the likes of Joseph Benavidez, Scott Jorgensen, and Urijah Faber. Bantamweight title fight: Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson In Johnson, Cruz faces arguably his fastest opponent to date. In fact, it is Johnson’s speed that has allowed him to compensate for the size disadvantage he suffers from in almost all of his fights. Johnson does extremely well to gauge distance for someone with his lack of reach. He uses his quickness and his sharp footwork to get in and out of his opponent’s range, and is actually surprisingly effective when he presses forward with combinations. He likes to finish most of his combinations with kicks, and will continuously look to throw single head kicks — particularly switch kicks — and use them to keep his opponent at bay. The leg kicks could be key for Johnson, as Cruz has proven that his chin is hard to find. Moreover, continuous leg kicks will allow Johnson to cut Cruz off and hamper his movement. The champion is a master at getting on the inside, landing, and emerging unscathed. As such, Johnson needs to stop him in his tracks before he gets to settle into a rhythm and start landing his combos and kicks. Kicks could come at a price for Johnson however, as he learned in his bout with Brad Pickett, where “Mighty Mouse” found himself repeatedly taken down off of kicks that his opponent was able to catch. Someone as savvy as Cruz will surely look to capitalize. Cruz has developed quite a unique and unorthodox style, which so far has proven to be tough to figure out. The irony lies in the fact that Cruz’s head movement and especially, footwork, are quite flawed as he continuously tends to tuck his head down a little too much, while also throwing before both foot are fully set on the mat. What Urijah Faber managed to do against Cruz is time a few counter right crosses after his opponent moves in within range. Moreover, Faber found some success when pressing Cruz, particularly in the striking. Johnson will surely look to do that, but his game is ultimately designed towards changing levels and securing the takedowns. Against Cruz, this has been almost impossible to achieve, as “The Dominator” has managed to shut down one wrestler after the other. Furthermore, his offensive wrestling has been instrumental in his success. He does a tremendous job at setting up his sharp kneetap with a 1-2 combo, and it always seems to catch his opponents off-guard. Johnson’s takedown defense isn’t bulletproof, but he’s extremely good at hip escaping and scrambling back to his feet. In the early going, he will likely prove very hard to hold down. However, one has to question whether Cruz’s size will eventually wear on him. And that highlights the real problem for Johnson: Not only is this a stylistically tough match-up for him as he is coming up against a better striker with great takedown defense and very good wrestling, but he is also at a significant size and reach disadvantage. Expect Cruz to do his thing: consistently land three punch combos, finish with kicks, switch levels, and put Johnson on his back. The challenger will have his moments, but it is unlikely to be enough to stop Cruz from scoring a decisive decision victory. Official prediction: Dominick Cruz to beat Demetrious Johnson by decision.

Posted in: johnson, opponent, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz

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UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson will take place tonight at the Verizon in Washington, D.C., headlined by the UFC Bantamweight title bout between "The Mighty Mouse" Demetrious Johnson (challenger) and Dominick Cruz (champion). Don't forget to tune in tonight for LIVE UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Chat starting 9PM

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MMAFrenzy.com will have complete results and a live chat for today’s “UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson” event in Washington, D.C. starting at 6pm ET for the preliminary card on Facebook and 9pm for the main card on Spike. UFC on Versus 6 is headlined by UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson and also includes Pat Barry vs. Steffan Struve, Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson, and Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig. MMAFrenzy.com’s live UFC on Versus 6 coverage will begin below starting at 6pm ET, but while you wait check out our UFC on Versus 6 pre-fight coverage: UFC on Versus 6 Predictions Previews: Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson, Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve, Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman, Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman  Demetrious Johnson: I’m Prepared for a Five Round War with Dominick Cruz Charlie Brenneman hopes to continue his remarkable year Shane Roller looks to return to winning ways at UFC on Versus 6 UFC on Versus 6 Results MAIN CARD Dominick Cruz (c) vs. Demetrious Johnson UFC Bantamweight Championship Pat Barry vs. Steffan Struve Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig PRELIMINARY CARD Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira Paul Sass vs. Michael Johnson Mike Easton vs. Byron Bloodworth Shane Roller vs. TJ Grant Josh Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski Walel Watson vs. Joseph Sandoval

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Once again, Dominick Cruz walked outside the Octagon as the UFC Bantamweight Champion. Nicknamed "The Dominator", Cruz dominated the relentless "Mighty Mouse" Demetrious Johnson during all five runds, adding another impressive victory to his record. Johnson was perhaps the most well-prepared opponent Dominick Cruz has ever faced inside the Octagon. Johnson mimicked Cruz's movement by circling around the Octagon, unleashing sharp striking combinations in process. However, despite being relatively successful

Posted in: ufc, octagon, cruz, dominick cruz, dominick

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Once again, Dominick Cruz walked away as the UFC Bantamweight Champion after another dominant performance. Where would you rank Dominick Cruz in your P4P list on LowKick.com Community Rankings (re-opened on Oct. 10th)?

Posted in: list, cruz, dominick cruz, dominick, rank

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In the main event of the evening at UFC on Versus 6 in Washington D.C. on Saturday, champion Dominick Cruz (18-1) will aim to defend the UFC bantamweight title for the second time as he battles challenger Demetrious Johnson (10-1). Technically, this is Cruz's fourth title defense since he won the strap back at WEC 47 in March of last year against Brian Bowles. He defended it twice under the UFC's sister promotion, narrowly edging out Joseph Benavidez by split decision at WEC 50 and dominating Scott Jorgensen at WEC 53 to an unanimous decision. The win over Jorgensen marked the official changeover of the belt to the UFC, Cruz being the first bantamweight champion in its history. Cruz's first defense under the bright lights of the UFC came at UFC 132 in July. Over twenty-five minutes of action, Cruz defeated challenger Urijah Faber convincingly on the scorecards, although Faber did manage to make a real run at playing the role of spoiler. Surprisingly, Faber wasn't quick enough to solve Cruz's mesmerizing movement despite his status as one of the fastest featherweights on the planet. Shedding the ten pounds to make 135 lbs. created a faster version of Faber, but it still wasn't enough. The victory was, by far, Cruz's best to date, but it didn't erase any of the criticism surrounding him. Since his return to the WEC back in June of 2008, the 26-year old has finished one fight in eight appearances. Many fans, including the hardcore crowd who understands the nuances of his style, use the statistic as evidence that Cruz is the "Jon Fitch of striking". His jerky movements, evasion tactics, and ranged attack have won him plenty of fights, but it has hurt his marketability despite his champion status.  A more determined Dominick Cruz may show up on Saturday night at the Verizon Center hoping to prove he can do more to help his image. Unfortunately, Demetrious Johnson may not be the type of fighter to try to back into a corner. The speedy 25-year-old only stands a 5'3" tall, but he's one of the fastest, if not the fastest, fighters in the entire sport. Despite the fact that he's an obvious natural flyweight, Johnson paved a path to the crown by defeating Miguel Torres, Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, Damacio Page, and Nick Pace. An impressive run for any bantamweight. Even more impressive for a flyweight. Johnson won't have the luxury of blowing by his opposition with blazing speed. This isn't the type of fight in which he can duck in and out of danger and win on the scorecards. Cruz is more experienced and stronger at that style of fighting. He's also possesses solid takedown defenses, good scrambling ability, and an endless gas tank. Sounds bleak, doesn't it? There are opportunities for Johnson to succeed, but it involves high risk. Rangy fighters have historically responded to aggression poorly. There are obviously outliers to that statement, Cruz being one of them. It does, however, make sense. Put them in a situation in which they can't use their physical gifts to win, and things become much easier for you. Johnson must mimic what Joseph Benavidez was able to have success doing at WEC 50 last August, only faster. Faster is something Johnson knows how to do very well. He'll need to turn up the tempo, explode from range, and catch Cruz while he attempts to evade or defend against the attacks. If he can do that consistently while ducking underneath to give off the perception he may try to take Cruz down, we could be crowning a new champion on Saturday night. I don't see that happening however. Cruz is just too experienced and versatile to allow a fairly one-dimensional gameplan fell him. Cruz batters Johnson over the course of five rounds, putting together what I suppose we can a classic performance of movement and striking. Cruz via decision. Poll Demetrious Johnson vs. Dominick Cruz Demetrious Johnson Dominick Cruz   3 votes | Results

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UFC Live 6 unfolds from the Nation’s Capital tonight but before you tune in to Versus at 9:00 PM EST I’m back with another opportunity to increase your knowledge and once again come off as the smartest fan in your group of MMA-loving fans. Yesterday I broke down the preliminary portion of the show, an entertaining bunch of fights to be sure. Today, it’s time to take a look at the main card including the headlining title-bout between champ Dominick Cruz and top contender Demetrious Johnson as well as what should be an explosive, and potentially short, heavyweight tilt between the Pat Barry and Stefan Struve. Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig Storylines in MMA outside of title shot ramifications are always neat to have. This is a rematch of a fight from last year’s Vancouver event off an early stoppage where it was believed Danzig was unconscious when he was still fighting his way out of a choke. A year has gone by, and one scheduled rematch postponed, but here we are. Wiman has fought twice, including a somewhat controversial decision loss to Dennis Siver that could have gone either way. Danzig flattened Joe Stevenson last December, but has been injured and inactive since. Wiman may be one of the most underrated forces at lightweight, often overshadowed by many of the bigger names. He proved that he deserves a bit more consideration against Siver, and will take that momentum and learning experience back into the cage against Danzig. After shooting out of the gate after Ultimate Fighter, Danzig’s recent fight record may not necessarily be a reflection of the fight he brings. While he’s lost four of his last six fights, two have been to top contenders (Clay Guida and Jim Miller) and one was that quick stoppage against Wiman. Danzig needs this victory to stay in the UFC, and he’s going to have to be careful he doesn’t get careless again. Wiman has all the patience in the world, and has no problem taking the fight to the ground, where he’s got the skill to neutralize Danzig’s attacks. A couple years ago, I would have said this was a toss-up or even in Danzig’s favor. However, Wiman’s improved so much over the last couple of years that I see him taking this one after a longer and harder fought battle than before. Prediction – Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via Split Decision Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson Brenneman is the UFC’s equivalent to Google stock right now. After his last fight was called off due to an opponent’s injury, he stepped in the day before to randomly take on Rick Story. In what most figured would be a “talent enhancement” fight for Story, “The Spaniard” prevailed easily and made the world take note. That’s how he suddenly finds himself in the spotlight, taking on “Rumble” Johnson on a main card. Brenneman’s a very silent fighter at 155, and you wouldn’t know that he’s won 9 of his last 10 coming into this. Johnson is in a constant love/hate relationship with the UFC, dazzling some nights, missing weight and boring fans in some others. His last fight against Dan Hardy was anything but classic, as he chose to lay and pray on the Brit for fifteen minutes and coast to a victory. Brenneman won’t let that happen, and you’re going to see a much different fight, likely contested on the ground. Despite his wrestling prowess, Brenneman has only won one fight by submission, with the rest of his stoppages due to punches. Johnson on the other hand, brings in a sickly amount of power. As one of the biggest (if not the biggest) welterweights in the UFC, he’s carded some huge knockouts to his name, and will look to add another in the form of the Spaniard. When he’s on his game, Johnson does all the right things at all the right times. Brenneman’s going to be in tough against Johnson here, and it’s basically going to come down to whether he’s able to finesse his way through Johnson’s raw power. I think he will, but I don’t think he’ll be able to finish. Brenneman is one of the most underrated and overlooked fighters in the UFC, but I think you’ll see him turn a lot of heads this fight. However, Johnson has a lot to prove here, and I don’t think he’s going to squander this opportunity for redemption. Give this one to “Rumble”, but not in decisive fashion. Prediction – Anthony Johnson def. Charlie Brenneman via Unanimous Decision Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve Random fact nobody cares about – The Twitter war of words for this fight is what finally convinced me to sign up for it. Barry and Struve have been entertaining for this fight in 140 characters or less ever since it was announced. From their viral YouTube videos, to a fake poster depicting Barry as shorter than he is, there’s been no stoppage of jokes and laughs for the last few months. Sadly, it all has to come to a head on Saturday when these two finally meet in the cage. Barry is a personality the UFC needs. He may not be the most technical fighter on the planet, but he’s someone that likes to entertain, and someone you never see without a smile on his face. I’d go so far as to saying he’s one of the most beloved fighters in UFC history amongst fans, though he’s only been around for a short time. He even brought out the best of Struve, constantly cracking jokes with each other every day leading to the fight. One thing’s for sure. This fight is basically going to be contested on the fight. I’m sure Barry has no interest in working a clinch game with Struve, and Struve has no interest in wrestling with Barry. Barry was seconds away from knocking out Cheick Kongo (some would argue Kongo was done on his feet at one point too) before being knocked out cold, while Struve himself suffered a huge strike-based stoppage at the hands of Travis Browne. This should be a pretty fight with lots of strikes thrown. Barry needs to go back to his old ways and wear the big man down with leg kicks. Struve needs to stay grounded and throw his punches with bit more caution, something he hasn’t really done of late. He was fairly lax in the Browne fight, and though he won against Christian Morecraft, he left that fight with a lot of bumps and bruises, and a 3rd lip which still hadn’t fully healed when I saw him last June. Both guys have hopefully endeared themselves to UFC brass that a loss won’t put them out, and they’re safe to go out there and throw hands for their, and fight fans’ amusement. This could easily be fight of the night, and the most fun you’ll have watching a UFC slugfest since Dave Herman and John Olav Einemo decided defence was optional last June. Give this one to Barry based solely on the fact that his leg kicks have the ability to slow Struve down enough to neutralize him eventually, and take the fight. However, don’t be surprised with anything, since this whole thing leading up has been strange enough to end in a double knockout. Prediction – Pat Barry def. Stefan Struve via TKO Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson We’ve reached our main event. This one plays out a bit like Rocky IV. In one corner, you’ve got Cruz – the Ivan Drago of the bantamweight division. Opponents try to reach him, but he keeps pushing them down and willing them out of their victories. Then there’s the fun loving Mighty Mouse. At a time when most fighters would be fretting about making weight, or getting tough about training a la Joe Swanson, Johnson was shaking hands with fans at PAX, and making public appearances for Microsoft. Was he shirking training? Definitely not. He’s made it clear he’s training harder than ever. We just have a different way of handling stress up here in the Pacific Northwest, and Mouse embodies that spirit. There are few bantamweights in the world that possess the speed of Johnson, and no bantamweights that have found an answer for the erratic drunken boxing style of Cruz. His is one that basically wills fighters out of their fighting spirit. As the fight goes on, you see fighters tire physically and mentality, and Cruz strengthen. That psychological edge is where Cruz excels and wins his fights. He has no non-injury stoppage victories in over 3 years, but he seems to win with a deal of ease, preferring to fight with a “wait and see” approach. He frustrated Urijah Faber enough to win back in July, avenging his one career loss. Then there’s Johnson, who is so speedy that he hits the light switch in his bedroom and is under the covers before the lights are off. Cruz has fought all of the top contenders at 135, however, not somebody as fast as Johnson. This fight could be compared to something similar to Mauricio Rua vs. Lyoto Machida. In those fights, Shogun found a way to penetrate the evasive gameplan of Machida that nobody could previously figure out, and used it to spook and defeat him. Johnson has that capability to invade Cruz’s comfort zone and he might be too stubborn to think he can’t. His no-nonsense, all out style allowed him to push through Miguel Torres, despite fighting 10 minutes with a broken leg. What makes this different than all the others is Johnson hasn’t experienced things that would make him hesitate his actions like Cruz’s past opponents, and I expect you’ll see him push forward more often. I know he’s a pretty big underdog going into this fight, but you have to believe that a quick witted style like Mighty Mouse’s can break through and disrupt that Cruz Control. The last thing you want to do is allow the UFC 135-pound champ to enter his comfort zone, because there’s almost no turning back when that happens. Johnson has to win this fight mentally in the first two rounds, and push forward enough in the last three. I don’t see this one being stopped at all, and I see it going the distance. Cruz is the best at what he does at 135, but I believe Johnson has what it takes to take it by a whisker (no pun intended) and proving again that no style, no matter how strange, is unbeatable. Prediction – Demetrious Johnson def. Dominick Cruz via Split Decision Tweet

Posted in: ufc, fight, johnson, barry, cruz

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We’ve all messed with a Rubik’s Cube in our lifetime. Some people, like myself, spend days trying to match up all the colors on each side. Some people, like my 1st grade self, take off all the stickers and then arrange them to make it look like we completed the puzzle. And some people can solve the cube in 10 moves. I want to punch those people in the face. In MMA, there’s a human Rubik’s Cube who gets punched in the face by his opponent as they try to solve him. His name is Dominick Cruz, or as I like to call him, “The Cruzik’s Cube”. Ever since Cruz dropped to bantamweight in 2008, he hasn’t lost in eight bantamweight bouts and he’s developed a style that has made him extremely tough to figure out. He’s not the biggest guy in his weight class, he’s not the fastest, and he doesn’t have an abnormally long reach. He just puts everything together so well that even when you have one side figured out, there are still more sides to figure out. The way Cruz bounces around on his feet and moves his shoulders and head is something that can’t be replicated in training camp. No other fighter moves the way Cruz does and puts everything together the way he does. He’s the most active fighter on his feet, even when he’s not throwing strikes because with the way he moves, it always looks like he’s throwing a feint or just setting up an attack and that throws off his opponents. Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez, who are teammates, both had success against Cruz when they pressed the action. Faber, who didn’t land much at UFC 132, made it count when he landed and hurt the champ on more than one occasion. Faber didn’t quite press the action enough though and was on the wrong side of the decision. Benavidez didn’t really hurt Faber, but he was constantly moving forward and we’ve all learned that aggression can steal a decision, and Benavidez ended up doing enough in one judges eyes (or eye) to earn a split decision loss. Unfortunately Benavidez lacked the power and Faber lacked the aggression. Even if you can figure out the striking of Cruz, you still have to deal with his wrestling and grappling. His takedown defense is top-notch and if he does get put on his back, he can pop back up or pull off a sweep to turn things into his favor. He uses his offensive wrestling to steal or solidify rounds. At the end of every frame, he loves to go for the knee tap takedown, and even though fighters know it’s coming, they still have trouble stopping it. Faber had success staying on his feet but “The California Kid” is also a fighter who has always been known for his scramble ability and is one of the few fighters who can match the size of Cruz in the division. Fighters like Benavidez, who is a good scrambler but undersized for the division, and Scott Jorgensen, who is a good wrestler as well and very strong for the division, didn’t quite have the same success. Tonight, Demetrious Johnson tries to solve the Cruzik’s Cube. He’s one of the few fighters who can match the speed of Cruz, but he, like Benavidez, is undersized for 135 and isn’t really a great striker, at least not on the level of Cruz’ past few opponents. Is “Mighty Mouse” the person to solve Cruz? I don’t believe so. The champion has a distinct advantage on the feet, and even thought Johnson is very fast, he’s going to have a tough time getting Cruz down due to his size. To beat Cruz, opponents can’t be mesmerized by the movements. They have to realize that all the movements are just to set up his offense attack, and that defensively, he is hittable and he’s not really a counter striker. Solving a Rubik’s Cube isn’t really that hard, neither is solving the Cruzik’s Cube. People trick themselves into doubt though. With the toy, people get frustrated when they have one side figured out, only to realize that they completely screwed up what they were working on on a different side. With the fighter, opponents get frustrated when they see Cruz moving in odd angles and mixing things up better than many fighters in the sport. Of course all of this is easier said than done. I can figure out the Rubik’s Cube in my mind, but once the thing gets in my hand, I twist it for a few minutes before realizing that it’s better off being used as a chew toy for my dog. People can figure out the Cruzik’s Cube on paper, but unless they have the skillset and mentality to get the job done, they’re just going to become another frustrated victim. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: fighter, ’t, people, cruz, cube

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Filed under: UFCWe're just a few hours away from the UFC on Versus 6 event, and there are plenty of questions, concerns, and issues to sort through. Here, in no particular order, are a few of them. I. Will this be the breakthrough fight Dominick Cruz needs? He's the UFC's least celebrated champion, mostly because mainstream fans haven't seen enough of him yet. The UFC seems to think he can't sell pay-per-views without Urijah Faber's help, so Cruz gets stuck on a cable TV fight card smack in between two pay-per-view event weekends. It's not the best coming out party you could hope for, but a lot depends on what he can make of it. If Cruz can put on another of his frantic, indefatigable performances -- and this time, maybe even finish his opponent -- he might finally get the attention he deserves. If he simply dominates Demetrious Johnson for the full five rounds, well, it's hard to make much of a highlight reel of that. II. This fight is more important for Pat Barry than it is for Stefan Struve. Both are coming off losses and could really use a rebound win, but they're not exactly in the same boat. Barry is 32 years old -- nine years older than Struve -- and has yet to string two victories together in the UFC. Ever since his debut he's followed a win one, lose one pattern, usually beating the lesser-knowns and then losing the big ones, which doesn't exactly impress the bosses. To further up the stakes, he's coming off his first ever knockout loss. Though he previously said it had helped remove his fear of the KO, it's the kind of thing that has been known to mess with a man's mind. Now that he knows what it's like to be the one waking up on his back, will he still feel like wading into those striking exchanges with the much larger Struve? Not that either of them would like to lose two straight, but Barry's career has much less time left on the clock. Maybe Struve can wait, but Barry needs to make it happen now. III. Who hypes the hype-man? If the name Mike Easton sounds familiar, it might be because you know him as the guy who's always standing over Dominick Cruz's shoulder, reminding him and everyone within shouting distance who the champ is. I admit, the man's enthusiasm is infectious. But now that he's on the same card as Cruz, and getting back in action for the first time since 2009, who's going to do the shouting? Probably still Easton, actually. He'll just get to do it from inside the cage this time. IV. Does Charlie Brenneman have a "Rocky story" sequel in him? "The Spaniard" got to be the hero when he stepped up on short notice and derailed Rick Story's hype train, but yesterday's glory fades quickly in this business. The Anthony Johnson fight is tougher because a) Brenneman's no longer in a situation where he has nothing to lose, and b) "Rumble" has the exact combination of wrestling skills and knockout power that could prove to be a nightmare for a fight like Brenneman. This one may not follow a movie script outline, but it's no less important for his career. V. The last time Josh Neer won a fight in the UFC was February 7, 2009. He submitted Mac Danzig, then lost two straight and went on a tour of the minor leagues. Now the journeyman is back as a welterweight, and facing fellow wanderer Keith Wisniewski, who lost a decision in his sole UFC appearance back in 2005. It's a situation where, if Neer can't beat Wisniewski, he probably doesn't belong in the UFC. Then again, you could say the same thing from the other side just as easily. VI. Barry's best chance against Struve? Since getting eye-to-eye with the Dutchman requires a little outside help, Barry might have to target his legs, which are at least more in his range. Though certain judges remain convinced that leg kicks can't end a fight, Barry actually has three career victories that way, including his brutal win over Dan Evensen in his UFC debut. I'm not sure I'd want to put all my faith into my ability to chop away at Struve's thighs like a lumberjack going to work on an angry redwood, but what else can he do? Unless he gets a boost from the referee, reaching Struve's chin won't be so easy. VII. Hey, remember that whole controversial stoppage thing from the first Mac Danzig-Matt Wiman fight? Yeah, well, now they're meeting again to settle it, just shy of a year and a half later. Finally, you can stop losing sleep wondering how this match-up would have turned out. I know it was really eating at you. VIII. Don't forget about Paul Sass. Not unless you want to get choked. The Brit has a nasty submissions game, and is particularly dangerous off his back. The youngster took a lot of people by surprise in his debut at UFC 120, so it should be interesting to see if Michael Johnson has done his homework on him. You go to the mat with that man at your peril. And with the way he uses that triangle choke, you're never truly safe from it until you've left the building. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, barry, cruz, struve

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WASHINGTON, D.C., October 1 – Unbeaten in nine fights at 135 pounds, Dominick Cruz has established himself as the bantamweight gold standard, and after a competitive, but near shutout, unanimous decision victory over Demetrious Johnson in the UFC Live main event at the Verizon Center Saturday night, he is rapidly on his way to cleaning out the division.“Bring it,” said Cruz, who defeated Urijah Faber in July after 2010 wins over Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez, and Scott Jorgensen. “I’ll take anybody. I’m trying to make history here.”Scores were 50-45 twice and 49-46 for Cruz, who defended his crown for the second time.A hard right hand opened the scoring for Cruz, with his striking keeping Johnson from getting too close. The challenger used his own wild strikes to get in range for a takedown, but that initial shot was turned back by Cruz, who went on to score his own takedown. While on the mat, Cruz controlled position, bulling his foe into the fence before the two rose with a little over two minutes left. Johnson immediately went on the attack, but Cruz caught a high kick for another takedown. After standing, Johnson got his first takedown, but Cruz immediately rose. A lockup against the fence ensued, followed by some feverish striking action in the closing moments.An early miss from Cruz to open round two allowed Johnson to get off a flurry of punches, yet Cruz quickly regained his footing and put the bout on the mat for a few seconds. Once standing, Cruz continued to control the close range grappling, yet Johnson kept pressing, landing with some leg kicks to remain in the scoring column. In the final minute, the fighters traded takedowns, with Cruz’ the more substantial of the two since he was able to keep his foe pinned until the bell.In round three, there was a more measured assault from both men while standing, but Cruz changed all that when he was able to get Johnson’s back and then suplex him. The move drew a roar from the crowd, but there was even more of a response when Johnson escaped Cruz’ rear naked choke attempt and got back to his feet. Cruz, not discouraged in the slightest, took Johnson back to the canvas, continuing to pile up the points in the process. In the final 20 seconds, Johnson was able to get himself upright, ending the round on his feet.The challenger showed no signs of fatigue as he chased after Cruz in round four, the champion barely slowing down either as he looked to counter. Two minutes in, Cruz got his by now customary takedown, keeping Johnson against the fence. Cruz soon worked his way into the mount position, Johnson soon working himself free and to his feet. For the first time, Cruz began to look tired as he took a couple deep breaths. He wouldn’t stop pressing though, and a takedown ensued before the two rose and scrapped on the feet until the end of the stanza.Going for broke to begin round five, Johnson’s aggressiveness allowed Cruz to pull off another thunderous throw. The champion’s subsequent control on the mat smothered Johnson, who was simply unable to break loose. At the midway point of the round, Johnson got back to his feet and eventually broke Cruz’ grasp, but his punches were having little effect on the elusive San Diegan. By this time, Johnson had a growing knot on his left cheek, but he kept moving forward. A late takedown and some hard strikes punctuated the hard-fought bout for the champion though, leaving little doubt as to who the winner was.“I put in a lot of work and it was a tough fight,” said Cruz. “The kid’s got a sick pace, so I had to outwrestle him.”With the win, Cruz improves to 19-1; Johnson falls to 14-2.STRUVE vs. BARRYMuch was made of the one foot height difference between 6-11 Stefan Struve and 5-11 Pat Barry, but in the end, it was technique, not size, that mattered in the heavyweight bout, as Struve submitted Barry in the second round.If the size difference between the two wasn’t evident before, it really showed up when the bell rang and the fighters squared off. Barry began firing kicks at Struve’s legs almost immediately, tossing in the occasional punch as well. With the crowd beginning to get restless at the lack of sustained action, Struve began to get his own striking game in gear, with a couple front kicks just missing the mark.  A wild flurry of activity ended the round, with Struve holding a slight edge.The action picked up in round two, with Struve throwing head kicks and Barry trying to score with uppercuts and a head kick of his own before going back to leg kicks that reddened the inside of Struve’s left leg.  After a quick close range flurry, Struve found the opening he needed as he looked for a guillotine choke and pulled guard. Barry deftly escaped, but the long-limbed Struve locked on a triangle choke. Barry lifted his foe high in the air and attempted to slam his way out of the maneuver, but Struve held on and tightened the lock, forcing Barry to tap out at the 3:22 mark.With the win, Struve improves to 26-5; Barry falls to 6-4.JOHNSON vs. BRENNEMANAfter showing off his wrestling in his March win over Dan Hardy, welterweight up and comer Anthony Johnson got back to what he does best as he knocked out Charlie Brenneman in the first round.“Everyone was talking about my last fight with Dan Hardy, so I figured I had to come out and make a statement,” said Johnson.He did.Johnson used his kicks to avoid Brenneman’s takedown attempts in the opening minute, and after sprawling out of one attempt, “Rumble” fired off a series of crushing ground strikes – first punches, then knees. Brenneman fought his way out of immediate danger, but as the two began to rise, Johnson kept his foe from getting a bead on where the next shot was coming from. As Brenneman found daylight against the fence, Johnson was already up and loading up the finisher, a crushing left kick to the head that put Brenneman on his back, prompting an immediate stoppage from referee Mario Yamasaki at the 2:49 mark.With the win, Johnson ups his record to 10-3; Brenneman falls to 14-3.WIMAN vs. DANZIGThere was no abbreviated ending in the rematch between lightweights Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig. Instead, fans got 15 full minutes of action – with the emphasis on action – from the two Ultimate Fighter alums, with Wiman pulling out a close, but unanimous, decision win.Scores were 29-28 across the board for Wiman, who scored a controversial first round submission win over Danzig in June of 2010.Engaging immediately, the two lightweights battled it out at close range until a Danzig kick to the head allowed Wiman to take the bout to the mat. After some back and forth action, Danzig tried to sink in a guillotine choke as the two rose, and when that came up empty, he flurried on his foe. The infighting continued, with Wiman scoring with elbows as Danzig let his fists do the talking. In the final minute, Wiman pressed the action, bloodying Danzig’s nose and getting the fight to the canvas just before the bell.With the trench warfare continuing in the early part of round two, Danzig decided to change things up by taking the bout to the mat. Wiman wasn’t flustered though, as he searched for a submission from the bottom position. Danzig, cool under pressure, broke free and fired off strikes, but Wiman again looked to grab his opponent’s arm. After escaping again, Danzig got back to his feet, with Wiman right behind him. Then it was back to the toe-to-toe battle at close range, with neither fighter giving an inch.If fatigue was going to be a factor in the final round, both fighters did their best to hide it, as they continued to scrap with mere inches separating them. Wiman’s elbows appeared to be the harder shots, but Danzig made up for it with volume, and when he got Wiman to the mat, he made his move as he took his opponent’s back. Wiman fought loose and reversed position, delivering hard shots from the top as Danzig tried to find an escape route. With 40 seconds left, he found it, scrambling to his feet. A last second guillotine choke attempt from Danzig came up empty, but it ended the 15 minute war with a deserving flourish.With the win, Wiman improves to 14-6; Danzig falls to 21-9-1.

Posted in: round, johnson, cruz, wiman, danzig

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The UFC bantamweight title is on the line for free tonight (October 1, 2011) in the main event of UFC on Versus 6 and current 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz takes on Demetrious Johnson. Cruz has been on a tremendous roll as of late, winning the belt in early 2010 and having defended it three straight times. He's looking to tie Miguel Torres' record of four straight bantamweight defenses as he tries to build his legacy against Johnson. Demetrious Johnson has been the perpetual underdog his entire UFC career. He overcame the odds against both "Kid" Yamamoto and Miguel Torres thus far in 2010 and despite breaking his leg, he's healed, revitalized and ready for the challenge of competing for the title. Will Cruz continue to dominate his bantamweight opposition? Can "Mighty Mouse" pull off something superhuman and upset the champion? Who will will be the king of 135 pounds when tomorrow night is over? Dominick Cruz Record: 18-1 overall, 1-0 in the UFC Key Wins: Urijah Faber (UFC 132), Joseph Benavidez 2x (WEC 50, WEC 42), Brian Bowles (WEC 47) Key Losses: Urijah Faber (WEC 26) How he got here: Dominick Cruz started out as a serviceable featherweight and got off to a terrific 9-0 start. Despite having barely fought professionaly for two years he was given a WEC featherweight title shot against champion Urijah Faber who quickly caught Cruz in his patented guillotine choke and forced the tap inside two minutes. After the loss, Cruz would make the cut to bantamweight for his next WEC bout and hasn't looked back since. He earned a title shot against then-champion Brian Bowles and completely outworked the champ for two full rounds, forcing him to call it quits after the second round with a broken hand. "The Dominator" would successfully defend his title in a rematch against Joseph Benavidez and would go on to absolutely destroy Scott Jorgensen for five consecutive rounds during the final WEC event ever. His speed had never been more impressive in a fight. This past July, Cruz finally got his shot at revenge against Faber who had dropped down to bantamweight and he would earn it with a unanimous decision victory in which his speed and volume made up for Faber's power. With Faber taking on the former champion Bowles, Cruz accepted a bout against Demetrious Johnson while waiting to (hopefully) fulfill the trilogy with "The California Kid." How he gets it done:Cruz has a unique style that is all his own. It includes strange movement, odd angles and constant misdirection. He's about as active as any fighter on the planet when he's in the cage and he never gets tired. His conditioning is the most important thing to him because he believes that's the one thing he can always control no matter what. For once, Cruz won't have a speed advantage in the fight with Johnson so he's going to have to make up for that with footwork, technique and by utilizing his height and slight reach advantage. Every time Johnson tries to dart in, Cruz needs to slip to the sides and pepper him in the face with punches. The key for Cruz will be to come in at angles against Johnson and try not to give him the same look twice. He also needs to keep Johnson honest by mixing in takedowns every once in a while so his opponent doesn't get comfortable. Even if he's unsuccessful, it could at least force Johnson to respect the possibility of being put on his back and back off a bit. Demetrious Johnson Record: 9-1 overall, 2-0 in the UFC Key Wins: Miguel Torres (UFC 130), Norifumi Yamamoto (UFC 126), Nick Pace (WEC 51) Key Losses: Brad Pickett (WEC 48) How he got here:"Mighty Mouse" carried an impressive string of five straight wins on the regional circuit to earn a WEC debut against top bantamweight Brad Pickett in the promotion's first and only pay-per-view event. The AMC Pankration fighter lost a spirited decision to "One Punch" but then proceeded to reel off two consecutive victories in just a few short months against top 15 ranked bantamweights Nick Pace and Damacio Page He would meet Japanese legend Norifuni "Kid" Yamamoto in his UFC debut this past February and completely outworked the dynamic striker/wrestler over the course of three rounds. Never one to turn down an opportunity, Johnson stepped up when Brad Pickett dropped out of his UFC 130 bout with Miguel Torres. Despite breaking his leg early in the fight, Johnson gutted through the injury and turned what had been a strong striking performance into a strong grappling performance against the former WEC bantamweight champion and pulled out a unanimous decision victory. With no other challengers on the horizon, Johnson's victory over Torres was enough to vault him into title-challenger status How he gets it done: Demetrious Johnson absolutely needs to utilize his tremendous athletic gifts. He will be giving up five inches in height but only two in reach. Getting inside is a top priority in the stand-up, and it won't be easy. Cruz almost never attacks straight on. He comes in at angles and is constantly moving. Time and time again his opponents choose to sit back and counter which, whole conserving energy, also lets them get repeatedly tagged with punches while not offering much in return. Johnson should go on the offensive, he's just as fast as Cruz and likely faster. He shouldn't chase Cruz but he should cut him off constantly and get in his face with constant pressure and punches. This is not something "The Dominator" is used to and it could catch him off guard. "Mighty Mouse" is also a terrific wrestler but it will not be easy putting Cruz on his back as Cruz is also very competent in that department. If Johnson wants to win this fight, he needs to get in Cruz's face and never let him get in a groove. If Cruz gets comfortable with his striking, it could mean a lot of trouble for the AMC Pankration fighter. Fight "X-Factor:" The X-Factor for this bout, at least to me, is speed. How is Dominick Cruz going to deal with a man who's actually faster than him for once? This will be the first time he's stepped into the cage where his cardio and quickness aren't going to be huge advantages.  Of course he has other weapons like his wrestling, his size and his technique, but it's been his all-around advantages that have helped him make up for his lack of punching power. If he gets frustrated at any point by Johnson's speed, we might see something completely new out of him, or perhaps he's been planning for that already. How he reacts to Johnson's speed will perhaps be what turns the fight either into his favor or against it. Bottom Line: This is a match-up of two of the quickest fighters in MMA history. Both Cruz and Johnson fight at a high pace, have faith in their hands, have strong wrestling and have gas tanks for days. This bout has the potential to be a flurry of strikes for five straight rounds and the odds that it's not exciting are incredibly low. Ignore the fact that Johnson is a large underdog, he fights like he's got something to prove every time out and this championship bout will be no different. This is going to be a good one. Who will come out on top at UFC on Versus 6? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Who will be the UFC bantamweight champion once the UFC on Versus 6 main event is over tonight? Dominick Cruz Demetrious Johnson   1 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, johnson, bantamweight, wec, cruz

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Dominick Cruz, the very first bantamweight champion in UFC history, will defend his title for the second time inside the Octagon tomorrow night (Oct. 1, 2011) at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C., against Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6. Will Cruz "dominate" once again? Or will the "Mouse" prove more "Mighty" after all?

Posted in: ufc, cruz, verizon center, ufc history, bantamweight champion

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Never before have bantamweights shouldered the marquee in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson are about to make a little history.

Posted in: showdown, johnson, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz

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These are the facts: UFC on Versus is Saturday night for its sixth installment, the promotion is touching down in Washington, DC proper for the first time (that UFC Fight Night in Northern Virginia doesn’t count – it’s freakin’ Virginia, for Christ’s sake), and there’s a bantamweight title on the line.  Oh yeah, and there’s zero buzz going into the event.  Why is there zero buzz?  Is everyone just exhausted from caring so much about UFC 135 last weekend and saving up all the leftover “care” for UFC 136 next week?  Or is it that the lighter weights still aren’t compelling enough to the average fan?  You know what, who cares what the reason is.  Like the WEC and, sadly, Bellator’s 135-pound tournament, Dominick Cruz’s defense of the belt against Demetrious Johnson can be our – you, me and the rest of the hardcores – little secret.  Because in addition to the aforementioned facts, there’s also this: the little guys are never boring.  Preview time! -Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson – The beauty of Cruz’s unorthodox striking-heavy style is that he fights like he’s having an epileptic seizure.  And it works!  The last challenger, Urijah Faber, was so disoriented he didn’t know if he was supposed to crap twice or go blind, and the rest of the top dogs, like Scott Jorgensen, Joseph Benavidez and Brian Bowles, still aren’t sure what happened to them when they fought Cruz.  On the other half of the equation is Johnson, a.k.a. “Mighty Mouse”, who trounced Damacio Page, “Kid” Yamamoto and Miguel Torres to earn his shot.  You know, I think Johnson is as worthy a challenger as we’re going to get, but you can’t outrun the Flash in a footrace or bench press more than the Hulk, and Johnson’s got an even harder task in front of him with Cruz.  This one’s going five rounds, with Cruz once against getting the nod. -Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry – In his last outing the eleven-foot tall Struve got plastered by Travis Browne, while Barry knocked out Cheick Kongo twice yet somehow still wound up unconscious.  You think redemption is on the minds of these guys?  I’d say yes, as well as thoughts of future employment options and the desire to f*** someone up – all of which means we’re most definitely seeing a heavyweight slugfest here.  My crystal ball says it’s going to be Struve who’s carried out on a stretcher, but you never know.  Barry might have a Kongo flashback and pass out. -Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson – In his last time at bat, Brenneman shocked the world by out-wrestling Rick Story and derailing the Story Train’s fast climb up the mountain.  In Johnson’s last outing, he shocked no one by playing it safe against Dan Hardy, lying on top of the Brit for three rounds.  You can bet Johnson is going to try his best to avoid getting taken down and beaten on.  He will, however, fail.  Brenneman is a better wrestler, and sports the kind of relentlessness that makes guys like Johnson wish they’d become a lawyer or doctor like their mom had wanted. -Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig – Wiman looked only okay on TUF 6, but his career in the Octagon since then has seen him lose to only some of the toughest lightweights out there.  Danzig, on the other hand, won TUF 6, but has looked like crap ever since.  Adding another wrinkle to this match-up is that these guys fought already at UFC 115, and the referee totally flubbed a call that involved a Wiman guillotine attempt and the ref believing that Danzig was dead (or something).  Anyway, rematch!  You know, with Kendall Grove axed, I think Danzig will be the next TUF winner to get his walking papers – he’s that uninspiring – so yeah, Wiman by something.  Maybe KO, maybe submission.

Posted in: ufc, ’t, vs, johnson, cruz

Read the full article at MMA Convert

In MMA, there are very few fighters with a style more distinct than UFC BW Champ Dominick Cruz. His bouts feel as much like a prizefight as they do an episode of Dancing With the Stars (but with considerably more grace). His hands are down, his chin is exposed, and his movement so ostensibly random that you suspect he'll accidentally walk into a right hand. Meanwhile, Rogan and Goldberg, torture, if not outright murder terms like "elusive". Cruz is certainly an interesting fighter with an interesting style, but how does he get away with it? Unlike Machida, Cruz will stand in the pocket. Machida doesn't throw combos (at least generally) whereas Cruz will actively engage with combinations. And he does this with the same absent "guard" as Machida. How the hell does he avoid getting hit? Does he "see the future" as baseball players do? "Wait...what??" You may be familiar with the numbers but here they are again. A baseball player able to hit a fastball going 95 to 100pmh, or a tennis player reacting to 150mph serve doesn't actually do so with reflexes. Such a feat is simply impossible. The act of reacting is approximately 200 milliseconds. Which is to say, 200 milliseconds is the time it takes for your eye to process an image, relay it your brain with the eye's innermost tissue (the retina), and then communicate that information to your body for a response. A baseball at that speed travels faster than you can physically react, and world class athletes do not have special reflex muscles to accommodate this. Instead they have world class anticipation skills.   An athletes' brain doesn't calculate velocity. They calculate cues. I'll continue to piggyback off the work of David Epstein here.* Looking at two unique pitchers to expand on his point Epstein notes: "This may also explain why a pitcher with a strange windup, like Hideo Nomo, could thrive in his rookie season (2.54 ERA), but never touch that performance in the years that followed. The importance of visual cues also explains why Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is nearly impossible to hit when he's on his game. Perry Husband, a longtime hitting coach in California who has studied millions of major league pitches, says videos show that Rivera's motion for his cutter and four-seam fastball are identical-as is the flight of the ball three quarters of the way to the plate (beyond the 200 milliseocnd line) before it breaks to one side or the other of the strike zone. "Everything he throws is lying to the hitter's eyes", Husband says." Furthermore, in looking at the work of Bruce Abernathy, a professor at the University of Queensland in Australia who specializes in Human Movement, Epstein continues: Abernethy has put special goggles on tennis players that black out their vision just before an opponent serves the ball. He has shown cricket batters video of bowlers with various parts of their bodies deleted, and he has had batters wear special contact lenses that blur their vision. The idea is to determine how expert athletes intercept projectiles and what information they need to do so. Because top hitters react no faster, on average, than the general population, the only way they can hit the ball better is to anticipate where it's going long before it gets there. Compared with lower-level players, Abernethy found, pros can tell where the ball is going much more accurately, much earlier and with much less information. For instance, top tennis players can tell from the pre-serve movement of their opponent's body—sometimes just tiny shifts of the torso—whether a serve will be on their forehand or backhand. Average players, in contrast, must wait to see the motion of the racket, losing valuable time. In his fantastic voyage of all things subconscious, David Eagleman explains in Incognito how outfielders catch fly balls. Their brains can't calculate velocity (as demonstrated above), nor do they calculate trajectory. A ball player doesn't simply run to the spot where the ball will land. Your brain's visual system can't accurately determine distances beyond 30 meters (outfielders are separated by 100 meters). Outfielders therefore take "peculiarly curved running paths" to maintain a straight line while maintaining their point of view of the ball, as Eagleman notes. What's happening is that their visual cortex is telling them not where to end up, but simply "how to keep running", explaining why outfielders slam themselves into walls pursuing uncatchable foul balls, and home runs. As Jonah Lehrer likes to say, "visual experience transcends visual sensation". Which is to say that vision is a process. A large portion of our brains are dedicated to vision, and you see visceral examples of this in cases where patients have had strokes. A stroke damaging a part of your brain called the MT Area can lead to a strobe-light effect in your vision of the world: a case study of a woman with this exact problem could never cross the street because cars moved in snapshots (rather than in any sensibly fluid motion), nor could she pour water or wine for herself, as without processing motion in relation to vision, she was unable to gauge the rate at which the fluid would flow.   You see more with your brain than you do with your eyes, so my guess is that part of Cruz' success comes from some sort of subconscious priming. That may sound hyperbolic, but just listen to him following his win over Bowles: Angles, footwork, elusiveness, are always the gameplan. People don't know to handle feints. It's somehting that's untapped in MMA and I want people to start recognizing it. When you look at a good boxer, what do you see? You see good footwork, handspeed, and good head movement. That's what I want to bring into MMA. You don't see that a lot (in MMA). Ya know boxing is an art. People don't give boxing enough credit. When you mix kicks in with that, it takes it to another level. Cruz may not be a Pernell Whitaker, but his dancing, "herky jerky" style is something he clearly spends a lot of time in the gym on. And regardless of the criticism leveled at his style, the results are telling. He's avenged his lone loss in a fantastic scrap, and still one of the year's best. In the dreadful, but over the top action film Broken Arrow, John Travolta boxes with Christian Slater to open the film. It's a curious way to start the film, because already we're expected to buy Travolta as an effective boxer. In the scene he tells Slater "don't look at my hands! Look at the shoulders! That's where the punches are coming from". My dad, a former amateur boxer, was quick to call bullshit on that. Although part of his argument comes from Travolta's character, who can dodge a punch but not a nuclear warhead headed for his breadbasket. But is it possible that Cruz, in the middle of all that feinting, jerking, and bouncing is using that time to process different cues, gathering information to see how his opponent reacts, like Anderson Silva does? The way his opponent's feet are angled? What kind of punches to expect given the position of their arms? Does this "awkward" movement assist in assessing probabilities while his opponents, as in poker, "show their tails"? Maybe, maybe not, but until Cruz is lying on the canvas unconscious, I have to believe that Cruz can conjecture like Cleo.    *Just to clarify our working relationship: he answers my uninformed science questions on a weekly basis, and I hock his work here because he thinks I'm writing for a blog people actually read

Posted in: brain, cruz, ball, player, vision

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Dominick Cruz can’t control the amount of hype around his fights, so he focuses his energy on the action in the Octagon.

Posted in: cruz, dominick cruz, control, ’t control, amount

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and challenger Demetrious Johnson weigh-in Friday afternoon. MMAWeekly.com will have full weigh-in results.

Posted in: ufc, johnson, weigh-in, weigh-in results, cruz

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Filed under: UFCUFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and challenger Demetrious Johnson were both on weight for Saturday night's title fight when they stepped on the scale Friday at the UFC Live weigh-in. Both Cruz and Johnson weighed in right at the bantamweight limit of 135 pounds. The largely uneventful weigh-ins were lightened up by 5-foot-11 heavyweight Pat Barry standing on a stool to stare down with his 6-foot-11 opponent, Stefan Struve, as UFC announcer Joe Rogan declared, "This is the biggest height discrepancy for any UFC fight ever." One fighter missed weight: Byron Bloodworth, who took his bantamweight fight with Mike Easton on short notice this week, came in at 138 pounds. Full results are below. Main Card: Dominick Cruz (135) vs. Demetrious Johnson (135) Pat Barry (243) vs. Stefan Struve (261) Charlie Brenneman (171) vs. Anthony Johnson (171) Mac Danzig (155) vs. Matt Wiman (156) Preliminary Card: Yves Edwards (155) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (155) Michael Johnson (156) vs. Paul Sass (155) Byron Bloodworth (138) vs. Mike Easton (135) T.J. Grant (155) vs. Shane Roller (156) Josh Neer (171) vs. Keith Wisniewski (170) Joseph Sandoval (134) vs. Walel Watson (134.5) Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, vs, johnson, bantamweight, cruz

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UFC on Versus 6 will bring a championship title fight to the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., live and free of charge tomorrow night (Oct. 1, 2011) on the Versus network. Headlining the promotion's march on the nation's capitol is the 135-pound bantamweight bash between reigning division champion Dominick Cruz and surging number one contender Demetrious Johnson. Will "Mighty Mouse" save the day? Or is "The Dominator" here to stay? In heavyweight action, fan-favorite Pat Barry will look to raze "The Skyscraper" in his titanic tilt opposite Stefan Struve. Can "HD" unleash his wicked leg kicks on the lanky Dutchman? Or find a way to get himself submitted just when the gettin' is good? Anthony Johnson looks to insert himself into the very short list of 170-pound title contenders -- but only if he can stop the momentum of the recently relevant Charlie Brenneman. Rounding out the four-fight main card is a 155-pound rematch between Mac Danzig and Matt Wiman. Was the Vegan warrior's phantom tap the only thing stopping him from an ugly win over "Handsome?" Or will Wiman finish what he started at UFC 155. Let's take a look. Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson is a fight that hasn't been generating much fan buzz, which is unfortunate, because the champion is one of the best fighters we have in the game today. How does a mixed martial artist who is 18-1, who also avenged his only loss, get left off the pound-for-pound list? Is there some random 135-pounder Cruz has been ducking? Hasn't he beat the best his division has to offer? That will show you the power of the finish. Perceptually speaking, I suppose, since fans (and most media) don't subscribe to the old "a win is a win" theory. Cruz too, must also shoulder some of the blame. Don't call yourself "The Dominator" but then go to a decision in seven of your last eight fights. Still, his talent is undeniable, as is the speed of Johnson, who brings a credible, if not overwhelming challenge to the Verizon Center. Unfortunately Cruz has already shown in prior bouts that he has the footwork and timing to avoid not just speed, but a wrestling-based offense and when it does go south, there are few challengers who are able to keep him there. This will not be a replay of Torres vs. Johnson. But it wouldn't surprise me to see a replay of Cruz vs. Benavidez -- with a similar outcome. You can't outstrike the champ, you can't hold him down and you can't make him tired. I don't see much here to get excited about and five rounds of defensive striking and in-and-out action will likely bring out the boo birds. Dominick Cruz def. Demetrius Johnson via unanimous decision Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve is a frustrating fight from a prediction standpoint, as two scenarios play out with similar ease: Struve gets his legs turned into firewood by the incomparable kicks from his brutish foe, or he tangles Barry up and exploits what could be one of the worst ground games in the entire heavyweight division. I'm going with the latter. It pains me, because I'm an "HD" fan, but I can't believe any fight corner worthy paying would allow their star prospect to enter the Octagon against the New Orleans striker with the idea that a feeling out process doesn't earn him a "Wheelchair of the Night" bonus. Yes, Barry was put to sleep by Cheick Kongo, but I think based on past performances that was the exception and not the rule. He's also faster, stronger and while shorter, can probably walk through a rangy push-kick or long distance jab without the fear of getting iced. What he does need to worry about is wounding his prey and then giving it away. Flashback to the Denis Stojnic fight to get an idea of what kind of heart the Dutchman has. If you hurt him, you have to finish him. Look for Struve to get annihilated on his feet -- only to jump on Barry like a facehugger from Alien to strangle his way to an ugly submission victory. Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry via submission Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman will bring a cruel end to the feel-good story of 2011. "The Spaniard" did something special when he overcame Rick Story back in June, but let's also remember that it was Rick Story. It's not like he submitted Nick Diaz or knocked out Jon Fitch. And I believe the Anthony Johnson that stifled Dan Hardy walks through Brenneman in round one. It's not that I was overly impressed with "Rumble's" wrestling, as it was well documented that he was a successful college wrestler (and Hardy is helpless on the mat), rather it was his conditioning -- something that has plagued the massive welterweight -- that finally looked to be mastered. That kind of thing can be a problem when you cut from north of 200-pounds. I don't want to make it sound out of the realm of possibility that Brenneman gets him down and submits him, but first he has to get inside and his striking is avegarage (at best) and Johnson is just too strong and too dangerous in the stand-up to fall early. Johnson's striking > Brenneman's wrestling. Simply put, it's a race against the clock: Brenneman has to keep from getting knocked out long enough to tire Johnson out. I don't see it happening. Anthony Johnson def. Charlie Brenneman via technical knockout Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig, a rematch from UFC 115, will finally settle the controversy stemming from their first bout when Danzig lost by submission despite never tapping to Wiman's guillotine choke or passing out. Heading into D.C., Danzig is coming off a win, Wiman a loss. On paper this would seem like a close match-up but I think we shouldn't put a ton of stock in Danzig's one-hitter quitter over Joe Stevenson, who was in the midst of a four-fight skid that eventually saw him released from the promotion. Since winning The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), Danzig has failed to impress and limped his way through 2008-09 after dropping three straight. He's got serviceable hands and a highly-rated ground game, but for my money Wiman is the more well-rounded fighter. I don't think Wiman will finish what he started, but I do expect him to control this fight for the better part of three rounds and sweep the judges scorecards en route to a unanimous decision win. Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via unanimous decision Alright Maniacs, that's my best guess as to how the UFC on Versus 6 televised fight card will play out. What's yours? Let's hear some predictions in the comments section below.

Posted in: fight, johnson, cruz, wiman, brenneman

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On Saturday, UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz attempts to defend his title for the second time, and the fourth if you count his run in the now-defunct WEC. Standing in his way is a fighter equally as quick as he is, Demetrious Johnson who looks to break the hard-to-decipher rhythm Cruz has used to impose his will in fights. The five-round title fight headlines UFC on Versus 6, which takes place at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Main-card action airs live on Versus while Facebook streams the prelims.

Posted in: ufc, demetrious johnson, cruz, verizon center, facebook streams

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UFC on Versus 6 is finally upon us, as Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson get their hands dirty in tomorrow night's (Oct. 1) championship main event from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. And that means there's money to be made for the gamblers among us. First you have to win, of course, and you should never bet what you can't afford to lose, but since I've recently started putting money down on the sport I love, I thought it might be prudent to share some wagering tips before major UFC and MMA events, pointing out the most profitable scraps. And which bouts to avoid. Included in the UFC on Versus 6 betting guide are all the odds for tomorrow night's show, but first check out my three important rules every bettor should follow right here. Now then, let's get to it.   We have a fantastic-looking free card this weekend and any time you get a title fight for free, life is good. Plus, Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve should be one of the funniest fights ever -- for however long it lasts.   Plus, we’ve got some tasty-looking odds. Let’s break it down and see where we can make some cash on the side. As usual, the lines provided are from Bodog.com, and bestfightodds.com has side-by-side comparisons of various sites' odds if you're looking to shop around. These lines are accurate as of today. Undercard Michael Johnson (-180) vs. Paul Sass (+150) Yves Edwards (-165) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (+135) Mike Easton (-340) vs. Byron Bloodworth (+260) Walel Watson (-130) vs. Joseph Sandoval (EVEN) Josh Neer (-270) vs. Keith Wisniewski (+210) Shane Roller (-200) vs. T.J. Grant (+160)   Thoughts: The two guys that strike me as bargains are Paul Sass and Joseph Sandoval. Johnson is a good, mid-tier fighter, but Paul Sass has proven surprisingly adept at taking out mid-tier fighters. A win over Rob Sinclair means a LOT, and in that fight, Paul also demonstrated very good wrestling to accompany his nasty guard game. As I mentioned in my breakdown, Johnson has four submission losses to his name, while Sass has ten submission finishes. Look for his grappling to frustrate Johnson into a late submission loss.   I haven’t seen too much of Sandoval besides rather grainy footage of his last effort, but what I saw impressed me enough to pick him over Watson. He’s primarily a standup fighter and his hands are above-average. The kicker for me, however, is Watson’s complete ignorance regarding how to react to punches. The man doesn’t use his range and he backs straight up, hands down when pressured. Don’t make him the focus of your parlays (I’m stretching Rule One as is), but at even odds, he’s worth at least a few bucks on the side.   Main Card Anthony Johnson (-185) vs. Charlie Brenneman (+155) Pat Barry (-185) vs. Stefan Struve (+155) Matt Wiman (-205) vs. Mac Danzig (+165) Dominick Cruz (-525) vs. Demetrious Johnson (+325)   Thoughts: Odds are a bit closer than last week, excluding the main event. Let’s break it down and see if we’ve got anything worth laying some money down on.   Brenneman is, without a doubt, the single best bargain on this entire card. His wrestling is damn good, even considering the wrestling monsters dominating his division. He was outgrappling Hendricks before the man’s ungodly left hand found Charlie’s jaw, and he dominated noted wrestlers Jason High and Rick Story.   Yes, Rumble is a wrestler, but that didn’t stop Clementi or Kos from taking him down and dominating him on the ground. Of course, Rumble can end the fight with any one of his limbs at any time, so it’s a bit risky, but I don’t anticipate Brenneman giving him the opportunity to plant himself and throw bombs.   Yes, I said most of this same hyperbole about Takanori Gomi last week, but my crippling devotion to all things PRIDE isn’t coming to play this time. Plus, I doubt anyone wants to see a Brenneman lay-and-pray fest, so putting money on him is a win/win: either you make a good amount of money, or you get to see Rumble splatter Brenneman’s skull across the Octagon. Go big here.   The odds on Barry-Struve look tempting, and Struve’s inability to shoot takedowns or defend punches with anything besides his face has me pretty convinced that Barry is going to paste him, but I just can’t shake the thought that Struve is going to find a way to wrap Barry into his guard and submit him from there. I’m also afraid that Barry, in traditional Barry fashion, is going to find some way to choke in the cusp of victory.   If you’re going to put money down, put it on Barry, but I can’t bring myself to recommend it with any degree of certainty.   Wiman has certainly done better than Danzig in recent times; knocking out Joe Stevenson doesn’t hold a candle to obliterating Cole Miller and giving Dennis Siver all he could handle. The only reason I’m not directing you towards emptying your wallet on Wiman is because I’ve seen approximately three minutes of Danzig in action: his fight with Stevenson and the first Wiman bout.   From what I HAVE seen, though, Wiman has the jaw, wrestling, and defensive grappling to avoid being finished in any fashion. I can see him putting Danzig on his back and dribbling his skull against the canvas for four minutes. He’s worth a parlay, and if he gets better than -180 by Saturday, go straight-up.   Let me say it flat-out: Dominick Cruz is not losing at 135 to the present crop of contenders. His wrestling, timing, cardio, and funky striking are too much for pretty much everyone I can think of. The only way I can see to beat him is to counter him on one of his hands-down lunges, and the only person I can see with the necessary power and speed to put him to sleep with that one blow is KID Yamamoto (who I don’t think will be challenging for the title any time soon).   Johnson is fast, Johnson is relentless, and Johnson is a very sound wrestler. Unfortunately, so was Urijah, so was Benavidez, and so was Jorgenson. Johnson simply doesn’t possess the sort of skillset necessary to take out Cruz. He doesn’t have the power to stop him standing, the takedown defense to avoid that inhuman knee-tap, or the takedown offense to put Cruz on his back. At -525, Cruz isn’t worth a straight bet at this time, but with the number of close lines, sticking him in a parlay can turn a – into a +.   My Current Bets: Single Bet: Joseph Sandoval-$30 to win $30 Single Bet: Charlie Brenneman-$65 to win $100.75 Parlay: Dominick Cruz and Charlie Brenneman-$54.86 to win $111.68 Parlay: Paul Sass and Dominick Cruz-$36 to win $71.14   Yeah, I'm going a bit crazy this week after doing so badly last week. This will probably come back to bite me, but fortune favors the bold.   Remember: never bet more than you can lose, bet with your head, and don’t let betting get in the way of your enjoying MMA. We’ve got an excellent weekend of fights ahead of us, so have fun.

Posted in: vs, johnson, &rsquo, nbsp, cruz

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Mixed Martial Arts is a complex sport that includes many different aspects. Here, I'm taking a look at a key upcoming fight and breaking down just one of those aspects - the stand-up.  THE FIGHT Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious JohnsonUFC Bantamweight TitleUFC on Versus 6 DOMINICK CRUZ Strengths - Movement. Plain and simple. Dominick Cruz is an absolute master of movement in every aspect of his game. In particular, he uses footwork, body, and head movement to seamlessly flow between offense and defense when striking. Cruz's striking style is based around using his fast feet to quickly move inside an opponent's range. He then lands strikes, typically in a combo. Cruz's wide arsenal of strikes includes punches, kicks, and knees all delivered from either an orthodox or south paw stance. He uses his body well to get behind his shots and to chain them together nicely. After landing his own shots, Cruz uses head and body movement to slip any counter strikes, then once he sees an opening, either lands another combo, or uses his feet again to escape. Then he starts the sequence over again. In short, he gets in, does damage, takes none, and gets out. And that is almost exclusively due to his superior movement. One other way he uses movement to his great advantage is in his use of angles. One of the best ways to avoid being hit and maximize your own strikes is to strike your opponent while you are on an angle. Your body faces your opponent (maximizing your power), but theirs is turned slightly away from you (minimizing their power). Cruz does a very good job at landing while on angles. In particular, he has a great hook he hits while running diagonally past his opponent, making it very hard to counter. Weaknesses - Honestly, Cruz has one of the best stand-up games in the sport today, so it's hard to really call anything a weakness. If there's an area where he leaves an opening though it's in his style of defense. Cruz defends punches by slipping them - meaning he lowers his head and body and slides his head off to the side to avoid any incoming punches. It's a style of defense seen more in boxing than MMA, although Anderson Silva has been using it a lot lately. Because he defends with this head movement, Cruz keeps his hands low and does not use them to defend his chin and head at all. Normally, keeping the hands so low is a huge negative, but Cruz is so adept at his head movement that no one has yet been able to find that chin and exploit that defensive hole. But that doesn't mean it's not there. Analysis of Johnson and the head to head comparison in the full article. More SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6 DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON Strengths - Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson has a great all around game, and as a result his striking is sometimes a bit overlooked. But he has very good skills on the feet. His greatest asset is definitely his speed - Johnson may be the fastest fighter in the history of the UFC. That speed is most pronounced in his movement around the cage, but you also see it in his hand speed and ability to quickly put together combinations. In addition to this speed, Johnson also has strengths in his game that extend beyond the basic fundamentals. Like Cruz, he uses angles well, and is comfortable in either stance and will switch between stances often. He also throws very nice hooks that are crisp and tight. It's a very different approach to hooks from Cruz, who throws them more looping on the outside. Weaknesses - That speed is a huge plus, but it also means that Johnson often gives up power, preferring to connect quickly instead of with maximum force. While he connects often, the times he has staggered an opponent with his strikes are few indeed. One area where you really see this is his kicks. He throws kicks very quickly, but he doesn't rotate the hips much. That gets the kick off faster at times, but it doesn't allow him to get his body behind the kick and really maximize its power. HEAD TO HEAD In addition to his excellent stand-up, Dominick Cruz also has a very good wrestling and submission game that is built around keeping himself out of trouble and keeping the fight standing when he wants it there. Because of this, I think the man to beat Cruz will need to beat him on his feet, taking advantage of that defensive style to find Cruz's chin and connect with some powerful punches. And unfortunately for Johnson, he's just not that kind of fighter. The big plus Johnson has in his corner is that speed - Cruz is used to being the faster fighter, and he'll be at a speed disadvantage here. But Johnson's speed is more in his movement than his reflexes (as we saw in the Brad Pickett fight when Pickett repeatedly caught Johnson's kicks). I suspect Cruz will make the needed adjustments and be able to connect on Johnson. It comes down to this: if Johnson hangs back, Cruz will push in and outstrike him. If Johnson comes forward, Cruz will use his counter-striking to hit 3 or 4 strikes on Johnson every time Mighty Mouse misses. And Dominick Cruz is an expert at making people miss. ADVANTAGE: DOMINICK CRUZ Poll Who has the better stand-up? Dominick Cruz Demetrious Johnson Even   9 votes | Results

Posted in: johnson, head, cruz, speed, movement

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MMAFrenzy.com concludes its preview of UFC on Versus 6 with a new take on our head-to-head breakdowns. Each day we have taken a look at a each fight from Saturday’s main card, leading up to the main event. UFC on Versus 6 takes place this Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. UFC Bantamweight Championship fight- Dominick Cruz (c) versus Demetrious Johnson Keys for the Champion (Bryan Robison)- For the first time since his reign as bantamweight champion began, Dominick Cruz will have an opponent who can match him in speed. Demetrious Johnson will be able to counter against Cruz’ wiry punches and looping kicks by using his own impressive speed. Because of this, we might see a different Cruz on Saturday. While his speed is well known, he is also known for his unorthodox striking. It fooled previous opponents, such as Joseph Benavidez and Scott Jorgensen. While he most likely will not be able to knock you unconscious with the wide array of strikes, they are effective in canceling out his opponent’s. Cruz has displayed strong wrestling, even though he does not rely on it as much as he used to, due to his long advantageous frame at 135 pounds. That pedigree will more than likely need to be on display against Johnson. Johnson’s lone loss came against Brad Pickett, who was able to negate Johnson’s wrestling in the latter two rounds, and took the unanimous decision. Expect a bout that is similar to his two impressive bouts with Joseph Benavidez. Cruz came out on top in both by decision, utilizing his length and reach advantage against the shorter opponent. Keys for the Challenger (CL)- Demitrious Johnson feels the need… the need for speed. Ok so Top Gun references aside, this is likely the most important weapon in his arsenal. Cruz nearly always enjoys a considerable speed advantage over his opponents but in this case, Johnson is the faster fighter. The one problem for Johnson is that his usual wrestling advantage is gone against Cruz. So he must use his speed to close distance and stalk Cruz the majority of the fight. With this style, cutting the ring is paramount as it allows you to trap your opponent. In doing so, Johnson can attempt to dictate where the action takes place. In Cruz’s last bout with Urijah Faber, Faber looked his best when he went on the attack versus Cruz. If Johnson goes on the attack, utilizes the good kickboxing that he has shown earlier in his career, and counter-wrestles, he can pull off a victory. While most people are used to seeing one or two move wrestling in the octagon, Johnson must use what is known as “shot-reshot” in the wrestling world. What that means is that he must parry Cruz’s shot and then immediately shoot his own shot on the champion. Often times in college there can be multiple reshots in one flurry. With these fighters’ speed it can easily happen here. Johnson has to redirect Cruz’s shots in order to have any chance in this fight. If he cannot, this fight could look a lot like his fight with Brad Pickett. While Johnson’s future may lie at a flyweight, he still has the tools to stalk, dictate the location of the action, and outstrike the champion in his bid for the belt. If he accomplishes only two out of three of these he can still become the champion in a hard fought decision. UFC on Versus 6 Main Card UFC bantamweight title fight- Dominick Cruz (c) vs. Demetrious Johnson Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman Check out MMAFrenzy.com’s complete coverage of UFC on Versus 6 by clicking here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, johnson, cruz, speed

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MMAFrenzy.com concludes its preview of UFC on Versus 6 with a new take on our head-to-head breakdowns. Each day we have taken a look at a each fight from Saturday’s main card, leading up to the main event. UFC on Versus 6 takes place this Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. UFC Bantamweight Championship fight- Dominick Cruz (c) versus Demetrious Johnson Keys for the Champion (Bryan Robison)- For the first time since his reign as bantamweight champion began, Dominick Cruz will have an opponent who can match him in speed. Demetrious Johnson will be able to counter against Cruz’ wiry punches and looping kicks by using his own impressive speed. Because of this, we might see a different Cruz on Saturday. While his speed is well known, he is also known for his unorthodox striking. It fooled previous opponents, such as Joseph Benavidez and Scott Jorgensen. While he most likely will not be able to knock you unconscious with the wide array of strikes, they are effective in canceling out his opponent’s. Cruz has displayed strong wrestling, even though he does not rely on it as much as he used to, due to his long advantageous frame at 135 pounds. That pedigree will more than likely need to be on display against Johnson. Johnson’s lone loss came against Brad Pickett, who was able to negate Johnson’s wrestling in the latter two rounds, and took the unanimous decision. Expect a bout that is similar to his two impressive bouts with Joseph Benavidez. Cruz came out on top in both by decision, utilizing his length and reach advantage against the shorter opponent. Keys for the Challenger (CL)- Demitrious Johnson feels the need… the need for speed. Ok so Top Gun references aside, this is likely the most important weapon in his arsenal. Cruz nearly always enjoys a considerable speed advantage over his opponents but in this case, Johnson is the faster fighter. The one problem for Johnson is that his usual wrestling advantage is gone against Cruz. So he must use his speed to close distance and stalk Cruz the majority of the fight. With this style, cutting the ring is paramount as it allows you to trap your opponent. In doing so, Johnson can attempt to dictate where the action takes place. In Cruz’s last bout with Urijah Faber, Faber looked his best when he went on the attack versus Cruz. If Johnson goes on the attack, utilizes the good kickboxing that he has shown earlier in his career, and counter-wrestles, he can pull off a victory. While most people are used to seeing one or two move wrestling in the octagon, Johnson must use what is known as “shot-reshot” in the wrestling world. What that means is that he must parry Cruz’s shot and then immediately shoot his own shot on the champion. Often times in college there can be multiple reshots in one flurry. With these fighters’ speed it can easily happen here. Johnson has to redirect Cruz’s shots in order to have any chance in this fight. If he cannot, this fight could look a lot like his fight with Brad Pickett. While Johnson’s future may lie at a flyweight, he still has the tools to stalk, dictate the location of the action, and outstrike the champion in his bid for the belt. If he accomplishes only two out of three of these he can still become the champion in a hard fought decision. UFC on Versus 6 Main Card UFC bantamweight title fight- Dominick Cruz (c) vs. Demetrious Johnson Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman Check out MMAFrenzy.com’s complete coverage of UFC on Versus 6 by clicking here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, johnson, cruz, speed

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Filed under: UFCIt's been four years since a UFC championship has been defended on basic cable TV, a streak that will end on Saturday when bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz attempts to hold onto his belt and thwart the challenge of Demetrious Johnson. The matchup, broadcast on Versus, likely boasts the speediest pair of fighters ever matched for a UFC title. Cruz is known for his fancy footwork and ability to weave in and out of striking distance, while the 5-foot-3 Johnson expertly navigates reach differentials with his own swift feet. Cruz has been likened to Lyoto Machida in that he has an unconventional style that is relatively difficult to emulate and causes matchup difficulties. But apart from that similarity, their styles are actually quite different. While Machida tends to be very still, leans back out of punching range and waits to aggressively move in for a killshot, Cruz's success is built on his endless movement, flurries of activity and ability to seamlessly transition from standup to takedowns. It's this unique set of skills that awaits Johnson as a challenge. For at least part of it, Johnson is at least on paper, equipped. Much like Cruz, Johnson spent his high school years as a wrestler. That's shown offensively, as Johnson has successfully completed 74 percent of his takedowns, according to FightMetric. Defensively, however, Johnson has had some difficulties. He's only stopped 46 percent of attempts against him. Given the frequency of Cruz's takedown tries (he's scored 31 takedowns in his last six fights), Johnson will have to do much better than that to give himself a chance to win. On their feet, things get trickier. An interesting note about Cruz is that for all the accolades his striking receives, he's not a particularly accurate striker. In fact, he's below average when it comes to connection percentage, landing only 29 percent of his thrown strikes. That probably comes as a surprising statistic to many who constantly hear about Cruz's standup brilliance. In reality, Cruz's striking success is based on volume and relentlessness above all else. Take his most recent title defense against Urijah Faber, for example. In the bout, Cruz out-landed Faber 97-53 overall. However, again, Cruz connected on just 39.4 percent of his strikes. For all his activity, Cruz rarely offers opponents a chance to hit him in flush in return. Faber, for example, scored on just 32 percent of his shots. While Faber arguably landed the bigger shots, they were fewer and farther between, and Cruz's offensive aggression makes an impact in the minds of the judges. We've seen a trend recently of opponents trying to engage Cruz in tight. Since he's not considered a power puncher, foes are willing to sit back, let the right-hander wade in towards them and fire back power shots as he steps into range. Both Faber and his Team Alpha Male teammate Joseph Benavidez employed that kind of strategy, often keying on his kicks. For Johnson, it would be a bit trickier, because while he has the speed to employ it, he hasn't shown the power to make that kind of attack the right one for him. That plan tends to be a risky proposition. When Cruz attacks first, there will usually be at least 3-4 strikes coming, and you might only get to fire off one in return. That almost ensures you'll lose the flurry in the eyes of the judges (barring a knockdown or flush strike), and over the course of the round, those types of exchanges will add up in his favor, as they have over and over. Johnson has so far in his UFC/WEC career flashed an impressive mix of striking accuracy and defense. He has successfully landed 51 percent of his strikes, and despite his usual reach disadvantage, he rarely gets hit. One interesting stat is that he only absorbs 0.98 strikes per minute, a number which would rank him No. 2 for best defense in the UFC if he had enough fights to qualify him for the leaderboard. By comparison, Cruz absorbs 1.75 strikes per minute. Cruz is about a 5-to-1 favorite, and that number is a little too big for a fighter who goes to decisions so often. His game is well equipped to win either a striking, wrestling or ground battle, but he's never shown the ability to overwhelm a foe except in volume. Johnson is one of the few bantamweights in the world who may be faster than Cruz and can match his gas tank. Because of that, I expect this fight to be more competitive than the line indicates. The key factor in this bout may not end up being speed or striking, but Cruz's takedown defense. Johnson's wrestling doesn't get a ton of notice, but since losing his WEC debut, he's scored 23 takedowns in four fights, successfully completing 74.1 percent of his tries. It was his wrestling that helped him win his two biggest fights, and we shouldn't expect him to abandon it now. Keeping Johnson at the end of his leg kicks will help Cruz in that regard, along with his natural gifts. The wrestling game will stalemate at times, leading this fight to be decided standing. As usual, Cruz's flurries and pace will offer him an advantage there. If Johnson tries to be a counter-fighter, he'll suffer the same fate as Faber and the rest, caught up in the numbers game. If he comes forward, his chances are better, but crossing the distance will leave him open to counters. Johnson is going to have his moments, but fighting from range is Cruz's specialty, and that's where most of this fight will be decided. Cruz via decision. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson live results and play-by-play on Saturday, Oct. 1, in Washington, DC. The main event features Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson.

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UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson quick results on Saturday, Oct. 1, in Washington, DC. The main event features Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson.

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UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson play-by-play of Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson on Saturday, Oct. 1, in Washington, DC.

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If you look at the top bantamweights in the world, Dominick Cruz has beaten practically all of them. Urijah Faber, Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez (twice), and Scott Jorgensen have all fallen at the hands of the UFC champion, but as he prepares for his latest challenge, a Saturday night main event against Demetrious Johnson, there is no more or less pressure on him; it’s just another fight.“I feel like every time I fight I’m not defending anything,” said Cruz. “Nobody owns the belt; you just go out there and win a new one every time you fight. So this is just another fight. Fighting Faber, beating Faber, that was just another step in my career that I needed to make happen for myself. I did it, I accomplished another one of my goals that I set, and that’s how I look at it. I’m going out to fight another fight, win a new belt, and put a beating on DJ.”If that sounds like the confident words of a champion, that would be accurate, and Cruz has earned such a right with his performances. Unbeaten at 135 pounds, a weight class he has graced since 2008, the San Diego native won the WEC and UFC versions of the bantamweight title, but he didn’t truly put his stamp on the division until July, when he defeated the only man to beat him as a pro (at featherweight) in Faber. The five round war won Fight of the Night honors at UFC 132, but it wasn’t until the next morning that everything sunk in for the champion.“It was like a weight off my shoulders,” said Cruz of beating Faber. “There were a lot of emotions tied into that fight, and not just because of the trash talking, but because deep down inside I knew I could beat him, and I knew that I was supposed to beat him. It was something I just had to do and wanted to do. So there was a lot of pressure, and a lot that I put on myself more than anything. I’m my own worst critic, and anything that anybody can say about me, I’ve already said about myself and thought about it, so to lose to Faber the way that I did (in 2007), it wasn’t necessarily that I lost; it was the way that I lost so quickly. I didn’t even get to fight him and he didn’t even get to see who I was. Nobody got to see who I was in that fight. And this last fight, I got to go out there and show it and prove it and get that W. It was an unbelievable feeling, it’s an accomplishment, and I feel really good about it.”So do the fans that got to witness a bout that lived up to every ounce of the pre-fight hype that surrounded it. Cruz wasn’t surprised though, as he knew the first 135-pound main event in UFC history was going to deliver.“I knew that he would (bring it) and I knew that I would,” said Cruz. “So I kinda assumed that was something that was gonna take place. I knew that me and him was either gonna be a five round war that was gonna be an awesome fight at a high pace, or I was gonna go out there and sleep him in the first round. I’m always willing to go to war – I invite the war, I accept the war, and I look forward to the war. That’s what it was and I’m glad we were able to put on a good show for the fans and it was something that I expected.”Saturday’s bout against Johnson, a powerhouse wrestler with lightning-fast takedowns, promises more of the same. The only question is if Cruz, after all the emotions attached to the Faber fight, can go back to the mental well once more just three months later.“We’re fighting for a world title – if that doesn’t get you hyped up, what does?” said Cruz. “This is fighting on the biggest stage on the planet for the highest accolade you could possibly get in fighting. I’m hyped every single time I fight. I’m hyped to fight somebody new, I’m hyped to have a new problem to solve in there with a different opponent. DJ’s not somebody to look past. That guy beat Miguel Torres and Kid Yamamoto back to back. The guy’s an underdog that loves the underdog role, and uses it well to fuel him. And that’s exactly what he plans on using to fuel himself against me. But it’s not gonna work because I don’t look at him that way. I look at him as just as tough, and tougher in some ways, than Faber was.”Guess that answers that question. So what about the idea that Cruz, the presumed fastest gun in the division, may be facing someone even faster in Washington State’s “Mighty Mouse”? That’s going to be an intriguing plotline to see play out at Verizon Center, but one that isn’t fazing Cruz too much.“He’s pretty quick, but everybody’s quick when they’re comfortable or of you fight them a certain way,” counters the champion. “He’s never fought a high-level wrestler except for Kid Yamamoto, and Yamamoto sat down on his punches very hard and was trying to take his head off with every punch, and you can’t fight a guy like Johnson like that because he plans on that and looks forward to you doing that so he can take you down. There’s just a specific way you gotta fight every single person; you can’t fight everyone the same. I don’t think he’s the quickest I’ve fought. How are you gonna say that he’s faster than Faber or Benavidez? He’s just a different kind of fast and he has a different look than anybody else I’ve fought. He’s got a good rhythm, he’s got good timing on his takedowns, and it’s all about fighting him a certain way and making him uncomfortable.”And if you haven’t watched Cruz in action, let’s just say that perhaps no fighter can make you as uncomfortable as he can. With cardio for days (he’s fought three five rounders in a row), constant movement and a striking style that has you guessing where the next punch is coming from, Cruz is one of those rare athletes that you can’t figure out. And just when you think you have got a bead on him, he switches it up all over again.“I’m always training, evolving and trying to get better,” said the 26-year old. “You fight me once, I’m one fighter, you fight me another time, I’m a different fighter. And the other thing is, I don’t fight everybody the same. Even though I’ve got the same sort of style, my gameplan for every person is different. I change up my strikes, I change up the angles to a different side, and I have gameplans according to what my opponents do for every fight.”But the real secret is that he’s not just focusing on himself, but he’s watching everybody else as he rounds out his MMA game. “I’m always watching everybody,” he said. “I’m a fan of the sport, and I’m learning from every newcomer that comes in and I’m learning from every veteran and I’m trying to grow and improve. I watch tons of boxing and I think it’s an art and it’s beautiful. And I mix that in with my kickboxing and my wrestling. But you can’t just use boxing and go out there and win. You can’t just use Muay Thai and go out there and win. You have to be able to take certain things from every art and you add it to your style. The beautiful thing about MMA is that there’s always something to add.”With that attitude, his skillset, and the idea that he’s not the champion, but a hungry challenger, Dominick Cruz may be settling in for a long reign at the top. But maybe settling isn’t the right word, because this is one fighter who can never sit still for very long – in or out of the Octagon. And that’s just the way he likes it. “I live for this,” he said. “I’m having a blast, I’m loving every second of it and I’m taking it all in. You see me after my fights, I put my hands up, close my eyes, and after every win and before every single fight, I’m soaking in the energy and loving every second of this. I’m in the one percentile of the entire planet, I’m doing something that I love to do, and God has blessed me, so it’s unbelievable and I’m loving it.”

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Take one look at Demetrious Johnson in a fight and it’s evident that he’s one of the fastest athletes in the UFC today. Who knew that he was going to take a similar path up the bantamweight ranks to a world title shot against Dominick Cruz on Saturday night?Perhaps Johnson didn’t know it himself, but every time the UFC called, he picked up the phone, stepped up to the plate and made his own luck. Now he’s one win away from being called a world champion. It’s still sinking in for the young man dubbed “Mighty Mouse.”“It’s hard to enjoy it because it’s part of the fight game and part of life,” said Johnson. “I’m just blessed to be in the situation I’m in and I’m happy to be in the UFC and fighting all the time. I want to be active and fight as much as possible. (Lightweight contender) Donald Cerrone, he’s having the time of his life. He’s making money, he’s fighting all the time, he’s being active, and he’s young, so that’s a good thing and how I want to be as well.”It’s an aspect of mixed martial arts that has been lost in the world of boxing. In boxing, there’s so much riding on the perfect record and fighting the “right” opponents until you hit the 25-0 mark and can get a premium cable fight or a spot on a Pay-Per-View card. In MMA, a fighter can go from obscurity to the top of the heap in the space of a year and a half like Johnson has, simply by being willing to take risks.“When the UFC calls for a fight, I accept any fight they give to me,” he said. “I beat Kid Yamamoto, stepped in for Brad Pickett because he got hurt, fought Miguel Torres, won that fight, and the next thing you know, they call me up and I’m the next challenge for Dominick Cruz.”Sounds simple enough, but after debuting in the WEC in April of 2010 with a close loss against England’s Pickett, Johnson went on to hand Nick Pace his first pro defeat and submit longtime contender Damacio Page before moving over to the UFC in 2011. And while the names Kid Yamamoto and Miguel Angel Torres may not immediately register to casual fans of the sport, to fight game aficionados, you’re talking about two of the premier lighter weight fighters in history. And the 25-year old Johnson beat them both – in consecutive bouts.“Going to fighting Kid Yamamoto from Damacio Page, there was a huge technical difference,” he said. “He (Yamamoto) understood range a lot more, he had good footwork and good boxing, and he also hit really hard. So that was a little different. And when I fought Miguel Torres, it was the same. They’re both tough, hard to put away, and they’re there to fight. They’ve been to the top level.”Now he’s there as well, a turn of events that has surprised some observers. But as far as Johnson is concerned, if the man calling the shots believes he’s ready for a shot at the crown, that’s all that matters.“It doesn’t bother me because people are gonna say what they want to say,” he said. “I can’t control what they think of me. If (UFC President) Dana White thinks I should be there, then I’m happy to be there.”After gutting out a close victory over Torres in May despite breaking his fibula in the second round, he’s about to take on the King of the Hill in the unorthodox Cruz, another fighter who won’t be losing any fastest man competitions anytime soon. If you’ve ever felt the need to watch a fight in slow motion to catch all the intricacies of the fast-paced action, this may be the one.“I think it (speed) is gonna play a huge part in the fight,” said Johnson. “He moves so much that it makes him a lot faster than a lot of people, and obviously speed’s gonna be a huge factor whether he’s using his speed or I’m using mine. But I’m just gonna go out there and fight like I always do, put the pressure on him and see what happens.”And when it comes to breaking down one of the most hard-to-decipher styles in the sport today, Johnson feels like he’s got all his bases covered, with “The Wizard” himself, Matt Hume, working up a gameplan in the Pacific Northwest home of the AMC Pankration gym.“We have a lot of guys in the gym who use a lot of movement to fight,” said Johnson. “One of my main training partners, Drew Brokenshire, he uses a lot of movement when he fights, and we actually have a coach, Trevor Jackson, who watched like 14 hours of footage on Dominick Cruz and he can imitate him down to a tee. I’ve been sparring him and Matt Hume, who’s an awesome wrestler and who outweighs me too, twice a week. So I think I prepared myself to get the best imitation I can for Dominick Cruz. But he can bring people into town to imitate me, and I can bring in people to try to imitate him, but it’s not gonna be the same until you get in there and actually experience what me and him can actually do with each other.”What people are expecting from this Saturday’s title fight is a bout that may go 25 minutes but feel like only 10. Cruz and Johnson are dervishes in the Octagon, always looking to stay a step ahead of their opposition. Put them together, and they may give a run to Cruz’ previous bout with Urijah Faber for Fight of the Year consideration. It’s a lot of pressure for Johnson, considering that this is not only his first UFC main event, but his first main card appearance, but he seems to be taking it well, quietly confident that a 13 week training camp has touched all the right bases.“I think my confidence comes from working out in the gym and training with the best in the world,” he said. “Before this fight was even in the books, I never took time off from training, and I’m always trying to evolve my game and get better. I broke my fibula in the Miguel Torres fight and I was on crutches, and when I wasn’t on crutches, I was already training for this fight. I’ve done the training that I need to to go out there and win this fight, and I trained my butt off. I believe in my skills, I believe in my coaches, and I’m just ready to go out there and see what happens.”Title shots don’t come around too often, and they rarely rear their head a second time. Demetrious Johnson knows what’s at stake on Saturday, yet he’s not focusing on what could happen after the final bell. He’s got a fight to think about first, and if there’s one thing that “Mighty Mouse” is sure of, it’s that he’s got plenty of fight in him for Dominick Cruz.“I’m a small guy, but I’ve got a lot of heart, and size doesn’t matter,” said the 5-foot-3 contender. “The only thing that matters is the fight in the person and how much that person wants it and how much drive the person has. I’m happy to be in the situation I’m in, I can’t wait to go out there and fight on a live card, being the main event, and hopefully I’ve got Dominick Cruz’ number. He’s beaten everybody in the weight class so far, but I’m going out there to try and seize the opportunity that’s been given to me.”

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MMANation's Luke Thomas talked to top MMA trainer, and head official for ONE FC, Matt Hume during the UFC on Versus 6 open workouts. 'The Wizard' talked about various topics such as ONE FC's potential to succeed, the emerging markets in South East Asia, the UFC's planned event for Japan, the state of JMMA, and finally, a detailed breakdown of the upcoming title fight between Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson. Naturally, he predicts a victory for his student in Johnson, although the most intersting tidbit would be him saying that the champ's movement isn't really that unorthodox, and that "Cruz's footwork is to run away, while Demetrious Johnson's footwork is to fight" Apologies in advance for a small portion of the conversation being cut on the start, but do check out video footage below: You can also check out Luke Thomas' other UFC on Versus 6 interviews with Pat Barry, Stefan Struve, Dominick Cruz, and many others on MMANation.

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In the world of MMA it's not very often where teammates will openly say they will fight each other.

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Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson may be a heavy underdog at the sportsbooks heading into his fight with UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, but that's nothing new to him.

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Check out this exclusive one on one interview with UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship is right back in action promoting this Saturday's (October 1, 2011) free event, UFC on Versus 6, which is taking place in Washington D.C. Headlining the free show will be the return of UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz as he looks to defend his title for the fourth time against challenger Demetrious Johnson.  Cruz has risen to the top with a unique fighting style that has baffled every opponent in his way. He recently defended his belt against the only man to ever previously defeat him, Urijah Faber, at UFC 132. His opponent, Demetrious Johnson, is coming off the most impressive victory of his career against former WEC champion Miguel Torres at UFC 130. He's hoping his speed can make up for Cruz's unorthodox style. The co-main event features a a very unique heavyweight battle as 6'11 Dutch fighter Stefan Struve takes on 5'11 American kickboxer Pat Barry. Both men are coming off of thrilling knockout losses in fights they had been previously winning and this has the potential to have the most awkward pre-fight staredown in UFC history. Anthony Johnson has widely been considered one of the top welterweight prospects and he scored a significant victory in his last bout against former title challenger Dan Hardy in a bout that he showcased his wrestling. He'll have a tougher time outwrestling Charlie Brenneman, an AMA Fight Club trained fighter with a strong wrestling base who's coming off the biggest win of his career. Cruz, Johnson, Struve, Barry, Johnson and Brenneman will participate in the UFC on Versus 6 press conference today (September 29, 2011) at 1 p.m. ET. MMAmania.com will deliver up-to-the-second live updates of the conference call after the jump: Brian Hemminger here. The call is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET. Anthony Johnson: Charlie when he fought Rick Story did a great job and I didn't know he could wrestle that good. The only fight I'd seen of him before was against Johny Hendricks and he was doing good in that fight before he got caught. He's a very talented fighter.  Charlie Brenneman: When it comes to go-time, it's one of those things where we revert back to where we're comfortable. What I do in this fight depends what he throws at me. I'm prepared for every aspect of it. Reed Harris: Ticket sales are going well but there are tickets available. Reed Harris: These guys are incredible fighters. They're some of the most exciting fights I've seen in MMA. I think they've already broken through. I think they're as good of fighters as the heavyweights.  Dominick Cruz: I'm not going out there to defend anything. I'm going out there to win something new when I fight for the title. I don't own anything. This will be like my first time winning it. Dominick Cruz: Success feels good. I feel I'm a fighter and I love what I do. It's easier to say focused when I see all these maniacs coming up the division that want to fight me and take my belt. Demetrious Johnson: I think he's the champion, I think he's the best of the best of fhe weight class. On Saturday night I'm coming with a lot of fire and I'm gonna bring the fight. Demetrious Johnson: All the other opponents that he's faced are great fighters but I bring different tools. You'll have to tune in on Saturday night to watch it. I've prepared myself to win. Pat Barry: In MMA, we've got to be able to do everything. We've got to be able to defend on the ground and attack on the ground. Stefan could be able to submit me off his back while I'm standing. I've been working with a lot of top wrestlers that can grapple at Death Clutch. Do I plan on going to the ground? I don't plan on going to the ground ever. I could slip and fall and put myself on the ground but I don't want to.

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This weekend will mark the third straight Saturday in a row with a live UFC event and, at least based on the card, should live up to the standard set by predecessors UFN 25 and UFC 135 with arguably one of the deepest lineups in the Versus Network’s history. Headlined by UFC bantamweight title-holder Dominick Cruz defending his championship against small-but-powerful contender Demetrious Johnson, and also featuring a heavyweight throwdown between Pat Barry and Stefan Struve, UFC Live 6 has a little something for everyone. Many of the evening’s competitors including Cruz, Johnson, Barry, and Struve will be on hand at a pre-fight press conference this afternoon at 1:00 PM EST and Fighters.com will be listening in while updating readers in real-time with interesting information or relevant soundbytes. Read below as things unfold live from the stage in Virginia… Dominick Cruz: Demetrious Johnson: Pat Barry: Stefan Struve: Dana White: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Filed under: UFC, NewsOn the surface, Dominick Cruz has settled into the role of champion nicely. He's successfully defended the bantamweight title three times, established himself as one of the sport's pound-for-pound best fighters, and headlines his second straight UFC event at Saturday night's UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson. Yet Cruz seems to go out of his way to remind himself that it can all change in an instant. He hasn't splurged on a big house or fancy car. Instead, he lives on the cheap and saves his money for a rainy day that might never come. Those reminders serve as motivation for training, and the mindset extends even to his most prized possession: his title belt. "Really, I'm not going out there to defend anything. I'm going out there to win something new every single time I go out and fight for a title," he said in a Thursday press conference from the Newseum in Washington D.C. "I don't own anything. It's always up for grabs, so I have to always stay on top and stay focused and go out there to win something new, so that's it. This will be like my first time winning it." Should Cruz beat Demetrious Johnson (10-1) on Saturday, it may feel like a first time for him, but it would mark his fourth straight defense of the 135-pound belt, surpassing the three successful defenses made by Miguel Torres when the belt was a WEC property. Cruz has done it with a style all his own, mixing active striking and strong wrestling with endless stamina to wear down opponents over time. Overall, he's won nine straight, and on the strength of his 18-1 overall record, his .948 winning percentage is among the best in major MMA. Rather than falling complacent though, Cruz continually surveys the landscape of his division and considers the oncoming challengers. "Success feels good," he said. "I'm a fighter and this is what I do. I love to do it. I love my job. It's easy to stay motivated if you see all these maniacs coming up in my division. They all want to beat me up. What other motivation do I need?" In Johnson, Cruz may be facing the fastest opponent he's ever faced. At just 5-foot-3 and with a 66-inch reach, Johnson has some distance to navigate, but if anyone can figure it out how to make an unlikely journey, it's the man that's nicknamed "Mighty Mouse." Johnson's rise to one of the division's best has been a largely untold story, though it is one worth telling. He's not a pedigreed athlete with a following who got major breaks along the way. Though he wrestled throughout high school, he was never a state champion, and he had no other martial arts training when he first walked into a gym in October 2005, after watching the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. Johnson grinded his way through the northwest regional circuit before debuting tin the WEC, and then he promptly dropped his first fight by decision. The setback hardly set him back, however, and he ran off a streak, winning four straight to earn a shot at Cruz. In his last two fights, he beat Miguel Torres and Kid Yamamoto, who were at one time the best lighter weight fighters in the world. Now Johnson has a chance to join those ranks, but there aren't a lot of believers out there; Cruz is as much as a 5-to-1 favorite. "Story of my life," Johnson said. "I'm the smallest guy probably in the UFC. It is what it is. Everyone sees me as an underdog. I don't mind. It is what it is. Like I say, story of my life." Yet Johnson is every bit the story of determination as Cruz. Until recently, he held a full-time job in a Tacoma, Washington recycling plant. During his May win over Torres, he suffered a broken bone in his leg, but he was still back to work at the plant on the following Monday. After accepting the title bout with Cruz, he gave up the job to prepare for the biggest opportunity of his life. Like an underdog out of central casting, Johnson is quiet and polite in addition to being small. The UFC sat him next to 6-foot-11 Stefan Struve on Thursday, further highlighting just how small he is. He didn't say much on Thursday, and even when he was asked questions, he often clipped his answer short when you had the feeling he might have had a little bit more to say. Like Cruz, perhaps he is holding it back for when it truly matters. "You guys have all seen me fight, and you know what I do," he said. "I come out and bring the pace and I do my job. I prepare myself to win." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Filed under: UFCWill Dominick Cruz continue his reign of dominance over the bantamweight division, or will Demetrious Johnson become the new UFC 135-pound champion? Will Stefan Struve capitalize on his enormous reach advantage, or will Pat Barry get inside and test Struve's chin? Can Charlie Brenneman knock off Anthony Johnson and improve to 3-0 in 2011? We'll attempt to answer those questions as we predict the winners on Saturday night's fight card. What: UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson Where: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. When: Saturday, the Facebook preliminary card starts at 6 PM ET and the Versus televised card begins at 9. Predictions on the four Versus fights below. Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson Johnson, nicknamed "Mighty Mouse," is small even for the 135-pound weight class, and he's going to have a very, very difficult time against the tall and lanky Cruz, who is as good as anyone in the sport at using his reach advantage to prevent his opponents from getting near him. Johnson would love to get inside and take Cruz down repeatedly, as he did in winning decisions over Kid Yamamoto and Miguel Torres to get this title fight, but that's a very tall order against Cruz. For Cruz, the path to victory looks a lot like what he's been doing throughout his title reign: He needs to use his awkward movement and high-volume striking to keep Johnson on the outside and keep him frustrated. Although Johnson's quickness may be something Cruz hasn't seen before, Johnson looks like an opponent Cruz should be able to handle standing up for 25 minutes. And so I like Cruz to do what he usually does: Win by unanimous decision. Pick: Cruz Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve The enormous height difference between Struve (the UFC's tallest fighter) and Barry (the UFC's shortest heavyweight) makes this fight interesting visually, but what makes it especially interesting is that neither one of these guys fights the way you'd expect someone his height to fight: Struve often fails to take advantage of his reach and instead lets his opponents get inside and test his chin, while Barry doesn't let his short, stocky legs prevent him from throwing plenty of kicks. Barry probably has an advantage if the fight stays standing, but I think this fight will eventually go to the ground, and Struve will have an enormous advantage on the canvas -- even if he has to get knocked down to get there. Look for Barry to leave himself exposed on the ground and Struve to capitalize and win by submission. Pick: Struve Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman Johnson returned after more than a year away and put a one-sided beating on Dan Hardy in March, and he'll look to do it again when he takes on Brenneman, who's coming off a big win over Rick Story. I think the savvy Brenneman is going to give Johnson a lot more trouble on the ground than most people expect, and win a decision. Pick: Brenneman Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig Some unfinished business between these two is finally about to get resolved: At UFC 115 in June of 2010, Wiman won when referee Yves Lavigne wrongly thought Danzig had passed out while in a guillotine choke. (In reality, Danzig was alert and defending himself.) The UFC tried to book them in an immediate rematch, but injuries got in the way. Now they're finally ready to meet again, and I like Wiman to win legitimately this time, taking a decision. Pick: Wiman Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" will take place this Sat., Oct. 1, 2011, from the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. And that means it's time for all the pre-fight festivities. In the main event of the evening, Dominick Cruz will defend his bantamweight title for the second time in the UFC, this one against the "Mightiest Mouse" in the division, Demetrious Johnson. There are other compelling match-ups on the card, including Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve, Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman and Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig. It's a solid free card, folks. The open workouts were held yesterday and our fine friends at SB Nation were live on the scene to get the word from some of the key players. Videos are after the jump, including interviews with Cruz, Johnson, the other Johnson and Brenneman.

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz still campaigns for the hearts and minds of the public. Nowhere is that more evident than at the pre-event media workouts for UFC on Versus 6. Before he could really get into the meat of any pre-fight talk about Demetrious Johnson, a reporter asks this gem: "Is it a little hard to get motivated for this fight because it's not Urijah Faber?"

Posted in: ufc, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick, urijah faber

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I offered to buy Dominick Cruz a drink in San Jose last year, he denied my advances to get him intoxicated. Next time I see Cruz, I will suggest he buy me a drink and when he does, I will deny it as some lame attempt at revenge. I'll show this Dominick Cruz who's boss, and when I do, I will enjoy a delicious meal at Applebee's. Basically what I'm trying to say is I will never enjoy that meal at Applebee's because Dominick Cruz would dominate me in every physical altercation imaginable. That's why he's called 'The Dominator,' although that statement does not apply to Halo: Reach. He would get schooled. Many of you may still be recovering from last weekend's orgy of combat sports, but there's still more MMA lined up. This weekend we will see Dominick Cruz defend his UFC bantamweight belt against the ridiculously quick Demetrious Johnson. Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve, Rumble Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman and Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira will also go down at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson. It will air on the Versus Network this Saturday, so finish all your weekend homework before then. Check out this clip from Shootmedia of Cruz talking about his upcoming title defense.

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Dominick Cruz explains why he's so confident heading into his fight and how at the prime of his career he wants to create legacy.

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With so many fights coming up spread across seven different weight classes, it's easy to lose track of what's happening in every division. Here, we take a look at where a particular division stands right now, and where it's headed. At UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson this Saturday, UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will defend his title for the second time since coming over from the WEC as he faces Demetrious Johnson. It's a fantastic fight, which is exciting to have on free TV, but is unfortunately not receiving much of a promotional push. And that pretty much sums up the state of affairs in the 135 pound Bantamweight division. These fighters are consistently putting on excellent fights, but are yet to break through and receive the attention of the higher weight classes. Will Cruz vs. Johnson change that? It's unlikely. The best bet for the division may be the boost in attention over the next few months thanks to The Ultimate Fighter, which will hopefully give this division some much deserved love. Next in Line: After Johnson, the title picture becomes very tricky, particularly if Cruz retains his belt. During Cruz's combined WEC and UFC championship runs, he has defeated almost every top name in the division, and the UFC has yet to bring in anyone new to provide a fresh challenge. So it's likely Cruz's next challenger would be someone he has already defeated. Best bet is the winner of Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles at UFC 139. Both have lost to Cruz, but Faber is 1-1 against the champ, and the Bowles fight ended with an unsatisfying injury, so a rematch for either man can be justified. For Faber though, this would be his 4th shot at a title since losing the Feathwerwight belt to Mike Brown. At some point, you have to admit it's just not going to happen. If Johnson wins on Saturday, it's even more likely to be Bowles or Faber, and the options for the future open up considerably. Key Match Ups: There are not a ton of big fights scheduled in the somewhat shallow Bantamweight division, but there are a pair that will help sort things out. As always with 135, these should be great fights. Jeff Curran vs. Scott Jorgensen (UFC 137) - This is a big fight for Curran. The 34 year old veteran has fought everywhere - Pride, the UFC, WEC - and is 4-1 since leaving the WEC in 2009. A win here could move him right into title contention, largely because he would make a new name at the top. Jorgensen looked great in his last fight, and will hope for another spectacular finish here. Brad Pickett vs. Renan Barao (UFC 139) - Pickett has been out this year due to injury, but he's on a great 10-1 run that includes his claim as the only man to defeat Demetrious Johnson. A Pickett win here and a Johnson win would give Pickett a strong argument for a title shot. As for Berao, he lost his MMA debut, but in the 27 fights and over 6 years since that debut, he's never been defeated again. That's an impressive run. Future Contenders: I expect this list will grow at the end of The Ultimate Fighter, but for now, there are a handful of names with no fights currently lined up, but who could find themselves moving into contention depending on how their next few fights play out. Joseph Benavidez - Teammate to Urijah Faber, Benavidez is a serious powerhouse in the division, who only has two loses in his career. Unfortunately, both of those loses are to Cruz. A Cruz loss puts him right back at the top, but until then, he's stuck in a bit of a holding pattern. Michael McDonald - He's not quite there yet, but the 13-1 fighter has some big names on his resume, and at only 20 years old, has the potential to really make a name in the division in the coming few years. He has just been announced as facing Johnny Eduardo at UFC 139. Takeya Mizugaki - Since coming to the US, Mizugaki has been on a consistent "win one, lose one" pattern, defeating lower tier opponents, but never taking out a top 5. He seems stuck just outside the elite level of the division, but a few big wins could move him in. Ivan Menjivar - This 10 year veteran has fought a ton of major names, including no less than Georges St. Pierre way back in 2002. He's dropped from Welterweight clear down to Bantamweight, and has done well at the weight so far. Miguel Torres - The former champion was considered by some to be a top 5 pound for pound fighter when he ruled the division. That was a bit excessive, but he remains a legitimate threat despite his 2-2 record since losing the belt. He needs a couple big wins to get back into title contention. SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Poll Who will be the next Bantamweight title challenger? Urijah Faber Brian Bowles Other   0 votes | Results

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Reigning Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, who will look to make his fourth successful title defense when he meets Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson at UFC on Versus 6, discusses his opponent, as well as his expectations for the fight. Cruz acknowledges the competitor that Johnson is, but says he's planning to badly hurt "DJ" this Saturday night.

Posted in: saturday night, johnson, title defense, demetrious johnson, cruz

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The UFC Bantamweight Championship is up for grabs for the third time since the promotion added the division to the roster late last year.Dominick Cruz is the reigning champion. With wins over Urijah Faber, Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez and Scott Jorgensen, he is truly one of the elite fighters in the world, despite the fact that he is still a newcomer to UFC fans. Demetrious Johnson is the challenger. Nonetheless, he is probably better known to UFC fans because he has already competed twice inside the Octagon, compared to just once for Cruz. In those two fights, Johnson toppled two of the division’s biggest names, Miguel Torres and Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto.Whether or not fans recognize the names, this fight is must-see TV. Generally speaking, the bantamweights put on incredibly entertaining fights. It’s often like watching the Energizer Bunny fight his twin brother on fast forward. Cruz versus Johnson should be that plus a large dose of caffeine because these guys put the pedal to the metal once the action gets underway, and neither one stops until the bout has concluded, regardless of how long it lasts.Cruz is a pretty straightforward fighter. He likes to mix wrestling and kickboxing, often equally willing to slug it out on the feet or take an opponent down and slug him on the ground. He isn’t really a submission guy. Just one of his 18 professional wins came by tap out. His blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also isn’t going to scare anybody. That is about as novice as one would expect for a UFC champion.Still, Cruz is far from a novice ground fighter. Sure, his lone career loss was by submission, but he was completely out on his feet, thanks to a perfectly executed knee strike, when he basically gave his neck to Faber, begging to be submitted. Other than that, Cruz hasn’t succumbed to any ground fighter’s attacks. So, one must assume that his submission defense is much better than that of a traditional blue belt. He might not surprise anyone with a flying armbar, but I am quite sure that he knows how to defend one.On paper, Johnson should be Cruz’s kryptonite. He is a very good wrestler with solid submission skills that have seen him end five of his career victories by tap out. Yet, Faber also fit that description, and most probably believe that Faber is both a better wrestler and better ground fighter than Johnson. Yet, he could not pass the Cruz test back in July. In other words, I’m not sure that Johnson has the BJJ chops to catch Cruz in something, unless he first lands a fight-altering strike to scramble the champion’s wits. Granted, that is based in large part on how Cruz looked in his recent fight against Faber. That might not be a fair assessment. It is what it is.I think Cruz will come out looking to stick and move, just like he did against Faber. Johnson will look to strike just long enough to set up a takedown. He wants no part of a slugfest with Cruz. I’m not suggesting that Cruz is a standup crusher. He is not. Then again, very few guys south of 155 pounds possess legitimate one-strike knockout power. Instead, Cruz is a very good, technical striker. He strikes with incredible speed and uses very good footwork and lateral movement to keep his opponent off balance. He also frustrates his foes with shots thrown from unconventional angles and his constant herky-jerky motion. Johnson cannot match him on the feet, so he should not try. He needs to take the fight to the place where Cruz is the least comfortable—on his back. Easier said than done. Again, Faber is one of the best wrestlers in the bantamweight division. Yet, he could not turn things into a grappling match with the champion. That doesn’t leave me feeling good about Johnson’s chances at accomplishing that goal, but it certainly can be done.Cruz’s awkward standup style is predicated on the fact that he is a come-forward fighter. If Johnson can get him to move backward by applying calculated pressure via a rapid, accurate jab, Cruz should start moving backward. Johnson can use that opportunity to change levels and shoot under his opponent’s counters or high guard. Cruz has a great sprawl, but nobody has a great sprawl when moving backward while trying to counter or cover up.Once the fight hits the ground, Johnson should use punches and elbows to open the door for submissions. Cruz is very good at scrambling back to his feet, so working from a pure grappling perspective isn’t a great idea. Johnson needs to force the champion to defend strikes, which will preclude him from effectively scrambling. If Cruz spends three or four minutes of a round on his back, one must assume that the blue belt will make a mistake that Johnson can capitalize on. Then again, maybe not. But who really cares? Any time Johnson spends in the top position is time spent winning the fight. Time spent on the feet likely means time spent losing the fight. Like the co-featured bout between Pat Barry and Stefan Struve, this bout is all about where the fight unfolds. Cruz has the advantage on the feet. Johnson has the advantage on the ground. The man who dictates where the action unfolds more often than not will win the fight, absent someone capitalizing on a silly, fight-stopping mistake.I will admit that I was not a Cruz believer heading in to his July bout with Faber. I’m a believer now, particularly after re-watching that fight a handful of times. Cruz is an amazingly effective fighter, one who should give Johnson loads of trouble.QUICK FACTS:Dominick Cruz•    26 years old•    5’8, 135•    68-inch reach•    18-1 overall (8-1 UFC/WEC)•    5-0 in last 5•    9-1 in last 10 •    Currently riding a 9-fight winning streak•    Lone professional loss by submission•    Fight of the Night twice•    Current layoff is 91 days•    Longest layoff of career is 364 daysDemetrious Johnson•    25 years old•    5’3, 135•    66-inch reach•    14-1 overall (4-1 UFC/WEC)•    4-1 in last 5 •    9-1 in last 10•    Currently riding a 4-fight winning streak•    Lone professional loss by decision•    Current layoff is 126 days•    Longest layoff of career is 203 days

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Standing just 5’3″ tall, Demetrious Johnson is one of the shortest fighters in the UFC’s smallest weight class, bantamweight (135 pounds), and a top candidate to drop to 125-pounds when the UFC adds a flyweight division. But that hasn’t stopped “Mighty Mouse” from nearly reaching the pinnacle of all professional fighters’ dreams: a world championship. Johnson will get that chance this Saturday at UFC on Versus 6, as he takes on the current bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz, in the main event. Johnson joined the WEC in April of last year, losing his debut against Brad Pickett, but has since won four in a row, including his most recent win over former WEC champion Miguel Torres at UFC 130. Johnson recenty spoke with MMAFrenzy.com regarding the opportunity in front of him, as well as the recovery from his last fight. In Dominick Cruz, Johnson takes on an opponent who, like him, has only lost once during his career. While he will bring a height advantage, Cruz’ arms are only two inches longer in reach compared to Johnson. Plus, Johnson is one of the few guys that can compete with Cruz athletically. “Dominick is a great champion,” said Johnson. “He’s always been well prepared for five rounds, but so am I. He is a cardio machine, so I know I have to have better cardio than him.” That preparation is evident with Cruz’ last three fights all going the distance in five round bouts. In fact, only one of Cruz’ last eight fights have ended prior to the third round. In Johnson’s most recent match with Miguel Torres, Johnson won a close unanimous decision. Johnson feels that prepared him for the taller Cruz, as Miguel is even taller than Cruz at 5’9″, while Cruz is 5’8″. In that fight, Johnson broke his fibia in the second round. This hampered Johnson’s training, but did not hamper his spirits or his chances at the title. “Breaking my fibia was tough,” said Johnson. “I love staying busy. I’m young and I heal well. Being on crutches for six weeks was boring, but I started training full time as soon I was cleared.” Even with his ascent to the top of the bantamweight division, rumors have continually gone around regarding a drop to 125 pounds once the flyweight division is introduced to the UFC. Johnson is only focused on what is happening now, stating “I’m not too sure what I will do. I am focused on Dominick right now, and winning would keep me at 135 pounds. I would want to keep the belt for as long as I can.” This fight with Cruz will be Johnson’s first fight on the East Coast, and more importantly, will be the first championship fight on free television since UFC 75, which saw Rampage Jackson defeat Dan Henderson. Johnson does not care whether the fight is a main event on pay-per-view or on free television. “It doesn’t bother me. The same results will happen if I win. I leave with the belt no matter what.” For complete coverage of UFC on Versus 6, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

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Things have come quickly for Demetrious Johnson and that's just the way he likes it. He is, after all, one of the quickest fighters on the planet. Just 18 months after making his debut with Zuffa at WEC 48, the 25-year old will be challenging for the UFC world bantamweight title. "Mighty Mouse" took his training to the next level, quitting his 40 hour a week construction side job upon hearing the news so he could focus on being a fighter full-time.  The AMC Pankration fighter training out of Kirkland, Washington earned his shot after a strong four fight winning streak which culminated in a unanimous decision victory over former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres this past May. Johnson will challenge current UFC bantamweight chamion Dominick Cruz for the title this Saturday night (October 1, 2011) in the main event of UFC on Versus 6 in Washington D.C. and he spoke with MMAmania.com during a guest appearance on The Verbal Submission radio show about recovering from a broken leg, dealing with Cruz's unique style and what he brings to the table on Saturday night. Gerry Rodriguez: Going into that fight with Miguel Torres, there was a considerable size difference. I remember asking you about that. Once you got in the cage, you were able to negate his attacks. What was going inside your head. Were you think, "Wow, this is easier than I thought," or was it pretty much what you expected? Demetrious Johnson: I think the fight with Miguel Torres didn't go according to plan because as you know I broke my fibula so I couldn't execute the gameplan 110 percent like we wanted to. The gameplan was to stay on the feet and bang it out with him and I was being successful when I was on my feet so I had to resort back to my wrestling because your fibula is the bone that controls all your movement on your tippy toes and stuff and I'm always on my toes. It was tough to pull off but I came away with the victory, got the 'W' over a very tough opponent. Miguel Torres used to be the 135 pound champion and he considered at one time one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. Ben Thapa: How do you feel about that fight, looking back on it now? Demetrious Johnson: I think, looking back on it, I showed glimpses of my stand-up. Me and my coaches were talking the other way, "When you were moving and you were fighting Miguel Torres, you were tearing him up on the feet. I wish you had never broke your leg because you probably could have knocked him out because you were doing really well." The whole controversy thing. I apologize that Miguel Torres lost. It's not my fault. It's the judges' decision to decide who wins or loses. My job is to go out there and fight and people get mad at me because I won. You're gonna have haters in this sport and I think if you have haters, you're doing something right I guess.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): When you broke your leg in the fight, how long did it actually sideline you in training? When did you feel like you were back up to full speed? Demetrious Johnson: It sidelined me for maybe 4-6 weeks. I was doing other stuff to keep training but to be full on training, it took about seven weeks to start jogging on it and after that, I was back at full time training, doing my CrossFit, my swimming and my lifting. I started doing a little movements and getting ready for the next fight depending on who it was. Ben Thapa: With the addition of the scar tissue now, do you think you can kick harder or better with that leg now? Demetrious Johnson: I think definitely I can kick probably a little harder with it. One of the things about when I broke my leg was it taught me how to kick a little better by aiming with the tibia, which is the bigger bone in the leg and now I think the scar tissue is good. I've been doing deep tissue massages every Friday morning after my CrossFit workouts and I think my leg is gonna be good to go. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): If you could go back in time a bit. What was your reaction when you got told that you were next in line for a title shot and this was gonna be on Versus? Were you jumping for joy? What was your reaction? Demetrious Johnson: My reaction was like any other fight. It's just another fight against Dominick Cruz and he just happens to be the world champion. The only thing that changed really was I quit my job so I could focus 110 percent on this fight. In all my other previous fights, I was working 40 hours a week in construction while getting ready for them and since it's on Versus, it's free TV. I'm glad for that. Not everybody wants to pay to watch people fight. I didn't pay to watch Floyd Mayweather fight Victor Ortiz the other night because I'm not gonna spend $70 to watch one fight that I want to watch. I'm happy it's free on TV. All the fans are gonna be able to watch it and it's gonna be an awesome fight. I'm gonna get in there and mix it up with him.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Both you and Dominick Cruz have unique styles that are very reliant on speed. Who do you think is faster between the two of you? Demetrious Johnson: In terms of running to see who's faster, I'd say me. In long distance, it's probably me but in the cage, we'll have to find out. Everybody says that I'm a lot faster like when Joe Rogan talks about when I fight, he talks about my speed. I have very explosive speed like 'BAM!' I'm there. Dominick moves so much and he's able to make people miss and he's able to capitalize on things. That's what makes him so much faster than his other opponents. I'm like just naturally fast and I always keep a high pace so it depends on which way you look at the question.  Ben Thapa: How many advantages do you think you have over Cruz? Demetrious Johnson: I don't want to say I have advantages over him. I think I'm gonna be able to succeed where everybody else has faltered when they fight him. Everybody gets hypnotized by him when he does all his movement and I'm gonna have hopefully the technique and the ability where Urijah Faber faltered and he wasn't on him all the time or where Brian Bowles didn't have the speed to keep up with him. I think I have the attributes and the ability to give Dominick Cruz one hell of a fight.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you're very cautious and secretive about your gameplan but have you found somebody in your camp who's able to emulate Cruz's style pretty well? Demetrious Johnson: Yes. I found somebody in my camp who can imitate Dominick Cruz's style to a T. I can actually imitate Dominick Cruz's style to a T too. The coach, his name is Trevor Jackson and Matt Hume can imitate Dominick Cruz pretty well too especially with his kneetap because Matt Hume was a college wrestler, a very good wrestler. Me and him were wrestling yesterday for like an hour straight going hard and I was like, "Man you're so fast!" and he was like, "Ain't nobody better than me, especially Dominick Cruz ain't better than me at wrestling, I guarantee you that!" Trevor Jackson, he watched 13 hours of Dominick Cruz, watching every single thing he does and breaking down everything he does and why he does it. I've been sparring him on Saturdays and Mondays and everything's been going good man. I can't wait for that fight. I think we've got his number this time and it's gonna be an awesome fight. Ben Thapa: What was something that you did different for this fight that you haven't done for others? Demetrious Johnson: My Rainier CrossFit team, they've been amping up my cardio for a five round fight and also getting my speed up a lot higher. People tell me, "You're getting your speed up faster?" and I'm like, "Hell yeah! You always get after it. You've just got to make sure you do the right things." I've done a lot of different things in preparing for this fight than I have in my previous fights. I've done a lot of things before that would slow me down because usually when I fought Kid Yamamoto, when I fought Damacio Page, when I fought Miguel Torres, I always try to bulk up to be stronger because those guys are not as fast as me but I wanted to be stronger so I could handle their weight. This time I did a lot of things different so I don't have to carry extra weight. I'm not worried about Dominick manhandling me. I've just got to make sure my speed's through the roof.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): : How do you envision yourself winning against Dominick Cruz on October 1st? Demetrious Johnson: I never give predictions. I can just say I think it'll be a truly fantastic fight. He trained his butt off, I trained my butt off. I can't wait to get in there and mix it up with him. I just tell myself that it's gonna be a looooong night. Gerry Rodriguez: No Mortal Kombat style fatality or any jumping off the cage with an elbow drop-type move? Demetrious Johnson: Oh, well if it's in that case and if I can do that, it'll probably be like a flying suplex in the air like Zangief-style or something like that. (laughs) Demetrious would like to thank Universal, X-Box 360, Gears of War 3, all his coaches at AMC, Matt Hume, Trevor Jackson, Brad Kurtson, Steve Skidds, Curtis Laurie and his fiancee Destiny. So do you think "Might Mouse" has a shot this weekend, Maniacs?  Can Johnson he be the first fighter to solve Dominick Cruz's unorthodox puzzle?  Sound off! For the full audio of the interview with Demetrious Johnson, click here.

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz put out the second part of the blog that he's writing for NBCSports.com in the leadup to his title defense against Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 this Sunday. This part is about his two fights with Urijah Faber. Faber gave Cruz his only loss to day back at WEC 26 in March 2007, and it was a turning point in Dominick's career: Even though I was finished quickly in that fight, I knew what I did during the short time I was in there and took confidence from what I was able to get done in that frantic first round. I knew the only reason I lost was because I made a silly mistake and played into his hands. I had absolutely no grappling going into that fight and everybody knew that would be a problem for me. It was. After that I fight I came to the realisation that if I had the right coaching and worked on my grappling the way I needed to, I would only come back from that defeat a better fighter. I now had lessons to learn from and I set my mind on using that defeat as the turning point. I was only going to shoot for greatness from that point on. Also, you take a lot of self-belief from knowing you have seen the best, confronted the best and hung with the best, if only for a short period of time. I knew I wouldn't come up against anybody as good as Faber for a few years, and that provided me with the necessary time to learn, develop, improve and catch up. I believed that, so long as I learnt my lessons, I would get better and better and would eventually reach a point where I'd be able to fight Faber again and be confident of getting the victory. That whole first experience with Faber just lit a fire under my butt and forced me to become the fighter I am today. He goes onto discuss the rematch against Faber at UFC 132 this past July, a thrilling bout that Cruz won by unanimous decision. He talks about revenge a bit, but it really came down to proving something to himself: I had to prove something to myself in that fight, and that is never easy. I am my own biggest critic, and it's taken years for me to believe in myself and reach a point where I feel I am the best in the world. I am harder on myself than anybody else ever could be. I needed that win over Faber to validate my claims and to prove to myself once and for all that I truly am the number one bantamweight in the world... The second blog is unnecessarily wordy, just like the first one, but he does make some solid points again. SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6

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We're less than a week away. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will offer a title fight on free television for the first time since Sept. 2007 when bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz puts his strap on the line against Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6, which goes down this Saturday night (Oct. 1, 2011) in Washington D.C. After Urijah Faber -- and more than a few fans -- campaigned for an immediate rubber match after Cruz went the distance with "The California Kid" at UFC 132, the decision was made to forgo that option in favor of a fresh challenger. The oddsmakers, however, don't think the "Mouse" will be "Mighty" enough to save the day, pegging Johnson a +350 underdog for this weekend's extravaganza. "The Dominator" currently stands as the -450 favorite. That's not necessarily a knock on Johnson, who seemingly came from out of nowhere to quickly establish himself as a legitimate threat to the bantamweight throne. Though he's won his last four fights against highly respectable competition -- namely Norifumi Yamamoto and Miguel Torres -- and fits the bill as the most credible challenger to Cruz, the champion just continues to look better every time out. Can the speedy "Mighty Mouse" culminate his incredible rise to the top and become a UFC title holder in just his third fight inside the Octagon? The bookies don't think so ... do you? For more UFC on Versus 6 odds and betting lines click here.

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Filed under: UFC, NewsAs a fairly unexposed commodity, Dominick Cruz isn't bothered by the fact that his bantamweight title fight this Saturday will be on Versus rather than pay-per-view. The UFC has in only one other instance premiered a championship on free TV, but that particular UFC 75 card in England aired on tape-delay. Cruz's fight at UFC on Versus 6 will be live. Some might consider the idea of a champion fighting on cable TV discouraging. Not Cruz. "What the UFC is doing is they're putting me on free TV," Cruz said Monday on The MMA Hour. "I can [make it] known to the casual fan the champion that I am, go out there and have an outstanding performance on TV and really I get myself out there and represent the 135-pound division to a wider audience for free." And Cruz (18-1)'s title defense is in the midst of three straight weeks of UFC title fights, not an ideal position to command attention, especially by a fledgling division. But the champ understands why the UFC's marketing efforts have been primarily directed towards last Saturday's UFC 135 with Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and UFC 136 with Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard in two weeks. "While those fights get more marketing muscle you got to think of how many times I've fought in the UFC and how many of the casual fans know who I am and have seen me," the 26-year-old Cruz admits. "The people who sell the most pay-per-views are the people in the UFC that are known by the casual fans." Cruz has only made one UFC appearance, successfully defending his belt against Urijah Faber at UFC 132 in July. After the Faber win, the UFC offered Demetrious Johnson to Cruz instead of another worthy challenger in Brian Bowles. Cruz figures the UFC picked Johnson since Cruz already holds a win over Bowles and the promotion tends "want to wait on rematches." More: UFC on Versus 6 Fight Card | Barry Downplays Struve's Reach Advantage Johnson brings to the fight a 10-1 record and coming off a big win, though a bit controversial, over former WEC champ Miguel Torres. In the fight, Johnson was able to score takedowns, but Torres was the one threatening to the end the fight with submissions. With the unanimous nod in favor of Johnson, the judges clearly valued Johnson and his top position. Cruz agrees. "Miguel Torres didn't want to be on his back," Cruz said. "Whether he was going for submissions or not. It doesn't mean anything. A submission doesn't count unless you finish it." Cruz is five inches taller and holds a two-inch reach advantage against the five-foot-three Johnson. Size and style-wise, Johnson is comparable to Cruz's WEC 53 challenger Joseph Benavidez. "I think Benavidez might be even a little more powerful than Demetrious and Demetrious might have the edge on the takedown and timing. So there's little adjustments I have to make, but for the most part I see it very similar to the Benavidez fight and that's how I see it playing out," Cruz said. Despite not having the notoriety of the other UFC champions, Cruz out of Alliance MMA and Team Lloyd Irvin has come a long way from his days fighting in the WEC. A lot of progress has already been made in his UFC debut when he headlined the card over future Hall of Famers in Tito Ortiz and Wanderlei Silva. "It gives the casual fans a reason to respect when you put on a show like me and Faber did and take on the main event role and headling the card. It's a different level of respect and at the same time I've been recognized a lot more. It's been a great ride, it's been a lot of fun and I'm just riding it until the wheels fall off." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, johnson, tv, cruz

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Here we go again. In the aftermath of a crazy weekend of fights, Ultimate Fighting Championship is right back in action promoting its next event, UFC on Versus 6, which is taking place at the end of the week (October 1, 2011) in Washington D.C. Headlining the free show will be the return of UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz as he looks to defend his title for the fourth time against challenger Demetrious Johnson. Cruz has risen to the top with a unique fighting style that has baffled every opponent in his way. He recently defended his belt against the only man to ever previously defeat him, Urijah Faber, at UFC 132. His opponent, Demetrious Johnson, is coming off the most impressive victory of his career against former WEC champion Miguel Torres at UFC 130. He's hoping his speed can make up for Cruz's unorthodox style. The co-main event features a a very unique heavyweight battle as 6'11 Dutch fighter Stefan Struve takes on 5'11 American kickboxer Pat Barry. Both men are coming off of thrilling knockout losses in fights they had been previously winning and this has the potential to have the most awkward pre-fight staredown in UFC history. Cruz, Johnson, Struve and Barry will participate in a special UFC on Versus 6 media conference call today (September 26, 2011) at 1 p.m. ET. MMAmania.com will deliver up-to-the-second live updates of the conference call after the jump: Brian Hemminger here. The call is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET.

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The UFC has scheduled a media conference call for 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT today to promote this weekends UFC LIVE card on Versus featuring Dominick Cruz defending his bantamweight belt against "Mighty Mouse" Demetrious Johnson. Cruz and Johnson are scheduled to participate on the call as well as the co-main event competitors Stefan Struve and Pat Barry. UFC President is not listed as a participant according to the press release. Follow Matthew Roth on twitter for the instant updates. Following the call I will post the tweets to this page for everyone else to see.  This weekend's event shall be the final UFC on Versus and the second time that the UFC is giving a title fight away for free. The first time was the title unification fight between Quinton Jackson and Dan Henderson after the purchase of PRIDE.  Promoting a title fight on free TV can do nothing but help the public's awareness of the lighter weight classes and with Dominick Cruz sitting at the top of the bantamweight ladder, he's become one of the most dominant champions in MMA. This weekend Cruz will attempt to defend the 135 pound title for a fourth time against Demetrious Johnson, who is riding a four fight win streak which includes Miguel Torres and Norifumi Yamamoto. 

Posted in: ufc, title fight, demetrious johnson, cruz, dominick cruz

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For some fighters, suffering a loss after a solid run as remaining unbeaten could be disheartening. Add the unique situation of the bout being the biggest of your career, having a significant title on the line, and the defeat coming less than two minutes into the first round, and the effects might even be detrimental to a competitor’s confidence. However, UFC 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz is from average, and true to form his first and only stumble in the cage served a far more positive purpose than might normally be the case. “It sounds strange, but a March 2007 loss to Urijah Faber was the career turning point for me, and my impetus to work harder and truly become great at this sport,” Cruz wrote on his NBCSports blog. “That was the moment I knew I could get somewhere and be somebody as a Mixed Martial Artist. That loss made me never want to lose again.” “After that I fight I came to the realization that if I had the right coaching and worked on my grappling the way I needed to, I would only come back from that defeat a better fighter,” Cruz continued. “I now had lessons to learn from and I set my mind on using that defeat as the turning point. I was only going to shoot for greatness from that point on.” Cruz successfully defended his bantamweight belt against Faber in their rematch this past July at UFC 132, winning a Unanimous Decision after a solid showing against “The California Kid”. Faber vs. Cruz Caps Off Fantastic Night of Fights As satisfying as the victory was for Cruz it also was far from perfect in his mind, lighting yet another fire in his belly to keep getting better. “Sometimes you need to maintain a clear head in a fight and try to think in a calculated manner. Unfortunately, because of the type of fight we were involved in, and because it meant so much to me, I wasn’t able to do that against Faber. I wasn’t as composed as I normally am, and that probably created a few openings for him throughout the twenty-five minutes we shared.” Though certainly pleased with certain aspects of his performance, Cruz finished by revealing he is especially tough on himself but truly feels in his heart he is the division’s top dog. “I am my own biggest critic, and it’s taken years for me to believe in myself and reach a point where I feel I am the best in the world,” Cruz admitted. “I am harder on myself than anybody else ever could be. I needed that win over Faber to validate my claims and to prove to myself once and for all that I truly am the #1 bantamweight in the world.” His next title-defense will come this weekend when he faces Demetrious Johnson in the main event of UFC Live 6. The card also features Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson, Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve, and Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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