Zuffa Settles on 11-Fight Lineup for UFC on Versus 2

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 runner-up DaMarques Johnson will lock horns with Matt Riddle in a preliminary welterweight duel at UFC on Versus 2 on Aug. 1 at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego. The UFC on Friday closed out an 11-bout lineup for the event, which will air live on the Versus network.

A protégé of former UFC light heavyweight title contender Jeremy Horn, Johnson has rattled off back-to-back wins. The 28-year-old West Jordan, Utah, native has not competed since he stopped International Fight League veteran Brad Blackburn on a third-round body kick at UFC 112 in April. Johnson has secured 10 of his 11 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

The talented but still raw Riddle last appeared at UFC 111 in March, when an illegal upkick from Greg Soto resulted in a disqualification victory. Spawned by Season 7 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, the 24-year-old Allentown, Pa., native has yet to finish a fight as a professional. Riddle owns wins against American Top Team’s Steve Bruno and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Dante Rivera.

Meanwhile, former World Extreme Cagefighting titleholder James Irvin will meet Igor Pokrajac in a preliminary light heavyweight tilt.

Irvin will enter the match on a two-fight losing streak. The 31-year-old Californian last fought in March, when he came out on the wrong end of a TKO loss to American Top Team’s Alessio Sakara at UFC on Versus 1. Irvin has delivered 10 of his 14 career wins by KO or TKO. He has never before lost three consecutive fights.

A training partner of 2006 Pride Fighting Championships open weight grand prix winner Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Pokrajac has yet to win inside the Octagon. The 31-year-old Croatian succumbed to third-round strikes from James Te Huna at UFC 110 in February. Pokrajac has secured 18 of his 21 victories by KO, TKO or submission.

Jon Jones will meet former International Fight League light heavyweight champion Vladimir Matyushenko in the UFC on Versus 2 headliner. The event will also feature a middleweight clash pairing the world-ranked Yushin Okami with Mark Munoz, a lightweight showdown pitting former Pride titleholder Takanori Gomi against Tyson Griffin and a welterweight match between Jake Ellenberger and John Howard.

UFC on Versus 2
Sunday, Aug. 1
San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego

Jon Jones vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
Yushin Okami vs. Mark Munoz
Jake Ellenberger vs. John Howard
Takanori Gomi vs. Tyson Griffin
DaMarques Johnson vs. Matt Riddle
Paul Kelly vs. Jacob Volkmann
James Irvin vs. Igor Pokrajac
Thiago Tavares vs. Willamy Freire
Brian Stann vs. Mike Massenzio
Rob Kimmons vs. Steve Steinbeiss
Darren Elkins vs. Charles Oliveira