This weekend MMA fans will be treated to yet another UFC feature on “free” television when UFC Live 6: Cruz versus Johnson comes to cable. Fans will be treated to a few interesting bouts, some of which will shake up the UFC divisions, while others have interesting storylines behind them. Perusing the card, here are some things that fight fans should look forward to:
The Dominance of Dominick
Dominick Cruz is going to put the UFC in a familiar spot if he defeats Demetrious Johnson in impressive fashion while defending his 135-pound title. With his slick footwork and takedown defense, it will be tough for an opponent to place him in any position in which he’s not comfortable. Johnson is a dynamic striker, but I do not believe he is going to be able to defeat Cruz come this Saturday.
Cruz is heading towards becoming the lighter version of Georges St. Pierre. While his fighting style doesn’t create highlight reel finishes, he at least puts on fairly action-packed bouts. Fans began to love GSP until his fighting style seemed to turn them against him. Cruz has leapfrogged the love step, with people already criticizing him for not finishing fights. With a weight class in bantamweight that is beginning to weaken in the contender category, it will be interesting to see what the organization does to move forward after this weekend’s events.
Is Charlie Brenneman for Real?
The second chapter in the UFC’s version of Cinderella is set to go down, as the Pennsylvania native, Charlie Brenneman, will face off against Anthony Johnson. Brenneman is an accomplished wrestler who burst onto the scene after defeating Rick Story at UFC Live 4, entering into the “potential contenders” realm that the 170-pound weight class needs. With a 3-1 record in the UFC, Brenneman has the opportunity to prove that he belongs in the upper echelon of the division when he takes on Johnson, who has become a staunch test for welterweights looking to move up the ranks. His size and wrestling ability alone makes him a viable threat to grind most of his opponents to a pulp. See the Dan Hardy fight at UFC Fight Night 24 for an example.
Brenneman is going to have to use his own wrestling to keep the match on the feet and pelt Johnson with strikes and constant movement. Going to the ground is not a good idea as the fight against Story showed that Brenneman’s mat game is not as tough as the other aspects of his game. This fight is going to be a true test of how far the “The Spaniard” will go.
The Continuation of “Ref Gate”
Last year Matt Wiman was given a victory against Mac Danzig due to a mistake by referee Yves Lavigne, when he called a stoppage to the bout because he thought Danzig was unconscious. However, he clearly wasn’t, and that loss nearly cost Danzig, who is still trying to recover from going 2-4 in his last six bouts, his UFC contract.
While this fight may not have the biggest names in the sport, I’m looking forward to it because both Wiman and Danzig have a lot riding on the outcome. A loss will place either man in the “expendable” category within the shark tank that has become the 155-pound weight class. And given the stakes, I expect this fight to bring intense back-and-forth action, and for the fighters to be rewarded with “Fight of the Night” bonuses.
UFC Live 6 may not feature the biggest names of the sport, but it should still be a worthwhile event for mixed martial arts fans.
