UFC 130 Preview - Rampage Returns

UFC 130 took a big hit as both Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar pulled out of their proposed lightweight title fight with injuries. Each is looking at 6-8 weeks to heal, as Maynard is dealing with knee injury and a cut that required stiches, while Edgar nurses a rib injury.

Filling the void will be a 205 pound match between Rampage Jackson and Matt Hamill. Rampage is coming off a razor thin decision win over Lyoto Machida. While Rampage (31-8) won the first two rounds on most scorecards, Machida rallied in the third nearly pulling off the win.

(Rampage KO's Chuck Liddell and takes the LHW belt)

It has been almost two years since Rampage has looked like his old powerful, explosive self. Rampage mainly looks to counter-punch standing, rarely looking for the textbook power takedowns and slams he was once known for. Rampage will be defending Hamill takedowns en mass throughout this bout, counterstriking and looking for an opening to land a texbook power KO punch.

While Matt Hamill (10-2) technically is riding a five fight win streak, he was destroyed by Jon Jones at the TUF 10 Finale a year and a half ago. Always the power wrestler, Hamill has looked good in his past two outings, defeating Keith Jardine and Tito Ortiz.

(Hamill KO's Mark Munoz with a head kick)

Hamill will look to set-up his takedowns, boxing his way in. Hamill may want to take a page out of the Forrest Griffin handbook, utilizing leg kicks to take the steam out of Rampage.

In the co-main event, former UFC champ Frank Mir will be locking horns with TUF 10 champ Roy "Big Country" Nelson. The winner could be next in line for a title shot, following the Carwin v. Dos Santos fight.

Frank Mir (14-5) has looked to strike early and often in his recent UFC bouts, going 5-2 in his last 7 fights. With a likely reach advantage, expect Mir to utilize a mix of kicks and punches from distance against Nelson. Mir has career victories over Cro Cop, Tim Sylvia and Big Nog.

(Mir wins the UFC belt)

Roy Nelson (15-5) first made a name for himself as the big bellied champion of the International Fight League. With solid hands and a BJJ blackbelt, Nelson is a wily veteran who poses problems to any heavyweight. Expect Nelson to look to get inside on Mir, throw heavy hands, and try a couple takedowns. Nelson's big victories have come over Brendan Schaub, Stefan Struve and Brad Imes.

(Roy Nelson wins the IFL belt)

In what is almost guaranteed to be a heavy handed slugfest, the 6'11" Stefan "Skyscraper" Struve (21-4) will fight the massive 6'7" Travis "Hapa" Browne (10-0-1). Expect plenty of fireworks as both these guys like to throw punches.

The 23 year old Struve always seems to be improving his game, with two straight wins over Sean McCorkle and Christian Morecraft in his last two UFC bouts. The Dutchman has been working to put on extra weight for this fight, and has solid submission and kickboxing skills.

(Stefan Struve TKO of Morecraft)

The Hawaiian Travis Browne is coming off a solid performance in which he fought to a draw against Cheick Kongo. A striker who loves to swing big, Browne has KO wins over James McSweeney, Aaron Brink and Abe Wagner.

(Travis Browne TKO over McSweeney)

In other action, former Sengoku champion Jorge Santiago (23-8) will make his return to the UFC after posting solid wins over Jeremy Horn, Trevor Prangley, Kazuo Misaki and Mamed Khalidov. Former WEC champ Brian Stann (10-3) will look to build off the momentum of a Chris Leben TKO in this fight.

Dominant striker Thiago Alves (18-7) will meet Ricky Story (12-3) in what is sure to be an entertaining 170 pound contest. Story has used stifling grappling and accurate striking during his 5 fight UFC win streak which includes his latest win over Johny Hendricks.

PPV CARD

Matt Hamill v. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
Frank Mir v. Roy Nelson
Travis Browne v. Stefan Struve
Jorge Santiago v. Brian Stann
Thiago Alves v. Rick Story

SPIKE TV CARD

Demetrious Johnson v. Miguel Torres
Tim Boetsch v. Kendall Grove

FACEBOOK CARD

Rafaello Oliveira v. Gleison Tibau
Chris Cariaso v. Michael McDonald
Renan Barao v. Cole Escovedo

UFC 96: Jackson Howls

UFC 96 was an excellent fight card with several exciting bouts. As the dust settled, it appears that a Rashad v. Rampage Jackson fight looms on the horizon. Also, heavyweight powerhouse Shane Carwin will be entering the title picture.

Quinton Jackson def Keith Jardine via unanimous dec- Jardine was not able to quell Jackson's power and swarming style as Jackson overwelmed Jardine en route to a unanimous decision. Jackson landed the heavier punches in all three rounds and managed to score a couple takedowns. Jardine landed a couple leg kicks but couldn't mount much offense.

In the second and third rounds, Jackson was able to knock Jardine to the floor with combinations. But Jardine didn't go out and kept fighting. After the decision was read for Rampage, current light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans emerged in the cage. Rampage obliged with a stare down. It now appears that Rampage will take on Rashad Evans for the title, possibly at UFC 98.


Shane Carwin def Gabriel Gonzaga via KO(punch) R1, 1:09- Carwin came out firing again, proving he belongs among the elite in the heavyweight division. After Carwin ate a couple punches and was taken down, the tide turned. Carwin got to his feet and threw a massive punch that clobbered Gonzaga in the face. With Gonzaga rattled, there was no choice but for the ref to jump in.

Matt Brown def Pete Sell via TKO (strikes) R1, 1:32- Pete Sell decided to throw punches and again it proved to be his downfall. Matt Brown is as tough a brawler as they come and he landed a perfect combination sending Sell to the ground. It appeared as though the ref stopped it, but for some reason he didn't. Sell ate more punishment before the bout was called.

Matt Hamill def Mark Munoz via KO (head kick) R1, 3:53- With Mark Munoz looking to turn the bout into a wrestling match, Matt Hamill wasn't having it. Munoz failed at takedown attempts then started to eat punches. Slightly wobbled with his hands dropped, Hamill fired a high kick that landed flush on Munoz, crumpling him to the canvas. The replay showed Hamill's shin strike Munoz' temple, a recipe for a devastating KO.

Gray Maynard def. Jim Miller via unanimous dec- Gray Maynard lived up to his nickname "The Bully" as he pushed around Miller throughout the fight. Maynard used his boxing effectively, throwing combinations while moving in and out. Miller was unsuccessful in attempting takedowns, eating punishment for his efforts. All the judges had the fight 30-27. Maynard now has 4 straight decision victories and is 5-0 in the UFC.

Tamdan McCrory def Ryan Madigan via TKO (strikes) R1, 3:35- McCrory wanted no part of Madigan's stand-up as he was able to get a takedown and bring the fight to the mat. Once there, McCrory worked for mount and threw punches and elbows until the fight was called.

Kendall Grove def Jason Day via TKO (strikes) R1, 1:32- In a must win fight, Kendall came out firing and ready to trade punches. Day backed him up early, but Kendall connected with a couple overhand rights. With Day dazed, Kendall went to the mat to finish the job.

Jason Brilz def Tim Boetsch via unanimous dec- Brilz brought the fight to Boetsch, utilizing takedowns and ground and pound to pick up the decision.

Brandon Vera def Michael Patt via TKO (leg kicks) R2, 1:27- Brandon Vera came out firing, looking crisp in his punches and kicks. It seemed as if every leg kick landed and by the second round, Patt was having trouble standing. The snapping kicks eventually led to Patt being unable to stand and continue.

Shane Nelson def Aaron Riley via TKO (strikes) R1, 0:44- For some reason this fight wasn't broadcast.

UFC 96 Preview

UFC 96 takes place this Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. The fights will be available on ppv. Here is the current line-up.

MAIN CARD

Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine- The main event could be a quick one or a long battle. Both fighters have produced dramatic results in the UFC. Jardine (14-4, 6-3 UFC) has knocked out former champ Forrest Griffin and won split decisions over Chuck Liddell and Brandon Vera. Jardine, a veteran of TUF 2, has an unorthodox stance and throws very good leg kicks.

Rampage Jackson (29-7, 4-1 UFC), the former champ, is almost guaranteed a title fight against Rashad Evans if he wins. Rampage won the belt with a knockout victory over Chuck Liddell and defended with a decision victory over Dan Henderson. With a long lay-off Jackson lost a razor thin decision to Forrest Griffin before recently defeating Wanderlei Silva in brutal fashion. Expect Rampage to throw big bombs from his feet. If a KO doesn't happen, I expect Rampage to look for a takedown.

(Rampage Jackson pictured)

Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz- This will be a battle of two former top notch wrestlers. Hamill is a 3 time Division III national champion. Munoz is a 2 time All-American, winning the Division I title in 2001. Hamill was a stand-out in TUF 3, where he beat veteran fighter Mike Nickels. Hamill (5-2, 5-2 UFC) has the UFC experience factor, getting TKO's against tough opponents in Tim Boetsch, Reese Andy and Seth Petruzelli. His loss to Michael Bisping was perhaps one of the worst decisions in the sport.

(Matt Hamill pictured)

Mark Munoz (5-0, 0-0 UFC) won twice in the WEC before they folded the 205 division. Munoz looks for the takedown early and often, and if he gets it has a good ground and pound game. With Munoz stating he will test his wrestling against Hamill, this will make for a quality fight. Both are extremely strong.

(Mark Munoz pictured)

Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga- This match will prove whether or not Shane Carwin belongs in the heavyweight elite. Carwin (10-0, 2-0 UFC) is an absolute beast, standing 6'4" with 265 pounds of pure muscle. Carwin won the Division II national championship in 1999, and was a runner-up in 1998 and 1997. He knocked Christian Wellish out cold in his UFC debut and Neil Wain in his second fight. No fighter has lasted more than 3 minutes with Carwin.

(Shane Carwin pictured)

Gabriel Gonzaga is no slouch himself, with his young career capped with a devastating head kick KO of uber striker Mirko Cro Cop. Gonzaga (10-3, 6-2 UFC) is a BJJ blackbelt with 6 submissions on his resume. He dropped a tough loss to Randy Couture in his shot at the heavyweight title, and lost to Fabricio Werdum via TKO in his next match. He has since rebounded with a KO of Josh Hendricks and kimura over Justin McCully.

(Gabriel Gonzaga pictured)

Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell- Matt Brown (8-7, 2-1 UFC) will look to stand and trade as brawling is his forte. With a solid BJJ background Sell (8-4, 2-4 UFC) is best when looking to utilize his submission game. Sell gets in trouble when he stands and swings for the fences, which would play into Brown's game.

Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller- Maynard (6-0, 4-0 UFC) has been climbing the 155 pound ranks with solid wrestling and ground and pound. Then knock on Maynard has been a lack of excitement in his fights, he may try to push the pace here. Miller (13-1, 2-0 UFC) won over Matt Wiman in his last fight on a weeks notice. He will have more time to prepare for this one, but the fight will boil down to whether Miller can pull a submission off his back.

UNDER CARD

Ryan Madigan vs. Tamdan McCrory
Jason Day vs. Kendall Grove
Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz
Mike Patt vs. Brandon Vera
Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley

UFC 92: Ultimate 2008 Results

Rashad Evans def. Forrest Griffin via TKO (punches) R3, 2:46- Rashad and Forrest traded shots for the first two rounds. Forrest probably got the better of Rashad in the first two with more punches and kicks landed. In the third, Rashad was able to get a takedown from a Griffin kick and then unleashed a flurry of punches and hammerfists forcing the ref to intervene.

(Rashad Evans pictured)

Rashad, with the 205 pound belt in hand, now has to be the most accomplished fighter to emerge from TUF. Evans now has 8 straight official victories inside the octagon. He had three additional wins in TUF that are not official.
*Fight of the Night Bonus
*MMA Blaster readers picked Evans over Griffin 17-15

Frank Mir def. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via TKO (punches) R2, 1:54- Frank Mir dominated the fight as Nogueira never mounted any offense. Through the two rounds, Mir looked to be the better striker, knocking Nog to the floor and bouncing his head back throughout the fight. After knocking Nog to the ground in the second, Mir followed with punches until the ref stepped in. While the stoppage may have been a little early, Nog wasn't intelligently defending himself.

(Frank Mir pictured)

Mir, with Interim HW Belt in tow, will now face Brock Lesnar sometime next year. My guess would be that the fight happens sometime in March or April. This will be a repeat of the fight which ended in a Mir victory via kneebar. Mir was getting beat up before securing the submission in that fight.


C.B. Dollaway def. Mike Massenzio via TKO (strikes) R1, 3:01- CB was technically sound in this fight getting the takedown, mount and then throwing strikes until the ref had to step in and stop the fight.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson def. Wanderlei Silva via KO (punch) R1, 3:21- Rampage emphatically got the the demons off his back in this fight. After losing a razor thin decision to Forrest Griffin, and a public meltdown, Rampage desperately needed a victory. Rampage landed a flush left hook sending Silva to the ground then followed it with strikes until the ref stepped in.

A fight with Rashad Evans for the 205 pound title will probably be Rampage's next fight. Rampage had lost his previous two fights with Wanderlei.

Cheick Kongo def. Mostapha Al-Turk via TKO (strikes) R1, 4:37- After some inadvertent knees thrown by Kongo, he found his mark. Kongo threw a right hand that dropped Al-Turk then brought elbows and punches until the fight had to be stopped.

Yushin Okami def. Dean Lister via unanimous decision- Lister could not get any offense going in his loss to Okami. Okami used a systematic approach to grind out the decision.

Antoni Hardonk def. Mike Wessel via TKO (strikes) R2, 2:09- Wessel looked good in the first round, but in the second, Hardonk turned the tide. Hardonk got a sweep, then dominant position, then threw strikes until the bout was stopped.

Matt Hamill def. Reese Andy via TKO (strikes) R2, 2:19
Brad Blackburn def. Ryo Chonan via unanimous decision
Patrick Barry def. Dan Evensen via TKO (injury) R1, 2:36

UFC Ultimate 2008

UFC Ultimate 2008 will take place on December 27, 2008. It will feature two title matches and a superfight between Wanderlei Silva and Rampage Jackson. The fights will take place in Las Vegas. All 20 fighters made weight at the weigh-ins, as a Wanderlei and Rampage scuffle served as a highlight.

Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans- This UFC light heavyweight title match will most likely become a slugfest. Rashad has been testing his foes on his feet in recent matches. Forrest will look to defend the takedown and find a rhythm to Rashad's sometimes style.

Champ Forrest Griffin (16-4) won the title with a very slim decision victory over Rampage Jackson. Prior to that fight, Griffin dominated Pride superstar Mauricio Shogun Rua, finishing him with a rear naked choke. Griffin has defeated Stephen Bonnar, Hector Ramirez, Elvis Sinosic, Chael Sonnen and Jeff Monson in his career. Griffin won TUF 1 in an epic battle against Stephan Bonnar.

(Forrest Griffin pictured)

Rashad Evans (14-0-1) knocked out Chuck Liddell to earn a shot of the title in September. Previously Rashad won a split decision over Michael Bisping, drew with Tito Ortiz, and viciously knocked out Sean Salmon with a head kick and Jason Lambert with ground and pound. Rashad won the heavyweight season of TUF in the second season with a victory over Brad Imes.

(Rashad Evans pictured)

Champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir- This fight is for the interim Heavyweight Title. The winner will face Brock Lesnar sometime next year in a unification match. Nogueira won the fight with a come from behind guillotine choke victory over Tim Sylvia last February.

Nogueira is an indestructible opponent who has never been submitted or knocked out. He seems to be able to take a monstrous amount of punishment and can't be stopped. Nogueira has victories over Josh Barnett, Heath Herring, Fabricio Werdum, Sergei Kharitonov, Mirko Filipovic, Mark Coleman and countless others.

(Nogueira getting the guillotine)

Frank Mir has been on a mission since his horrific motorcycle crash that broke his leg. Mir won over Antoni Hardonk via kimura before his kneebar victory over Brock Lesnar. Mir did not look good in the fights prior to that looking slow in his loss to Brandon Vera, decision victory over Dan Christison and loss to Marcio Cruz. Mir holds an arm breaking victory over Tim Sylvia and submission victories over Roberto Traven and Pete Williams.

(Frank Mir pictured)

Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva- This fight will more than likely result in another war. Silva has won the past two in devasting fashion. However, what most people forget is that Rampage has had opportunities to win the two fights. If Rampage can get some takedowns he will have a chance to win. Silva will look to keep the fight standing and utilize his superior Muay Thai game.

C.B. Dollaway vs. Mike Massenzio
Mustafa Al-Turk vs. Cheick Kongo

UNDERCARD
Dean Lister vs. Yushin Okami
Antoni Hardonk vs. Mike Wessel
Reese Andy vs. Matt Hamill
Brad Blackburn vs. Ryo Chonan
Pat Berry vs. Dan Evensen

UFC 88 Preview

**All fighters have made weight and are ready to go. The Parisyan v. Yoshida fight was scrapped when Karo withdrew because of a back injury.

Below are some fights that are listed on UFC.com as the line-up for UFC 88 in Atlanta, Georgia. The fights will take place on September 6th.


Rashad Evans (11-0-1) vs. Chuck Liddell (21-5)- Both fighters are looking at a possible title shot if they are victorious. Rashad may try to showcase his boxing skills and keep the contest standing. If that is the case, Liddell will be looking for a knockout punch. With Liddell's legendary take down defense, Rashad might not be able to showcase his wrestling ability.

Rashad's last fight was a split decision victory over Michael Bisping almost a year ago. Prior to that fight, Rashad has a controversial draw with Tito Ortiz, a high kick KO of Sean Salmon, and a KO of Jason Lambert.

In December of 2007, Liddell had a great victory over Wanderlei Silva. Prior to that, Liddell had lost to Rampage Jackson via KO, and a slim decision loss to Keith Jardine. Liddell had to push the bout back one time due to injury.


Rich Franklin (23-3) vs. Matt Hamill (4-1)- Former MW champ Franklin will be moving up to 205 pounds for the first time since his win over Ken Shamrock. Franklin was victorious over Travis Lutter in his last fight. Prior to that fight, Franklin suffered his second loss to Anderson Silva.

Hamill is coming off an outstanding victory over Tim Boetsch in April. Prior to that fight, Hamill lost a controversial decision to Michael Bisping. More than likely, Hamill will try to take the fight to the ground. Franklin will try to keep it standing. This will be the toughest fighter Hamill has fought to date. It will be interesting to see where this fight goes.


*Bout scrapped due to Parisyan back injury*
Karo Parisyan (18-5) vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-2)- Karo is coming off a slightly controversial loss to rising star Thiago Alves. Karo thought it was an early stoppage, but he should have avoided the knee that connected flush to his face and dropped him to the canvas. Prior to that loss, Karo had defeated Ryo Chonan, Josh Burkman and Drew Fickett via unanimous decision.

Yoshida is riding a 9 fight win streak, recently choking Jon Koppenhaver unconscious in his UFC debut. Akira Kikuchi (16-4) and Luis Sapo (15-2) are among his victories during the streak. It would be nice to see a little emotion out of Yoshida, who didn't appear to care about the awesome victory over War Machine.


Dan Henderson (22-7) vs. Rousimar Palhares (8-1)- Henderson will look to bounce back from two straight losses since joining the UFC. Henderson has lost to two of the sports best in Anderson Silva and Rampage Jackson. Palharaes has six straight wins since a loss to Arthur Cesar in 06. In his last fight he choked out Ivan Salaverry.

Martin Kampmann (13-1) vs. Nate Marquardt (26-8)- This is a huge fight for Kampmann as a win would put him near title contention. Kampmann has 9 straight victories and is 4-0 in the UFC during that stretch. Since a nasty knee injury, Kampmann defeated Jorge Rivera in June. Marquardt lost a very strange split decision to Thales Leites in his last fight. The former King of Pancrase has wins over Jeremy Horn, Dean Lister, Crafton Wallace and Joe Doerkson in the UFC.

Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares
Tim Boetsch vs. Mike Patt
Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Roan Carneiro vs. Ryo Chonan
Jason Lambert vs. Jason MacDonald

Ultimate Fight Night 13

The Ultimate Fight Night 13 produced some excellent fights and some great come from behind see-saw battles. The show was basically a UFC pay per view lite. The fights were great, the lite describes the amount fights shown vs. filler and commercials. The multiple interviews, lengthy commercial breaks, and lack of cohesion to the production got annoying. After Diaz and Hammil's fights ended quick it took forever to get to the next fight. After Alves beat Karo, it took forever to get to Speer v. Johnson. With the amount of fights that ended in the second or first round there should have been 8 fights shown instead of 6.

MAIN CARD
Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon- Florian via TKO, 3:29 R2- Lauzon may have taken the first round with takedowns, but Kenny was able to land some kicks and elbows. The second round Kenny was able to secure the mount and land punches until the ref was forced to stop the fight.

Thiago Alves vs. Karo Parisyan- Alves via KO (knee to punches), :34 R1- The first round saw Karo and Thiago exchange blows. Joe Rogan talked alot about the mile high altitude. Karo looked to be carrying a little more weight and it didn't help him in this fight. In the second round, Karo took a massive knee to the face. He then took three or four punches from Alves before ref Steve Mazzagati called it.

Afterwards, Karo popped up and was angered at the stoppage. It was obvious on the replay that Karo's knees buckled after the knee and he took at least three punches. In Karo's defense, he did have an arm up attempting to say he was still alright. It may of been a quick stoppage, but Karo shouldn't have let a massive knee crumple him to the ground. Five straight wins for Thiago should put him one behind Jon Fitch for the title. Fitch definately has earned his place with his 8th straight win at UFC 82.

Tim Boetsch vs. Matt Hamill- Hamill via TKO 1:25, R2- Tremendous applause has to be given for Hamill in this one. After trading shots at the start, Hamill was able to take Boetsch down and land a couple glancing blows. After a stand-up, Boetsch picked Hamill apart with front kicks, knees, and punches. A brutal Boetsch knee prompted blood to start pouring from Hamill's mouth. Hamill took alot of punishment before the horn sounded.

After the round we saw that Hamill's lip was actually split basically in two. It looked as if the knee had pushed the lip trough a tooth. The second round looked to be more of the same until Hamill landed a takedown and then a huge flurry. He gave it all he had, and eventually Boetsch just wasn't blocking many punches and the action was called.

Houston Alexander vs. James Irvin- Irvin via KO :08 R1- Irvin landed a superman punch and a few others to get the KO at 8 seconds of the first round.

Nate Diaz vs. Kurt Pellegrino- Diaz via sub. (triangle) 3:06, R2- Nate Diaz impressed me with his performance in this fight. Diaz took an absolute beating in the first round. Diaz took punches and elbows directly on the chin, side of the head, and to the face. A massive Pellegrino elbow smashed him on the eye and opened up a cut. Diaz gave up his back, but was able to ride out the round. In the second, Diaz looked revitalized. After an attempted slam Diaz transitioned from an extremely non-chalant guillotine attempt to a triangle. Knowing it was sunk deep, Diaz flexed to the crowd and then flashed dual middle fingers. Classy.

Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard - Maynard via UD- Both fighters landed punches in the first, but Maynard won each round with takedowns and a slight advantage while standing.

UNDERCARD

Anthony Johnson vs. Tommy Speer- Tom Speer was absolutely destroyed in his fight. It seemed like punch after punch, kick after kick landed. Johnson popped Speer in the mouth and dropped him like a sack of bricks. Speer laid against the fence for a few seconds.

Marcus Aurelio vs. Ryan Roberts
Josh Neer vs. Din Thomas
Jeff Cox vs. Manny Gamburyan
Samy Schiavo vs. Clay Guida
Roman Mitichyan vs. George Sotiropoulos