5. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson

It’s the last call for a legend, and one of the greatest MMA fighters in MMA history. If Emelianenko can’t beat Dan Henderson, I have a strong feeling that he’ll retire. And Dan Henderson is currently riding a major wave of momentum now that he’s Strikeforce’s Light Heavyweight Champion. It’s going to be an awesome showdown between two of the best old-school MMA veterans still actively competing today.

4. Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson

It may not have the bitter rivalry of the inevitable showdown between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans… but this is certainly one colossal match-up. I honestly and fully believe that this fight will set the stage for years to come: depending on how Jones does against Jackson, we’ll know for sure whether or not Jones is “the chosen one” that will break the curse of UFC Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few fights. I definitely can’t wait to see this fight.

3. Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami

Yushin Okami can’t beat Anderson Silva… right? Of course he can. Anybody can beat anybody, and anything can happen in Mixed Martial Arts. And this is a rematch that’s been years in the making. To a loyal contingent of fans, Okami is one of the most under-rated, under-appreciated fighters currently fighting in the UFC. To a vast majority of people, Anderson Silva is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. Any time Anderson Silva fights, you can definitely expect it to chart high on my lists like this. The fact that there’s such an interesting story between Okami and Silva is just icing on the cake.

2. Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva

Now this is a fight everyone can really dig their teeth into. Alistair Overeem has been living up to his nickname “Demolition Man” for a long time now, although he didn’t give the best performance against Fabricio Werdum. Meanwhile, Antonio Silva gave arguably the best performance of his life when he defeated Fedor Emelianenko. Whether you’re an Overeem fan, a “Bigfoot” fan, or simply a fan of great fights, this should definitely be the premiere showdown for the rest of Strikeforce’s year.

And my number-one most-anticipated fight for the rest of 2011 is…

1. Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre

The night Nick Diaz faced Paul Daley, I was on the edge of my seat from the moment that fight started. When Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre goes down, I won’t even need a seat. I’ll be too busy pacing back and forth. I’ve followed Nick Diaz for a long, long time, and in that time, he’s changed from one of the fighters I absolutely despise to one of only a handful of fighters I consider my favorites. Even though he’s incredibly controversial and one of the biggest “bad boys” in MMA, I just can’t help but love Diaz’s take-no-prisoners style and his gruff type of “us against the world” affection that he shows to both his fans and his teammates. I know that Nick Diaz is a legitimate “best in the world” athlete, and I want him to prove that against Georges St. Pierre. But to do that, he’ll have to beat a man that I consider one of the greatest Mixed Martial Artists of all time. This isn’t just my most-anticipated fight for the rest of 2011, it’s probably my most-anticipated fight of the last few years. Everything, and I do mean everything, will be on the line when Nick Diaz fights Georges St. Pierre.

5. Rashad Evans

Coming off of a loss to Chuck Liddell in December 2006, Ortiz looked to rebound in 2007 with a win over a hungry young upstart by the name of Rashad Evans. The fight would end up being ruled a draw, with Ortiz being penalized one point for holding onto the fence. Since then, Evans has become a star in his own right and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Currently, Evans will be fighting Phil Davis. Win or lose, I think both Evans and Ortiz would prove quite a lot by fighting each other again.

4. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

For the most part, Ortiz has fought nothing but hungry young fighters in his recent fights. I say it’s time for a veteran fighter that has the experience and skill to be a threat in all major areas of the game. And although his career is winding down, “Little Nog” can still go. Personally, I think this would be an awesome fight between one of the best, most experienced, most versatile ground wizards in the division and the man that became synonymous with vicious Ground and Pound.

3. Quinton Jackson

Jackson ranks higher because of his status as a former champion and for his one-hit KO power. He also ranks higher than “Little Nog” because I think this fight would mostly stay on the feet, and to be honest, a stand-up fight between Jackson and Ortiz simply interests me more than a ground war between Ortiz and Little Nog. Ortiz displayed some good striking at UFC 132… can he hang with a striker like Jackson? If he wants to get this fight on the floor, can he deal with the great takedown defense of Jackson? Those are two questions I’d definitely pay to see answered.

2. Lyoto Machida

When you think about it, Machida’s big victory over Tito Ortiz is what got most people to finally start paying attention to Machida. Machida would be the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion only two fights removed from his decision win over Ortiz. But in the here and now, Machida has recently gotten over a two-fight (some say it should be three) losing-streak with a fantastic KO win over aging legend Randy Couture. That’s not exactly the same thing as winning what many felt would be the final fight of your career by dramatic stoppage, but it’s in the same ballpark. This is another rematch that simply makes a lot of sense right now, and I’d love to see it happen.

And the number-one next opponent for Tito Ortiz is…

1. Forrest Griffin

If Tito Ortiz really wants to prove that he’s “back”, he needs to beat the man that spoiled his heavily-hyped UFC return in 2009. Following that fight, Griffin was out of action for over a year and then took Rich Franklin to a boring decision. Whereas Ortiz found that old flame at UFC 132, Griffin looked like he was only focused on winning and not giving fans a good show when he defeated Rich Franklin. This is a rivalry with a very rich history: Ortiz has won one, Griffin has won one, and both wins were by Split Decision. I think it’s time we end this rivalry once and for all, and I really can’t think of a better way for Ortiz to prove that he’s back.

First up, let’s head to MMA Mania for news on how the fighters of UFC 130 are holding up. The official medical suspensions stand as such.

Quinton Jackson: Must have left hand x-rayed; if positive then must be cleared by orthopedic doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension, no contest until 06/28/11, no contact until 06/19/11.

Frank Mir: Must have left ribs cleared by doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension, no contest until 06/28/11, no contact until 06/19/11.

Stefan Struve: Suspended until 07/28/11; no contact until 07/13/11 for precautionary reasons.

Brian Stann: Must have right thumb x-rayed; if positive then must be cleared by orthopedic doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension, no contest until 06/28/11, no contact until 06/19/11.

Jorge Santiago: Must clear left orbital fracture with ENT or ophthalmologist or no contest until 11/25/11.

Rafaello Oliveira: Suspended until 07/28/11; no contact until 07/13/11 for precautionary reasons.

Michael McDonald: Must have left shoulder cleared by orthopedic doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension until 07/28/11, no contact until 07/13/11.

Next up, we go to the one and only Sherdog for the official list of reported payouts for UFC 130. As expected, several of the major headlining attractions left with a considerable chunk of change. Here’s what everyone made.

Quinton Jackson — $250,000 (no win bonus) def. Matt Hamill — $32,000

Frank Mir — $250,000 (including $125,000 win bonus) def. Roy Nelson — $15,000

Travis Browne — $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus) def. Stefan Struve — $21,000

Rick Story — $34,000 (including $17,000 win bonus) def. Thiago Alves — $33,000

Brian Stann — $46,000 (including $23,000 win bonus) def. Jorge Santiago — $36,000

Demetrious Johnson — $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus) def. Miguel Torres — $30,000

Tim Boetsch — $36,000 (including $18,000 win bonus) def. Kendall Grove — $28,000

Gleison Tibau — $50,000 (including $25,000 win bonus) def. Rafaello Oliveira — $10,000

Michael McDonald — $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus) def. Chris Cariaso — $4,000

Renan “Barao” Pegado — $10,000 (including $5,000 win bonus) def. Cole Escovedo — $6,000

So it does look like both Quinton Jackson and Frank Mir could be out for nearly the rest of the entire year, which is a shame since both men scored big wins at UFC 130. But they’re both dealing with serious injuries, and I wish them both the best as well as a speedy recovery.

In regards to the UFC payroll, it doesn’t surprise me that Jackson and Mir made off with a quarter of a million. What surprised me is how much their opponents made in comparison. Here’s some simple math for you, fans and friends.

According to this payroll, Quinton Jackson made nearly eight times as much money as his opponent, “Ultimate Fighter” standout and longtime journeyman fighter Matt Hamill.

The discrepancy gets even worse when you compare Frank Mir’s salary to that of Roy Nelson. The former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion, Mir, made nearly seventeen times more money that the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10, Roy Nelson.

Of course, this money does not include things like bonuses, whether traditional or untraditional. It also doesn’t include things like sponsorship deals.

But still… that’s one whopper of a discrepancy. The UFC is definitely home to the big, big paychecks… it just appears that that’s only true for a very select few.

5. Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson living up to its potential.

I was very hesitant about Miguel Torres after his bore-fest of a UFC debut, I’ve made no secret of that. But he honestly redeemed himself a whole lot (though not completely) at UFC 130. This was a Miguel Torres I could like: his style is wholly different, but the old fire and passion is still there, as is the hunger to get a dramatic finish. Johnson was simply the better man, and as I predicted, this fight saw him fully emerge as a UFC Bantamweight Championship contender. All told, it was the best fight of the UFC 130 preliminary card.

4. Frank Mir controlling and dominating an over-matched and overweight Roy Nelson.

When Frank Mir is off… he’s way, way off. But when Frank Mir is on? When Frank Mir is on, it becomes very apparent why he’s a former Heavyweight champion. Mir showed up in great shape and really controlled Roy Nelson, who is a tough opponent for anybody. Both men ended up gassing, but mostly because the first round of their fight was so frantic and exciting. It wasn’t the best performance of Frank Mir’s career, but it did demonstrate that he’s still a force in the UFC’s Heavyweight division after all this time.

3. Quinton Jackson fully shaking off the ring rust against Matt Hamill.

Jackson didn’t look too impressive against Rashad Evans, the same could be said for his bout with Lyoto Machida. But when you look at his UFC 130 fight with Matt Hamill and consider that he had a fractured hand going into the bout… Jackson looked very impressive. With some of the shots he hit Hamill with, you have to wonder if those shots would’ve knocked Hamill out if “Rampage” had his hands at full strength. This wasn’t the full rebirth of the Quinton Jackson of old, but it was a huge step in the right direction.

2. Brian Stann dominating Jorge Santiago.

Even if we put aside the tremendous story of a former Marine and Silver Star recipient fighting on Memorial Day weekend, it’s tough to look at Brian Stann and not picture him as a possible title contender before the year is through. Stann seems to be putting it all together at Middleweight: fast hands, crisp striking, and dangerous KO power. Jorge Santiago came into the UFC after an amazing run in Japan… and Brian Stann may have just sent him back there. It was a fantastic performance, and when you add in Stann’s background, it was the best feel-good moment of the night.

And my personal pick for the best moment of UFC 130 is…

1. Travis Browne’s Superman Punch KO on Stefan Struve.

If you ever wondered why this was called the “Superman Punch”, here’s your answer: if someone knows how to use it correctly and has good power in his hands, it’s nearly guaranteed to knock an opponent senseless. Like many flashy strikes, it’s mostly used not to damage but to create openings and get inside an opponent’s head. But Browne utilized the move to its full effect when he folded up the gigantic Stefan Struve. That’s a highlight that will be on Browne’s reel for the rest of his career, and it was honestly the best moment of an underwhelming UFC 130.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”.

Next for Brian Stann: Now that he’s dropped down to Middleweight, Brian Stann just keeps finding a way to finish people in dramatic fashion. He’s now on a three-fight win-streak with three stoppages: tww KO’s and one submission. He’s also got one “Fight of the Night” award under his belt as a Middleweight. Stann is a huge breath of fresh air in a division still recuperating from Anderson Silva’s reign of destruction, so I see Stann being immediately put into a “contender eliminator” fight in his next bout.

Next for Roy Nelson: I feel quite sad to say this, but it’s time for “Big Country” to lose the “big”. Perhaps it’s Nelson getting up there in years, perhaps it’s the simple fact that what everyone said would happen finally is happening. But Roy Nelson has got to lose weight, and fast. His cardio is abominable if it goes past the first round, and Mir proved that it’s even abominable in the very first round if you know how to work him. If Nelson doesn’t show up to his next fight at a trim 220, 240 at maximum, then he’s doomed to stay knocking out UFC Heavyweight bottom-feeders until he loses a few in a row and the UFC cuts him.

Next for Frank Mir: What an interesting situation Frank Mir finds himself in. He continues to find ways to prolong his career as a top-flight UFC Heavyweight, and to be honest, I think he looked awesome against Roy Nelson. I don’t have anything against Frank Mir, I actually consider myself a bit of a fan of the man. But it worries me that he can look great in some fights only to get pummeled in other fights. Based on his name and style, Mir will probably get a “contender eliminator” fight for his next fight… but if it’s someone who knows his tricks and has good punching power, he could lose his shot at the title once again. And since he’s been fighting in the UFC for so long, there are a lot of people out there that know his tricks. And since it’s the UFC Heavyweight division, a lot of people have good punching power.

Next for Matt Hamill: Much like Roy Nelson, I truly hate to say this. But I think this fight proved that Matt Hamill is and always will be a gatekeeper. He’s awesome against a certain type of opponent, but that opponent doesn’t have “best in the world” status. Expect Hamill to be a staple of the UFC’s “Fight Night Live” outings for the foreseeable future.

Next for Quinton Jackson: At least for now, Quinton Jackson has preserved his spot as one of the best 205 fighters in the UFC. What’s next is anyone’s guess, considering how many top-ranked Light Heavyweights are in the UFC and constantly fighting for their shot at the championship. I will say this, though: one way or another, we’ll know by the end of the year whether or not Quinton Jackson will fight for a championship. If he does, he faces a tough but not insurmountable task. If he doesn’t, he’ll continue fighting for one and winning more than he loses so long as he shows up in shape, focused, and healthy.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”?

Full results courtesy of MMA Weekly.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson defeats Matt Hamill via unanimous decision (30-27 x3). Frank Mir defeats Roy Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26). Travis Browne defeats Stefan Struve via KO at 4:11 of the first round. Rick Story defeats Thiago Alves via unanimous decision (29-28 x3). Brian Stann defeats Jorge Santiago via TKO at 4:29 or round two. Demetrious Johnson defeats Miguel Torres via unanimous decision (29-28 x3). Tim Boetsch defeats Kendall Grove via unanimous decision (30-27 x3). Gleison Tibau defeats Rafaello via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:28 of round two. Michael McDonald defeats Chris Cariaso via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28). Renan Barao defeats Cole Escovedo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

I’ll begin with my most prevalent reaction to this card: as the title says, this card lives up to the “anti-hype”. Some fights were good, but some fights weren’t. Some fighters gave good performances, some fighters gave marginal, average, and occasionally sloppy/bad performances. It was an average event in a day and age where “average” is below average. This is the UFC we’re talking about, and most people decried this as a glorified “Fight Night Live” card. With only a few exceptions, they ended up being right.

Renan Barao left me honestly a bit disappointed. With his kind of record, I thought he would totally blitzkrieg Cole Escovedo and set himself up as an immediate Bantamweight Championship contender. I said the exact same thing about Michael McDonald, who once again showed tremendous talent but squeaked his way past a close decision. Gleison Tibau put on a good performance, but he’s the definition of a journeyman.

I think Tim Boetsch could be a force at Middleweight, but he seemed to be playing it safe for most of his fight and it got a little boring at times. On the very positive side, Miguel Torres took a huge step forward in redeeming himself with his heartfelt, entertaining performance against Demetrious Johnson. In losing to “Mighty Mouse”, Torres actually gained back some of the respect that I lost for him when he made an incredibly boring UFC debut.

I loved seeing Brian Stann go to town, and I also liked seeing Travis Browne KTFO Stefan Struve. But I have to wonder if either of those two fights belonged on the main card of a major UFC Pay-Per-View. I personally found the bout between Rick Story and Thiago Alves very boring. And after being a fan of Roy Nelson for most of his career, I now have no choice but to admit that Roy Nelson’s quirky physique has stopped being quirky and started becoming the Achilles Heel everyone says it would end up becoming. As much as he loves it, Nelson needs to lose his gut… and quickly.

And in the main event of UFC 130, a star-struck Matt Hamill fought an injured (we’d find that out in Jackson’s post-fight interview) Quinton Jackson. Even Jackson himself gave his performance a failing grade, rating it a five out of ten. Jackson kept himself alive in the Light Heavyweight title hunt, but Matt Hamill seemed so far out of his element that I think many people will rightfully question what this win proved.

Overall… I normally don’t mind being wrong, but I really wish I had been right. I really wish this card had been a “sleeper hit” and answered all the cynics. But it didn’t… and that’s very unfortunate.

5. Three free fights on Facebook.

The main event of the free Facebook preliminary broadcast features a battle between two journeyman UFC fighters, and that’s always an interesting and competitive bout. But you’ve also got two fighters who basically don’t belong on the prelims and could be major stars in a very short amount of time. The first one is Renan Barao, who possesses an incredible record of 25-1. The second is Michael McDonald, with a record of 12-1 with eleven stoppages. Those fighters shouldn’t be missed, so the Facebook stream shouldn’t be missed.

4. Two big fights on Spike TV

Speaking of journeyman, one of the UFC’s most popular Middleweight journeyman will be in action at UFC 130: Kendall Grove. Grove takes on Tim Boetsch, who recently had a four-fight win-streak broken. But even bigger than that, you’ve got former top-ranked Pound-for-Pound stalwart and long-reigning WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres taking on the fiery Demetrious Johnson. Whoever wins that fight will be only one or two fights away from a shot at the UFC Bantamweight Championship.

3. Brian Stann fighting on Memorial Day Weekend.

No matter what your personal feelings are on the current war situation, we should all agree that Memorial Day is a time best served for reflection and honoring the fallen. Brian Stann will fight for both his country and his comrades when he steps into the cage at UFC 130, which takes place during Memorial Day weekend. Stann is so pumped for this fight that he recently gave an interview where he said that he’d fight every single day of this weekend if he could. Depending on how his fight with Jorge Santiago goes, Stann may take a huge step towards the UFC Middleweight Championship at this event.

2. Nelson vs. Mir is going to surprise a lot of people.

People are thinking this is going to be a good fight and a fun brawl… and I honestly think they’re wrong. It’s going to be a good fight… and a superbly-technical ground war. In a way, this is the fight Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira should have been: striking will be put on the backburner although not abandoned entirely, while both men dazzle fans with their ground wizardry. If you’ve got even a modicum of respect for the ground game, this is a must-watch fight.

And the number-one reason to watch UFC 130 is…

1. Matt Hamill’s coming-out party.

I’ve talked about it for so long, and now the day is finally here. Later today, I fully believe that Matt Hamill will finally step into the role of a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship contender. He’ll be facing arguably the toughest test of his career, but that’s going to motivate him to put on the best performance of his life. I can’t wait to see Matt Hamill triumph over adversity one more time and become the fighter I always knew he could be.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see UFC 130. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill: I’ve staked my claim in Matt Hamill’s corner ever since this fight was first announced, and that’s not changing anytime soon. I know Matt Hamill can beat “Rampage”, I’ve seen his heart and will carry him through too much to ever doubt him again. We’re going to see the best Matt Hamill we’ve ever seen in this fight, and he’s going to surprise a lot of people. Hamill will show up in great shape and very focused, and will beat Jackson by Unanimous Decision.

Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson: It all comes down to two things: size and strength. Both of these fighters have it, but I think Roy Nelson has more of it. As awkward as it is, Roy Nelson’s big belly allows him to really control people on the ground, it’s nearly impossible to get out from under it. Nelson also has big one-hit knockout power, whereas Mir has good power but really needs to soften a guy up before TKO’ing them. Even the big power punch he landed on Cheick Kongo wasn’t enough to turn out the lights in an instant, and that was full-force and dead square on the chin. Both are so good on the ground that neither one of them is getting submitted, and although Nelson has both speed and power in his strikes, I think Frank Mir won’t get stopped and dropped. Roy Nelson wins a tough, close bout by Unanimous Decision.

Travis Browne vs. Stefan Struve: Stefan Struve is a bit of an enigma. When he’s put up against a good opponent, his size, reach, and heart all make him a very formidable foe. When he’s put up against someone with huge punching power, though, he can go out like a light in under a minute. Unfortunately for Struve, eight of Browne’s ten wins have come by some form of (T)KO. If Struve takes this fight to the ground, he’ll likely win by Submission by Round 2. But if Struve wants to stand and bang just to prove that he can, that chin is going to betray him before long, and Browne will win by TKO by Round 2.

Brian Stann vs. Jorge Santiago: Santiago has been on a very good run outside of the UFC, but it’s an entirely different level of competition inside the Octagon. Brian Stann is quickly molding himself into a top-tier Middleweight, and he looked excellent in his fight with Chris Leben. I just can’t get past the fact that Santiago has been dropped and stopped five times in his career, over half of his career losses have come from someone cracking his chin. That’s exactly what I think is going to happen here: Brian Stann wins by first-round KO.

Rick Story vs. Thiago Alves: Story may be on a good five-fight win-streak, but three of those wins were decisions and two were Split Decisions. Thiago Alves hasn’t fully recaptured the magic of his 2008 run, though. However, he looked like he was well on his way to doing just that in his last fight. I think this fight will end with Alves taking a firm step towards another title shot, even though Story will make him work for it. Thiago Alves wins by TKO in Round 3.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? Who do you see winning, and why, at UFC 130?

The Event: UFC 130, currently scheduled for May 28, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Three preliminary fights will be streamed at the UFC’s Facebook page starting at 6:45 PM ET. Two additional preliminary fights will then be shown on Spike TV starting at 8:00 PM ET. The main UFC 130 Pay-Per-View card starts at 9:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: This isn’t hype talking: this card really does have something for everybody. You’ve got a great grappling/BJJ match-up in Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir in the co-main event. In the main event, Quinton Jackson is a knockout artist while Matt Hamill is the journeyman that’s closer than ever to realizing his dream. You’ve got strikers like Thiago Alves, submission specialists, grinders, wrestlers, “jack of all trades” fighters, and more.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Both Quinton Jackson and Matt Hamill want a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. For Matt Hamill, it’s a dream he’s spent most of his MMA career working towards. For Quinton Jackson, it’s a shot at redemption after some tumultuous years, and quite possibly his last chance to capture UFC gold before he retires. Both men will push the pace and make this fight exciting no matter where it goes.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Frank Mir and Roy Nelson are two very different fighters, but they share several interesting similarities. Mir recently abandoned his super-muscular 265 pound physique in favor of his more-natural 240 or so, while Nelson routinely tips the scales near the Heavyweight weight limit based mostly on the size of his famous beer belly. But the one thing these two share most in common is that they’re highly-distinguished grapplers and submission specialists with fierce punching power. Much like Hamill/Jackson, this fight should be entertaining no matter where it goes.

Why You Should Watch This Card: In addition to the great co-main and main events, you’ve got several good fights on the main Pay-Per-View card and especially the free preliminary cards. If you’re a WEC fan, you’ve also got some big former WEC names competing on the card, names like Miguel Torres. If you’re a fan of the mid-tier, Kendall Grove and Gleison Tibau are competing. The list of fighters competing at UFC 130 runs the gamut, and while they may not be the best the UFC has to offer, they’re certainly an interesting group of good-to-great fighters.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: As I just admitted, these honestly aren’t the best fighters the UFC has to offer. Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill is a good fight, I even keep promising it’s going to be great, but I agree with the cynics that it’s not a particularly notable main event. Mir/Nelson is good, but then you have to ask yourself if you think Mir and/or Nelson could really pose a threat to the UFC’s upper-echelon Heavyweights. UFC 130 features a host of matches that should be good, sure, but very few of them are particularly meaningful.

Closing Thoughts: For all the cynicism this card has inspired, I’m actually really looking forward to UFC 130. It’s shaping up to be a great event, overall. It may not be the best or most star-studded event in UFC history, but it should be an excellent way to kick off the UFC’s summer endeavors.

And what about you, fans and friends? Anybody out there looking forward to UFC 130?

Quinton Jackson is one of those rare fighters that hardly needs an introduction. But I’ll attempt to do him justice. When Jackson steps into the Octagon at UFC 130 tomorrow, he’ll celebrate his fortieth fight as a professional Mixed Martial Artist. With an overwhelmingly positive record of 31-8, the man nicknamed “Rampage” has won nine of his last eleven bouts. Jackson has been fighting since 1999, and was one of the biggest stars of the legendary PRIDE FC promotion.

Jackson’s run in PRIDE was arguably as good as any of PRIDE’s mega-stars. Known for his vicious punching power as well as his amazing slams, “Rampage” proved to be a breakthrough hit as well as a highly-regarded fighter. That success instantly translated into a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship shortly after Jackson made his UFC debut. Since 2008, Jackson has been working his way back to a title shot. It’s taken him several major controversies, a season coaching “The Ultimate Fighter”, and a highly-published dispute with the UFC that involved him “retiring”, but Jackson is now closer than ever to getting another title shot.

The one person standing in Jackson’s way is Matt Hamill. Without hyperbole, Matt Hamill has got to be one of the most-inspiring MMA stories of all time. Hamill was born deaf, but overcame his disability thanks to his unbreakable will and a love for amateur wrestling. Hamill was a contestant on the third season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, and made an immediate name for himself before bowing out of the reality TV show due to injuries. Hamill made his UFC debut in 2006, which was only the second fight of his MMA career. It really says something that Matt Hamill has realistically fought his entire career inside the Octagon.

Since making his UFC debut, Hamill’s record stands at a very respectable 9-2. He’s faced some interesting challenges in his day: Rich Franklin, Michael Bisping, Mark Munoz, Jon Jones, Tito Ortiz, Keith Jardine. He’s also finished a majority of his opponents: of his nine Octagon victories, five have been by (T)KO. One has been by disqualification. And despite some cynics decrying Matt Hamill as a boring fighter in the weeks leading up to this fight, Matt Hamill has been to a decision (win or lose) four times in roughly five years.

Heading into this fight, I can’t wait for Matt Hamill to fully assert himself and step into the role of a championship challenger. I’m just sad he’ll have to take down “Rampage” to do it. This is Hamill’s time now, I firmly believe that and I firmly believe in him. Hamill is ready for a challenge of this magnitude, and he’s going to come out and surprise a lot of people at UFC 130.

And that’s it, fans and friends! After four days and many, many entries… “A Closer Look at UFC 130” officially comes to a close. I hope you’ve enjoyed the series, and I hope you’ve learned a thing or two about this very interesting event and its diverse cast of fighters.

5. It’s an interesting “striker vs. grappler” dynamic.

As the saying goes, styles make fights. Quinton Jackson may not be fighting as much as he used to. And he may have shown up to his last few fights with some sizable ring rust. But that doesn’t diminish the fact that his punching power, when he hits you squarely and solidly, seems to have not diminished much if at all. Meanwhile, Matt Hamill is a dominant wrestler that recently out-wrestled and dominated Tito Ortiz, who used to be one of the most-dominant wrestlers in the business.

4. Matt Hamill is closer than he’s ever been to getting a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, and that’s some big motivation.

Currently, Matt Hamill is on a five-fight win-streak. That’s the longest win-streak of Hamill’s career, and he hasn’t been fighting bums. Even if you exclude the win he got over Jon Jones by disqualification, Hamill has won four out of his last five with two (T)KO finishes. This opportunity has been a long time coming for Matt Hamill, and I don’t doubt that he’ll do whatever he can to prove that he belongs amongst the Light Heavyweight elite. With that kind of motivation propelling him, we’ll probably see the best Matt Hamill we’ve ever seen when he steps into the cage at UFC 130.

3. Jackson needs a big win to erase the Machida controversy, and that’s some big motivation as well.

A lot of people don’t talk about Quinton Jackson as much as they used to. It may have something to do with the long absences from the sport he keeps taking, it may have something to do with the fact that he’s not looked as good as he used to in some of his more-recent fights. For a former champion, that’s some pretty strong motivation. Jackson needs a big win if he wants to stay relevant in the sport, and until he does decide to call it a career, I think staying relevant is very important to “Rampage”.

2. Matt Hamill is not a boring fighter.

I hear this complaint all the time, and it honestly baffles me. Matt Hamill has been to a decision in his two most recent fights, sure, but they were both entertaining scraps against Tito Ortiz and Keith Jardine. Aside from those two occasions, Hamill has been to a decision on two other occasions. All told, Matt Hamill has ten wins with six stoppages. Just by using simple mathematics, that means that Matt Hamill finishes a majority of his fights. I’ve never been unimpressed with Matt Hamill, and I think those that are maybe haven’t seen as many of his fights as they should. Matt Hamill is constantly evolving, he’s got a tremendous heart, and the one thing he is not… is a boring fighter.

And the number-one reason why Matt Hamill vs. Quinton Jackson should be a great fight is…

1. No ring rust means “Rampage” is back on track.

If Quinton Jackson shows up healthy and focused at UFC 130, there’s a high chance that we’ll see a dramatic knockout. Even if his dedication to the sport has wavered, you can’t deny that Jackson still belongs amongst the 205 elite. Now that his fighting schedule is back to a normal UFC fighter’s schedule, Jackson has had ample opportunity to shake off the ring rust. So long as the rust stays off, Jackson should deliver a very, very entertaining performance at UFC 130.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of this match-up?

Here’s what “Rampage” had to say over at Five Knuckles: “Honestly, I’ve been known for keeping it real and I have to keep it real. As soon as movies start paying me more than I make to fight, I’m gone. It don’t hurt to make movies… I don’t have the type of blood Randy Couture has. I give it up to him. I take my hat off to that guy, but I’m not that guy… I’m an entertainer, I like making people laugh. I like doing movies, action moves and stuff like that. I might even try to be a comedian one day, who knows?”

Now, this is the part where a “Rampage” cynic would question his loyalty to the sport, his dedication, his heart, and many other things. This basically adds fuel to the fire, it only emboldens the anti-fans who claim that Jackson doesn’t care about the sport anymore. That’s one way this interview could be construed. Here’s what I think.

You know how I love big/bold statements, fans and friends? Try this one on for size: if you have a problem with where Quinton Jackson’s head is at these days, why don’t you fight for over a decade and almost forty fights and then see where your head is at.

I know I’m pulling “that” card, but honestly, I’m perfectly in the right to do so. Quinton Jackson is still a relatively young man, he’s only 32, but as I’ve said countless times, I think we’re beginning to see a real difference between a fighter’s actual age and their “ring age”. This is especially evident in the PRIDE veterans thanks to how many all-out wars were fought in PRIDE.

If Quinton Jackson doesn’t want to fight anymore, I think he’s earned that right. As I said before, he’s a veteran of over ten years and almost forty fights. He was a big star in PRIDE, and he continues to be a big star in the UFC. His record is still overwhelmingly positive, with thirty-one wins and eight losses. Quinton Jackson could quit tomorrow and I still think everyone would remember him for a long, long time.

In the end, the only one who can decide Quinton Jackson’s future is Quinton Jackson. I think he’ll make the right decision when the time comes, and until then, I won’t focus on if his next fight will be his last one. I’ll just focus on watching him fight, because “Rampage” has been a consistent source of entertainment for many years.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your reaction to this interview?

5. Forrest Griffin

There are two ways this fight could go. In Option A, Griffin shows up with the same guts and determination that led him to win the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, grinding away at Machida and making it an all-out war of attrition. In Option B, Machida pulls an Anderson Silva and dominates Griffin so badly that it haunts him for the next several years. Either way, this fight has a lot of potential, and Griffin needs opponents like Machida now that he’s back in the win column.

4. Rashad Evans

Rashad Evans has been sitting on the sidelines for a long, long time, but I think this is one fight that Evans would take with almost zero hesitation. Without a doubt, Rashad’s KO loss to Machida was the most humiliating loss of his entire career: his “KO Face” alone spawned hundreds if not thousands of spoofs. If Evans ever wants to recapture the hype he had before Machida beat him, he needs to try and beat Machida. And I think it’s been long enough and both men have changed enough, so a second fight could be wholly different than their first.

3. Quinton Jackson

Lyoto Machida both needs and deserves a rematch with Quinton Jackson. He deserves it because the fight was incredibly close, and many people still think that Machida was robbed. He needs it because Machida displayed the same hesitation that cost him the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in at least one (maybe even two) of the rounds of his three-round fight with “Rampage”. So long as Machida abandons his inhibitions and “Rampage” doesn’t take another long hiatus before accepting this fight, it should be an amazing second encounter.

2. Jon Jones

Who better to challenge Jon Jones than Machida? Stylistically, these two match up perfectly. Machida is unorthodox in everything he does, from his strikes to his much-discussed elusiveness. Meanwhile, Jon Jones is as unorthodox as they come: taking people down by slamming and throwing them, throwing spinning back elbows constantly, etc. And even better, Jon Jones is currently riding the same kind of hype Machida was when he won the championship. Not only would this be an amazing fight, it’s got some pretty awesome backstory to go alongside it.

So, who could possibly take my number-one spot if it’s not the current Light Heavyweight Champion? The choice is actually quite easy. The number-one opponent I’d like Lyoto Machida to fight is…

1. Mauricio Rua

More than anyone else on this list, more than any other person Lyoto Machida has ever fought, Machida needs to fight Mauricio Rua again. There’s no way to put this mildly: Mauricio Rua was the chief engineer in the destruction of “The Machida Enigma”, he was the one that killed “The Machida Era” before it ever got a chance to get started. It’s still a very sore subject for Machida fans, including myself, and I can’t imagine Machida having a better or more meaningful victory than by beating Mauricio Rua one more time, and this time by definitively knocking him out. This is one fight I’d give almost anything to see.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you think Lyoto Machida should fight?

Before I begin, I’d like to point out that I’d like to see all five of these matches no matter when they happen and no matter who holds what championship in whichever division. Also, this list doesn’t take into account the army of dominoes that would have to fall into place for many of these fights to occur. In a perfect world where there are no such things as contract disputes and everyone can fight everyone else at their best, these are the five fights I want to see the most.

5. Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez

I think of this match and I can’t help but smile. I also can’t even begin to imagine the potential insanity both men could unleash in the cage against each other. Gilbert Melendez is Strikeforce’s best Lightweight by far, while Anthony Pettis has fully and finally reached top-division status after an amazing five-round war with Ben Henderson. This fight would probably set the standard for years to come.

4. Quinton Jackson vs. Muhammed Lawal

It’s two of the best characters in MMA fighting each other… what’s not to love? Also, let’s not forget that both “Rampage” and “King Mo” love to bang and would probably spend every single second of this fight trying to knock each other’s heads off. Plus, I can’t even imagine how awesome the pre-fight trash talk will be between these two. Nothing about this fight or its build-up would be pretty, but entertaining? This fight has that in spades.

3. Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre

Although I don’t have a problem with taking a firm and even controversial stance on important issues, I’m not so rigid in my opinions that a fighter has no chance of winning me over. To this day, Nick Diaz stands out as the clearest example of that rule: I once utterly loathed him, but thanks in no small part to his many brilliant performances, I now consider myself a fan. I’ll go even one step further: he’s one of my favorite fighters, and currently one of the best Welterweights in the business. I’d love to see him fight GSP, who is already regarded as one of the best ever. Both men have a shot at winning this match, and I think Nick Diaz is one of the last, great challengers for GSP at 170.

2. Alistair Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar

This is the kind of fight where you wouldn’t be surprised if the ground shook the first time these two colossal titans locked horns. And that’s really the best way to describe these two hulking behemoths: they have a physique right out of Roman legends. And let’s not forget that these are two of the top Heavyweights in the business. Despite constant abuse from his cynics, Brock Lesnar is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and one of the highest-drawing UFC stars of all time. Despite constant accusations of chemical enhancement, Alistair Overeem is a K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, and the DREAM Interim Heavyweight Champion. This would be an awesome match no matter where both men are at in their careers when it does finally get around to happening.

And my number-one pick should come as a shock to virtually no one that’s followed me and my musings for any prolonged period of time.

1. Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko

When you talk about a “legacy fight”, this is what you’re talking about. Neither man has anything left to prove, both men will go down as one of the best in the history of the sport. However, I can and will admit that this fight doesn’t have the appeal it did back when Fedor was undefeated and Randy Couture was the UFC Heavyweight Champion. But none of that would matter if these two ever stepped into the Octagon against each other. I can’t think of a better way to end an era, as I think this fight would virtually close the book on Fedor’s and Randy’s careers. This fight still has an incredible amount of appeal, and it’s still easily the number-one “Strikeforce vs. UFC” fight I absolutely want to see.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What fantasy fights do you hope one day to see?

White recently said just that in a new interview over at USA TODAY. Here are the highlights: “Talking’s fun before the fight, but if you do all this talking and then you go in there and don’t fight, who wants to see that (crap) again? Rampage-Rashad, the (freaking) snoozefest? …When have you not seen Matt Hamill fight? Matt Hamill’s going to go in there and try to beat him.”

Much like Dana White, it honestly baffles me how many people have vocally opposed the idea of Hamill/Rampage in favor of a second Rampage/Evans encounter. Let’s not sugar-coat it: their first encounter was a bad fight.

When people think of Jackson/Evans 2, I think they’re putting on a pair of rose-colored glasses and remembering the months leading up to the fight, not the actual fight itself. And to be fair, the pre-fight hype and altercations leading up to Jackson/Evans was some of the best build the UFC has seen in years. The season of “The Ultimate Fighter” they coached against each other was vastly entertaining, solely on the strength of both men’s hatred towards each other and in spite of the fact that TUF Season 10 featured some of the worst fights in the show’s entire history.

But when it came time to actually fight, the intense give-and-take brawl fans had been waiting for never materialized. Instead, what we were left with is a very disappointing fight that many fans seem to be sweeping under the rug with a laundry list of excuses.

To fans thinking that the second fight will be the encounter the first fight should have been, all I can ask is: why? Why do you think that? I understand that you have faith in your favorite fighters, but what’s with all this talk of seeing a rematch to a fight that was vastly underwhelming, when Jackson is instead getting a new, fresh opponent that is hungry for top-division status and wants to achieve that status by dismantling Rampage?

It’s really as simple as that: when have you not seen Matt Hamill fight? Matt Hamill is an entertaining, dynamic fighter, and he’s currently on a major win-streak. Hamill deserves this opportunity, he’s earned it, and he’s fought through some tough wars both in the Octagon and in life in general in order to earn his shot at championship relevancy. So while fans continue to be divided on this upcoming match, I’ll keep shouting it from the rooftops until someone listens: Matt Hamill vs. Quinton Jackon is actually going to be a pretty good fight.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any reaction to Dana White’s comments?

5. Matt Hamill struggles against high-level competition.

When Michael Bisping fought Matt Hamill, Bisping was a 13-0 fighter with his last three wins all coming by way of TKO. When Matt Hamill fought Rich Franklin, Franklin was a former UFC Middleweight Champion and had won three of his last four fights, two of which were by TKO. You can debate at how high of a level they were at when Hamill fought them, you can even debate that Hamill should have beaten Bisping, but let’s not debate that Matt Hamill has had two past chances to attain top-level status and failed both times. This is relevant for one simple reason: despite some ups and downs, “Rampage” is still very much a high-level opponent.

4. Matt Hamill has never fought someone like Quinton Jackson.

Quinton Jackson certainly has a lot going for him. He’s a very talented veteran. He has serious knockout power. He’s got good wrestling even though he doesn’t use it much nowadays. If you try to submit him, he simply lifts you up off the ground and tries to slam you into unconsciousness. Jackson may be famous for his fists, but it’s his versatility that has kept him relevant for so long. Quinton Jackson is surprisingly versatile, and as a whole, he represents a strong departure from Hamill’s normal competition. Facing someone you’re not accustomed to fighting is tough enough to begin with, when that someone is Quinton Jackson, you’re definitely in for a lot of trouble if you don’t show up at your absolute best.

3. Don’t sleep on Jackson’s power or else you really will be going to sleep.

Has Matt Hamill ever faced a true knockout artist like “Rampage”, someone that packs a massive amount of power behind each and every punch? Jon Jones certainly comes close, but even “Bones” doesn’t have Jackson’s level of strength. And let’s not forget that no chin is unbreakable no matter how long it holds up. It’s becoming increasingly evident that if you’re an MMA fighter that’s never been knocked out before… all you have to do is wait, because your time will come. Jackson’s heavy hands are widely perceived as the deadliest tools in his arsenal, and that’s a big problem for Matt Hamill.

2. With a big victory over Lyoto Machida and ring rust behind him, Jackson is relevant and fired up again.

When Jackson fought Rashad Evans, it was his first fight in over a year. He looked very rusty and lost. Six months later, he fought Lyoto Machida. He still looked just a bit rusty, but he won a hard-fought bout. When Jackson fights Hamill, it’ll be after approximately another six months. Basically, Jackson is back on schedule, is coming off a huge victory, and now has some serious momentum behind him. Jackson seems to have found that spark again, and a motivated Quinton Jackson is a very dangerous, very scary Quinton Jackson.

And the number one reason “Rampage” could end up defeating Matt Hamill is…

1. Because it’s Rampage.

There is only one “Rampage” Jackson. This is the man that started the downfall of Chuck Liddell. He unified the PRIDE Middleweight and UFC Light Heavyweight Championships. He’s got countless KO’s on his highlight reel. He’s an eleven-year, thirty-nine fight veteran. He’s even an action movie star. Jackson is a character, but he’s also a fighter, and he’s a champion in spirit and determination regardless of whether or not he’s got a title around his waist. The main reason Matt Hamill could beat Quinton Jackson is also the main reason Quinton Jackson could beat Matt Hamill: simply because he is who he is.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Jackson or Hamill: who wins it and why?

5. With top-division status on the line, Hamill will be at his most motivated when it comes time to fight.

“The Hammer” has fought eleven of his twelve professional MMA fights inside the Octagon. In that time, he’s had two clear shots at top-division status, but he lost both times, first to Michael Bisping (even though fans debate the outcome of that fight to this day) and then to Rich Franklin. But those losses lit a fire inside Hamill, and he hasn’t lost a fight in over two years. Hamill is more motivated than ever, and this will be one of his biggest tools to defeat “Rampage”.

4. Hamill is a good wrestler and Jackson falters against good wrestlers.

Inside the Octagon, Quinton Jackson has lost to two men: Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans. In the Evans fight especially, “Sugar” was able to thoroughly control Jackson on the ground and against the cage. Hamill is a highly-lauded wrestler, and his recent performance against Tito Ortiz proved that he can even dominate fighters who are or were known for their great wrestling.

3. What decision? Matt Hamill can knock you out.

While it’s true that Matt Hamill’s last two fights have both gone to a decision, this does not mean that he’s unable to finish a fight. In fact, Hamill has twice as many stoppage victories as he does decision victories. He’s even got a High Kick KO on his record. Hamill has surprising power in his hands and has stopped plenty of fighters before, and this will be one of the keys to defeating an opponent like Jackson, who may come in underestimating Hamill’s standup skills.

2. Hamill is on the biggest win-streak of his career.

I’m honestly baffled at the people who say that Hamill doesn’t deserve a shot at “Rampage”. The man is on a five-fight win-streak that includes two (T)KO victories. A lot of people still give Hamill grief for his DQ win over Jon Jones, but Hamill rebounded from that (as much as you can rebound from a win, anyway) with two strong showings over Keith Jardine and Tito Ortiz. If it wasn’t Jackson, it would’ve been some other top-division Light Heavyweight. Hamill has proven that he’s ready for them.

And the number one reason Matt Hamill could end up defeating Quinton Jackson is…

1. Because it’s Matt Hamill.

It’s really as simple as that. Matt Hamill is the type of person that triumphs over adversity. He’s had some tough defeats along the way, but each and every time he’s come back a better, stronger fighter. “Rampage” may have stronger fists, but no one has Matt Hamill’s heart and determination. The simple fact that Matt Hamill is who he is definitely makes it possible that he can beat “Rampage”.

That’s it for now, but stay tuned for part two, featuring five reasons why Quinton Jackson could beat Matt Hamill. And what do you think fans and friends? How much of a shot does “The Hammer” have against “Rampage”?

5. Now that he’s shaken off the rust, Jackson’s next fight should be a good one no matter who he faces.

The reason this one starts us out is because I think this applies to any of Jackson’s future opponents, not just Matt Hamill. Jackson looked very rusty in his bout with Rashad Evans, and to be honest, he still seemed to have a few problems against Lyoto Machida. But now that he’s two fights into his comeback, we should soon see the return of the “Rampage” Jackson that won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

4. Matt Hamill can take a punch.

Matt Hamill has only been TKO’d once in his career… by a liver kick. He came pretty close to being TKO’d in December 2009 when he fought Jon Jones, but a large part of that near-stoppage was due to the fact that Jones got a bit too excited and started blasting Hamill with illegal elbow strikes. Jackson has crushing KO power in his hands, but Matt Hamill is a survivor and I don’t see him crumbling during the first salvo. I think a lot of people currently predicting doom for Matt Hamill will be very surprised when he takes some of Jackson’s best punches and keeps going.

3. Matt Hamill has been on the verge of championship relevancy for the last several years, so this fight would likely see him at his best and hungriest.

Currently, Hamill is on a five-fight win-streak and hasn’t lost since September 2008. Hamill has always been hunting for a title shot from the moment he first stepped into the Octagon, but for one reason or another it just hasn’t happened. But there can be no doubt: if he beats Jackson, Hamill immediately ascends to top-division status. This fight against Jackson would showcase the most motivated Hamill we’ve ever seen, and if you’ve followed Matt Hamill at all throughout his career, you’d know that a motivated Matt Hamill is a threat to anyone.

2. It’s a new, interesting opponent for Quinton Jackson, and there’s not too many in the UFC that “Rampage” hasn’t faced before.

While Jackson/Evans 2 is certainly a big-money match-up, does it make sense to have the second encounter so soon after their first? Evans did win by Unanimous Decision. As a Jackson fan, I want to see “Rampage” in new and exciting fights against people he’s never fought before, wasn’t that one of the big reasons the UFC signed Jackson in the first place? Jackson has fought a whole lot of people, but there’s many in the UFC that he’s never tangled with, and this is the kind of fight that keeps Jackson’s career interesting, not stagnant.

And the number one reason I think we should all be looking forward to this match is because…

1. Both men just aren’t boring fighters.

Everything else aside, this reason stands out as my biggest counter to the lukewarm reception this match-up has been getting. Nine times out of ten, Matt Hamill is not a boring fighter. Nine times out of ten, Quinton Jackson is not a boring fighter. Why then is everyone assuming that this fight won’t be anything special? Hamill will make it competitive or he’ll die trying, Jackson will hunt for the knockout and he’ll have to get past Hamill’s formidable chin to do so. It may not look like much of a match at first glance, but dig a little deeper and you’ll see that this has the potential to be a great fight.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What’s your opinion on Hamill vs. Jackson?

“Rampage”, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, was originally scheduled to face off against Brazilian slugger Thiago Silva before he came under scrutiny with recent allegations of a failed drug test post-UFC 125 last January.

Since that time, a rumor had been floating around that rival Rashad Evans would instead take Silva’s place, however multiple sources have confirmed that Hamill, not Evans, will be meeting with Jackson come this May, though if you’d ask Quinton, he’d much rather face off against the Greg Jackson product.

As news of a Hamill-Jackson bout began to come to a head, Quinton took the time to campaign a rematch with Evans rather then take on the season three veteran of “The Ultimate Fighter” in Hamill.

“I’m not interested in Fighting Matt,I rather fight Rashad,I have un finished business with him (sic)”, said Jackson, who took to Twitter to unveil his desire to meet with Evans once again.

Their animosity dates back many years, however gained ton’s of notoriety when the two former champions met on the tenth season of TUF, where they were both nearly coming to blows every episode or so. The pair finally met last May, and though Jackson had his moments, Rashad earned a hard-fought decision win over the former PRIDE star. Quinton has since spoken publicly of his desire to meet with Evans again, though if there was any better time for him to seek a bout with the former collegiate wrestler, it would be now.

Rashad was poised to take on UFC titleholder Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the promotion’s 205-pound belt, however a late injury forced Evans from the scheduled March card, and teammate Jon Jones has since stepped up in his place.

A knee injury will sideline Evans for approximately 6-8 weeks, leaving him an ample amount of time to reappear on the May 28th card for “UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III”, should he chose to. Both Rashad and Quinton’s original main-event meeting reportedly netted the promotion over 1 million in pay-per-view buys, making it the only event in the company’s history to do so without a title on the line.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think–would you rather see Jackson/Evans II, or Quinton take on Hamill? I personally think it’s too soon to see “black on black crime” inside the cage again, but it doesn’t mean I won’t watch it if that’s whats on tap next. Sound off in the comment section below.

MMAJunkie.com previously reported that the American Top Team product was the sole fighter on the January fight card who’s post-fight drugs screenings were still under the scope, and since then Silva has admitted some foul play, though suggests that no performance enhancing drugs were involved.

Now, his loss is another man’s gain, as Matt Hamill has since stepped up in his place.

MMABay.co.uk has reported that “The Ultimate Fighter” alumni will be taking the place of the Brazilian slugger in order to face Jackson at “UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III” at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on May 28.

Multiple sources have since confirmed the new booking. Hamill was originally scheduled to face undefeated light heavyweight prospect Phil Davis on said pay-per-view event, however officials will now likely search for a new opponent for “Mr. Wonderful” while Matt steps up to face the former champion in Jackson.

Matt is currently riding a five-fight win streak heading into his May bout with “Rampage”, with his last victory coming at the expense of former titleholder Tito Ortiz. The two met last October, where Hamill used his superior wrestling skills to dictate the action, taking Ortiz down on several occasions and used superior ground-and-pound skills en route to a decision win. Interestingly enough, Ortiz was something of a mentor to Hamill as he was his designated coach on the third season of TUF, however both men put friendship aside to compete against one another.

Jackson recently bounced back from a lackluster defeat to rival Rashad Evans, with a close split-decision win over former champ Lyoto Machida last November.

A win for either man here could likely spell title implications in the foreseeable future.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the new match-up? Who do you favor? Sound off in the comment section below.

On January 1, Silva defeated former top contender Brandon Vera in a one-sided unanimous decision victory at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. However, since then several media forums have reported, as per the Nevada State Athletic Commission, that Silva’s drug screening’s have not come along swimmingly, to say the least.

The news leaves his upcoming bout with former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in some serious doubt.

MMA-Scraps.com has caught the beat of the story from the American Top Team product who bluntly states ““My blood is clean…I haven’t used anything”, as per USA Today via TATAME.com, with the Brazilian insinuating that no performance enhancing drugs were involved in the botched drug test.

That statement, however, is as vague and general as they come. The NSAC reported earlier this week with MMAJunkie.com that one drug test in particular was still in the screening process, and the one in question was pin pointed to Silva’s, and since then a slew of reports have stated that his original opponent Quinton Jackson would face a new foe, with most pointing to rival Rashad Evans as the likely replacement.

However, UFC execs have yet to make any change to the scheduled 205-pound match official.

So, MMA peeps, what’s your take on the matter? With Silva’s the only drug test having come under fire post-UFC 125, there leaves little doubt to the gravity of the situation. Who would you like to see replace Thiago this May? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to MMA Junkie for a nice little breakdown on the entire story, which up to this point is as follows: Silva may be out of his bout with “Rampage” at UFC 130 but he denies that he is injured. The Nevada State Athletic Commission is still examining a pre-fight drug screen that came from UFC 125, with the current rumor being that the drug test is Thiago’s. Another rumor says that UFC top brass are already in discussion with Rashad Evans to replace Silva. Evans recently had to bow out of his long-awaited shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship after injuring his knee during practice.

At the time of this article’s publication, nothing is official and everything is speculation.

To be honest, I really hope the Silva vs. Jackson fight goes on as planned. I’ll get to why I’m not particularly interested in Evans/Jackson 2 in a little bit, but for now, I’ll focus on why I’m so interested in Silva/Jackson. Putting it plainly and simply, this has the potential to be one of the best brawls of the year.

Thiago Silva recently took a big step on the comeback trial with his crushing victory over Brandon Vera, Jackson did the same with his narrow win over Lyoto Machida. Both men are motivated and hungry to prove that they’re still big threats in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division. It’s an excellent match between arguably two of the best striking-based fighters in the division, and it’s a new, fresh match we’ve never seen before. I definitely hope it happens.

The reason I don’t want to see Rashad/Rampage 2 is also pretty simple: personally and professionally, these two bring out the worst in each other. Evans didn’t want to risk getting knocked out, so for the most part he blanketed Jackson in their first fight. Due to several factors, not the least of which was the sizable amount of ring rust he had going into the bout, Jackson seemed to only come alive in the dying minutes of his fight with Rashad. Maybe the second fight would be the fight we were all hoping for the first time around, but then again, it could also be more of the same.

So I say stick with the new, and don’t jump the gun and look past Thiago Silva just yet. Because even though it certainly sounds appealing on paper, I think Thiago Silva vs. Quinton Jackson is the fight we should all be looking forward to, not another bout between Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson.

And what about you, fans and friends? If you had the choice, would you rather see Quinton Jackson fight Thiago Silva or Rashad Evans?

But first, here’s a snippet of the interview he gave on MMA Junkie to explain why he chose not to fight for the championship. This is the part of the interview that I feel makes my point for me, the part I find myself most agreeing with. In his interview, Jackson recently said, “I fought right before the holidays, and I went on vacation to see my family and took my kids to see their family in Japan. I’ve been living my life, so I gained a lot of weight. I’m a natural fighter. I don’t do any drugs, and I don’t know any high-performance drugs, so I have a natural body. My body gains weight when I don’t train and I don’t eat like I’m in camp.”

There’s one simple reason why I think this statement makes my case for me: Jackson’s complete and total honesty in regards to why he declined the fight. Some cynics see this as a weakness on Jackson’s part: he “let himself go” over the holidays, he was lax in his training despite the fact that anything can happen in MMA.

But not only am I pulling the “LEAVE HIM ALONE” card, I’m even pulling the “who are we to judge?” card.

Because honestly, think about that for a second. Jackson could have hid behind any number of excuses, he could have chose to word his statement in such a way that he cast blame off of himself and onto other parties. Instead, Jackson chose to be honest and admit that he made his family a priority rather than his fighting career over the holidays, and as such, he enjoyed the holidays to their fullest and, like many of us, may have went a little overboard when it came to good food with good friends.

Let’s not be hypocritical, people. Yes, Jackson should maintain a steady diet even when not training, if only to remain a healthy human being. But it’s not like the man became seriously overweight. The UFC is the home of the monster weight cut to begin with, Jackson probably cuts at least ten to twenty pounds for any given fight. It’s really not fair to hold him to such a high standard, Jackson has a life outside of MMA and we should all respect that. It’s true that some fighters do train night and day to be the best. But Quinton Jackson has been doing this for so long, and he’s proved so much both in his time inside the Octagon and inside the legendary PRIDE FC ring, that he’s earned a little leeway.

So hate if you must, but “Rampage” gets a pass from me. I even applaud him for his honesty and his ability to make the difficult decisions as he approaches the later years of his career. And what about you, fans and friends? Do you think Jackson made the right decision?

Anderson Silva continued his reign of dominance by deftly defeating former teammate Vitor Belfort with a first-round knockout, defending his UFC middleweight title once again.

Forrest Griffin has now extended a two-fight win streak for himself inside the octagon with a dominant performance turned in over former titleholder Rich “Ace” Franklin.

Meanwhile, Jon Jones submitted then-undefeated light heavyweight star Ryan Bader with a second-round guillotine choke. The win came with an unexpected prize, earning Jones the 205-pound title shot when an injured Rashad Evans bowed out of the championship bout with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua–who insists that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was initially offered the fight, however turned it down immediately after.

Jackson didn’t take too kindly that the Brazilian took to the media to reveal the proposed bout.

MMAJunkie.com caught up with the former light heavyweight champion, who was clearly agitated when he learned that Rua seemed to be questioning Jackson’s desire to fight. Quinton is already scheduled to be facing contender Thiago Silva at UFC 130 in May, and should “Rampage” had agreed to step in on short notice to face Mauricio, he would have only six-weeks to prepare for the bout. He currently is walking around at 250-pounds and is in nowhere near fighting shape.

“It’s not enough time to get ready for a five-round fight,” said Jackson.

“Dana knows that. And ‘Shogun,’ he’s a fighter, and he should know that. He shouldn’t even go and say [expletive] like that with him being a fighter. He saw me at the fight this weekend. Everybody saw how big I am.”

Everyone knows that Quinton isn’t exactly the prototypical fighter who stays in fighting shape year-round. When he’s not inside the cage, he’s enjoying himself elsewhere, which is evident to his heavy frame that would put even some heavyweight fighters to shame. To cut 45-pounds in six weeks on top of preparing for the technical prowess of a fight with some as dangerous as Rua is asking a little too much.

And Jackson knows all too well how dangerous the Muay Thai specialist is, having lost to the Brazilian more than five years ago when they were both under the PRIDE banner in Japan, where Rua TKO’d the enigmatic light heavyweight fighter inside of the first-round.

So, MMA peeps, what did you think of Jackson’s comments? Do you agree that it was a little bit premature for Rua to question whether or not Jackson wanted to fight, let alone reveal that Jones was second choice to “Rampage”? Sound off in the comment section below.

Jones took home the win with a second-round guillotine choke, where after Joe Rogan informed Jones that the organization was granting Jon the shot at the belt once it was confirmed that teammate Rashad Evans had bowed out of the March fight with champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

However, the Brazilian recently indicated that former rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was originally intended to be the man to step up on short notice, however the fan-favorite slugger turned down the title opportunity.

“Shogun” was at the pay-per-view event which took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, where he was able to greet his new opponent in Jones first-hand, stepping into the cage and sized up his nw opponent.

The alleged bout with Jackson would have been a rematch from their original encounter in 2005 under the PRIDE banner, where both men were a staple of the light heavyweight division. They met in the quarter-finals of the prestigious middleweight (205) Grand Prix, where the Brazilian scored a first-round TKO over the future UFC champion.

Jackson has long discussed his desire to avenge that loss, and Rua in turn has rallied for a fight with the A-Team movie star, so he was surprised when ‘Rampage’ allegedly declined the bout.

“The UFC thought in other alternatives, but it didn’t worked out. For some reason he (Jackson) didn’t accepted it”, told Rua who spoke with TATAME.com about the originally planned bout.

However with the task at hand now being the young 23-year-old Jones, Rua will have six-weeks in order to change bits in pieces of his training camp, though he suggests largely the camp will remain the same.

“I’ll have to change my training because he’s a lot different from Rashad, much taller, and it’ll be a great challenge. (Jon’s) been surprising everybody in the UFC, defeated everybody with easy, and it’ll be a tough fight for me”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about Quinton declining the bout? He was originally scheduled to be facing another Brazilian in slugger Thiago Silva at UFC 130 this May, so regardless that fight should go on without a hitch. No word from Jackson has come about concerning the missed title opportunity. Sound off in the comment section below.

With credit going to MMA Junkie, the UFC recently confirmed as official the following bouts for UFC 130: Frank Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship, Quinton Jackson vs. Thiago Silva, Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson, Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva, and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story.

MMA Junkie also recently revealed that a match-up pitting Stefan Struve against Travis Browne was official for the UFC 130 preliminary card.

This comes on the heels of the major announcement that the UFC 129 fight card is now officially complete, and features several amazing matches that will take place in front of a possible crowd of at least 40,000.

While I don’t think that UFC 130 is as good as UFC 129, I do think it’s an amazing show and fully encapsulates how hard the UFC is focusing in on making all the best fights come together in 2011.

There’s simply too much to like when it comes to UFC 130. Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3 should be an amazing encounter that has the potential to be an even bigger, even better match than their second encounter. I still believe in Frank Edgar, and I know that if he can come back from the beating “The Bully” gave him in the first round of their second fight, he can pretty much come back from anything. My early prediction is that this will be another super-close fight between two incredibly gifted athletes, but I think the third time will be the charm: this time Edgar will finally solve the puzzle, and he will finally beat Gray Maynard.

Add to that the awesome wars that should be Thiago Silva vs. Quinton Jackson and Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva. In particular, Silva/Jackson should be an epic brawl that I expect will end with a dramatic KO. Both men are at pivotal moments in their careers, and a big KO will almost certainly put the winner right back “into the mix”. Stann/Silva should also be a major proving point for both fighters, and will likely be one of the most explosive fights of the night.

And to top it all off, you’ve got Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story, which are important matches for all involved and should be some very exciting fights to watch.

So while UFC 129 may be shaping up to be one of the best cards of the last several years, UFC 130 is also shaping up to be a landmark event and possibly one of the best events of 2011, which has already been a fantastic year for Mixed Martial Arts and should turn out to be a banner year for the sport as a whole.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early reaction to the UFC 130 card?

I’ll get this out of the way right away, because although I feel it needs to be said, it’s one of the few things I dislike about this fight. So here it is: I’m one of the ones that think that Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida should have fought in an immediate rematch. I think their first encounter was simply too close to call, and I know that I’m not the only one that had Machida winning. It seems as if the UFC is handing out immediate rematches more and more often these days, and not giving Machida one after so close of a fight just seems a bit unfair. You’re free to disagree with me, but as I said, I do feel that the point should be made.

But now that I’ve said that, allow me to say this: this is probably going to be an awesome fight. Even though I’ve picked against him in the past, even though I was less-than-sympathetic when news broke of Jackson’s notorious “Rampage”, at the end of the day Quinton Jackson has gone a long way towards rebuilding some of the respect he lost. He had a rough time against Rashad Evans, but even a huge amount of ring rust couldn’t keep Jackson’s killer instinct at bay for long, as he nearly finished “Sugar” in the dying rounds of their fight.

Against Machida, Jackson fought smart and hit hard, and while some are critical of both men for the fight not being a wild brawl, I personally think that Jackson showed remarkable improvement when his performance against Machida is compared to his performance against Evans. And, as I said, I don’t think Jackson’s performance against Evans was all that bad to begin with.

Speaking of Rashad Evans, it looks as if the deflating loss Thiago Silva suffered at the hands of Evans was the best thing that’s ever happened to him. After a sizable layoff to deal with some pretty serious back injuries, Silva looked amazing against Brandon Vera at the recent UFC 125 event. In fact, it may have been Silva’s most impressive performance in the UFC. It may not have been his most fiery, but for three straight rounds, Silva outright dominated Vera after taking almost a year off. And while Silva didn’t get to add a KO to his highlight reel, he’ll probably live on in MMA infamy for quite some time for dishing out one of the most heinous broken noses ever seen in an MMA fight.

I think this is a great fight for both men, and I think it’ll become the brawl we all want to see. Both men will know full well just how important this fight is by the time they step into the Octagon, so we should see fists flying and someone getting KO’d. But even if it goes to the ground, both men have intriguing ground games and it should be fun to watch them there too. There’s always the risk of them neutralizing each other and giving us a semi-boring fight, but I think that neither man will be afraid to engage and that, ultimately, we’ll get a dramatic encounter between two knockout artists that start headhunting from the moment the bell rings. I’ve got some high hopes for this encounter, and I can’t wait to see it happen.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your early thoughts on Quinton Jackson vs. Thiago Silva?

Silva was last seen in action on the main card for “UFC 125: Resolution” when he soundly defeated former top contender Brandon Vera by unanimous decision last Saturday. The victory was the Brazilian’s first in 2011, and first in nearly a year. Before his bout with “The Truth”, Silva was last inside the cage when he was defeated by former champ Rashad Evans, who bested the Brazilian with effective takedowns en route to a decision win.

Now, Thiago is back on track and hopes to add the “A-Team” star to his list of victims.

Quinton is also on the heels of redeeming himself over Evans when he defeated former champ Lyoto Machida, where the two served as the headlinder last November for UFC 123, which took place in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Jackson edged out “The Dragon” with a close split-decision victory. It marks only the second time the Brazilian had been beaten in his career, with his only other career loss coming to fellow Brazilian Mauricio Rua–the current light heavyweight champion in the UFC.

Both Thiago and Jackson have a penchant for punching people in the face, so this fight should turn out to be an instant classic for those in attendance. A win here for either man will likely vaunt him into title contention in the ultra-competitive 205-pound division.

UFC 130 is expected to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 28.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the new match? If both Thiago and Quinton show up to fight, then this will be anything loss than an early candidate for either “Fight of the Night” or “Knockout of the Night”–but who do you think will come away the winner? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here are the highlights from an article Fight Hype recently published featuring several quotes from Toney: “Rampage is a decent club fighter and if he thinks his club fighting style can match my skills, then he is crazy as hell… Rampage is still an Uncle Tom and I will go on record and say he is not dumb enough to stand and trade with me… Rampage is a black redneck. He better stick to hanging with them white boys and keep my name out of his mouth. I ain’t hard to find; sign the contract!”

Make no mistake, fans and friends, I’ve learned my lesson. If you’ll recall, I was one of the few that thought that James Toney would beat Randy Couture. I thought that for a variety of reasons, and I still stand by that pick because I felt I was justified in making it at the time, but now that the fight has come and gone, I can see that James Toney has no place in MMA.

To begin with, I don’t think James Toney could make 205 unless he killed himself in training. According to UFC President Dana White, Toney lost a good amount of weight leading up to the Couture bout… and he still looked to be in horrible shape. In fact, I remember both laughing and agreeing with one silver-tongued fan who quipped that Toney looked like “a pregnant Rampage” in the Couture bout. It’s true that Toney first made his mark as a lighter-weight fighter… but that about twenty years ago.

Secondly, I have to think that Rampage Jackson has got to be one of the absolute worst match-ups for James Toney, and that does indeed take into account all the good wrestlers in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division. Rampage has good stamina, huge punching power, and he always presses forward. He’s also gotten a lot more technical in his striking in recent years. Despite what Toney says, Jackson is far removed from being a “club fighter”.

And perhaps most importantly, this fight more than likely won’t happen because the UFC has no interest in putting their reputation on the line again by booking Toney for another fight. UFC President Dana White didn’t hide from the fact that he was putting on a “freakshow fight” after a long history of being a vocal cynic of them, but you could tell in all of his pre-fight interviews leading up to Couture/Toney that he hated admitting it whenever the subject arose. Things would be even worse the second time around, now that Toney was so humbled and downright embarrassed by Couture. I don’t see anyone in the UFC willing to take that risk.

At the end of the day, this latest interview was just another case of James Toney being James Toney. I don’t think he’ll ever get another shot in the UFC, but I also don’t think that he’ll ever stop talking about the UFC and its fighters when given the chance. It is what it is, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you think of Toney’s recent comments on “Rampage”, and do you ever see Toney getting another shot in the Octagon?

Here’s a couple of quotes from “The Dragon” courtesy of MMA Mania: “After the fight Quinton came up to me and said ‘no, you won the fight’, I thanked him and told him he’s a great champion too… I think the journey continues, it’s not a defeat nor an obstacle that is going to get in the way of our dream, my dream continues, the journey continues. We have to take advantage of this opportunity to improve even more.”

Make no mistake, fans and friends, I’m still a proud and adamant fan of Lyoto Machida. Despite not coming out the winner at UFC 123, I think that Machida did enough in that fight to convince me that he can one day be a champion again. His performance against Jackson was very spirited, and he fought his heart out. I don’t think Machida should be making any excuses for the way he fought at UFC 123. He fought his style, his way, and he nearly won. And many felt that he should have won.

But looking forward, I can admit that things need to change. It seems that more and more people have begun to figure out Machida’s elusive style. Closing the distance seems to be the quickest route to success against “The Dragon”. It leaves you open for counter-striking, sure, but you do get several hits in. In the Jackson fight in particular, I noticed how Quinton was consistently able to close the gap and force Machida to use angles to avoid Jackson’s punches, which opened Machida up to strikes that didn’t do much damage but did eventually land. Machida’s style hasn’t outright failed him, and this is something that I don’t like saying considering how adamantly I’ve supported him in the past, but I think a change is in order.

Machida has the power and precision to seriously damage an opponent if he throws caution to the wind and goes for broke. He did it to Rashad Evans, he did it to Thiago Silva, and he very nearly did it to Quinton Jackson. If people are beginning to figure out Machida’s vaunted style, it stops being vaunted. I think the future lies in Machida adapting his style to be less reactionary and more offensive. As huge of a fan of the man as I am, I don’t like how his style hasn’t changed much. Machida still has the raw talent necessary to reach the top of the mountain in the UFC, but not changing anything has led to the downfall of fighters equally as talented as Machida.

But the future is far from hopeless. Whether he won or lost is going to be up for debate for quite some time, but I personally think that Machida’s performance at UFC 123 was a firm step in the right direction. It proved that he still has a huge amount of fight left in him, and that he still has the kind of drive necessary to ascend to the top of the division. Despite the fact that it feels like more and more fans are leaping off of his bandwagon in droves, I don’t think I’ll ever stop being a fan of Lyoto Machida. I wish him all the best.

And what about you, fans and friends? Where do you think Lyoto Machida goes from here, and what changes should be made to better improve his chances of getting another shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship?

Next for Karo Parisyan: I’m not unsympathetic to Karo Parisyan, I’m just very skeptical. And his one-sided loss at UFC 123 pretty much proved me right. Parisyan was a shadow of a shadow of his former self, and I don’t think Karo Parisyan belongs in the UFC. He’ll be back to fighting overseas or in mid-tier promotions in the US before he inevitably calls it a career and closes the book on one of the most interesting “what could have been” stories in Mixed Martial Arts.

Next for George Sotiropolous: I know this next statement is going to come off as incredibly bold, but, hey, I’m in the mood to be incredibly bold. So here it is: I’m predicting that George Sotiropolous will be the UFC Lightweight Champion before the end of 2011. Everything he’s done up to this point leads me in that direction. His victory over Joe Lauzon was yet another example of how well-rounded he is, how he’s able to remain cool under pressure, and how he has the killer instinct necessary to become a champion. Big, big, big things are in store for George Sotiropolous.

Next for Maiquel Falcao: Something tells me that the UFC is going to do whatever they can to get rid of Maiquel Falcao. For one, he ruined the hotstreak of Gerald Harris, and the UFC had been building him up as the next big monster athlete. Secondly, Falcao earned himself no fans when he coasted in the third round and basically stopped fighting once he realized that he had won the first two rounds and didn’t really have to do anything if he didn’t want to. Falcao is going to be facing some incredibly stiff competition in the coming months, and if he loses more than once I think the UFC will wash their hands of him.

Next for Matt Hughes: What a trip it’s been for Matt Hughes. And no matter what anyone else says, I personally don’t think the trip is over. Hughes is going to come back, he’s certainly not going to end his career on perhaps the biggest loss he’s ever had to endure. He’ll face a lower level of competition when he returns, but he will return. There aren’t many steps left on the comeback trail for Matt Hughes, but this loss to Penn is a temporary roadblock and not a permanent impasse. Sooner rather than later we’ll see Hughes back in the Octagon and winning again.

Next for BJ Penn: It’s been announced that Penn will face Jon Fitch at UFC 127 in Australia, and I for one can’t wait to see that fight. I’ll have more to say about this in the coming days, but for now, I’ll say this: love him or hate him, I think Jon Fitch is the perfect fighter to beat BJ Penn. Stay tuned.

Next for Quinton Jackson: With a big (albeit controversial) win over a great opponent, the UFC will officially begin building “Rampage” back up towards a title shot. Jackson will be facing some big threats very soon, look for him to remain on a steady diet of top-level competition. Before 2011 is through I think we’ll see another major rematch for Rampage, whether it be against Rashad Evans or Mauricio Rua.

Next for Lyoto Machida: The man who once won sixteen straight fights has now lost two straight. It’s a tough time to be Lyoto Machida. I personally think Machida may be the next man to test out Jon Jones, or possibly Ryan Bader. As much as it pains me to admit it, I think the UFC will soon be testing out Machida as a gatekeeper and seeing how he does. But if it happens, I also predict that Machida will blast the competition and firmly put himself back “into the mix”. It’s always darkest before the dawn, and Lyoto Machida isn’t going anywhere.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 123?

At the UFC 123 post-fight press conference, Dana White said the following, courtesy of MMA Weekly: “No. No. As far as I’m concerned, and apparently, as far as the judges are concerned, Rampage won that fight… (Rampage) won two rounds. It’s a three-round fight. You won two of them, he won one of them. You’re the winner… Those two guys fighting tonight, they’re at the top of the heap of the 205-pound division and Rampage came out the winner tonight.”

I can’t say I support this decision, both as a Machida fan and a fan of big fights. I think White is painting this fight with a very, very broad brush when he boils it down to Jackson winning two rounds and Machida winning one. It’s by no means as simple as that. The question on everyone’s mind is: did Rampage really win those two rounds? They were incredibly close rounds, you’ve simply got to give that to Machida. The proof lies in Rampage Jackson’s stunned expression immediately after being announced the winner. Even the man himself didn’t think he did enough to win.

This is the perfect fight to see an immediate rematch. In most cases I’m not a fan of them, and I think that a fighter needs to work his way back up and a significant amount of time needs to pass before a rematch occurs. But this is different than most cases: this was a super-close fight that went to a panel of judges that are increasingly criticized on a per-event basis. Everyone, from journalists to fans to promoters to the fighters themselves, have been willing to admit that the judging system in MMA is flawed. Some (those who have been robbed of victories thanks to the judges) even go so far as to claim that the system is broken.

I won’t go that far for several reasons. First and foremost, I’m setting myself up for some typical fanboy flame wars if I start a “Machida won that, judges are stupid” debate. But more importantly, this was a very close fight and I can see how it could have gone either way. I personally wanted Machida to win, and I thought he did enough to win, but I can and will put my fandom aside and see things from the opposing perspective. Perhaps Rampage did do enough in the first two rounds to win it all.

But that’s the perfect reason to have an immediate rematch. If the first fight was so close that it could have gone either way, let them fight it out a second time and hopefully we’ll get a decisive winner. The UFC has done this in the past, in fact, they did it several times in 2010 alone. Rampage/Machida 2 would be another great fight that would most likely be viewed by millions and make the UFC a considerable amount of coin.

This is a fight that deserves to happen. Lyoto Machida deserves this fight because many people felt he was robbed. Quinton Jackson deserves this fight so he can get a chance to silence the critics and beat Machida decisively… which he can, of that I never had any doubts or raised any notions to the contrary. And we, the fight fans, deserve this fight because it has the potential to be just as good and even better than the first encounter. And it’s very, very unfortunate that this rematch likely won’t see the light of day for quite awhile.

And what about you, fans and friends? Where do you stand on the issue of an immediate Rampage/Machida rematch?

Quinton Jackson defeats Lyoto Machida via Split Decision. BJ Penn defeats Matt Hughes via KO (strikes) at 0:21 of Round 1. Maiquel Falcao defeats Gerald Harris via Unanimous Decision. Phil Davis defeats Tim Boetsch via Submission (Kimura) at 2:55 of Round 2. George Sotiropoulos defeats Joe Lauzon via Submission (Kimura) at 2:43 of Round 2. Brian Foster defeats Matt Brown via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:11 of Round 2. Mark Munoz defeats Aaron Simpson via Unanimous Decision. Dennis Hallman defeats Karo Parisyan via TKO (strikes) at 1:47 in Round 1. Edson Barboza defeats Mike Lullo via TKO at 0:26 of Round 3. Paul Kelly defeats T.J. O’Brien via TKO (strikes) at 3:16 of Round 2. Nik Lentz defeats Tyson Griffin via split decision.

I have very, very mixed feelings in regards to the main event. I consider myself a fan of both men, but a bigger Machida fan. I think this is a fight that’s going to be debated at length for the next several weeks, at the very least. I think it was a very close fight with the third round unquestionably going to Machida. However, with or without controversy this match managed to live up to most of its potential. I’m excited for a rematch, and I think we’re going to get one sooner rather than later.

I guess this is what I get for doubting BJ Penn. It’s unquestionable and undeniable: BJ Penn is back on the comeback trail and perhaps better than ever. He looked amazing against Matt Hughes, who I and many other people thought had more than a passing shot at beating “Baby Jay”. BJ needed a big and dominant win in about the worst way possible, and he got just that at UFC 123. No matter what the future holds for BJ Penn in either the Welterweight or the Lightweight division, one important question was answered at UFC 123: BJ Penn is not done. Not by a long shot.

I also noticed that the “UFC 123 Prelims Live” special delivered a solid hour of action to lead into the official Pay-Per-View telecast. Mark Munoz and Aaron Simpson gave us three good action-packed rounds, while Brian Foster and Matt Brown fought to a very entertaining submission finish. Add in a showing of the Parisyan/Hallman fight that took place earlier in the evening, and you had ample reason to tune in and watch some free MMA on TV.

Overall, UFC 123 was a very strong event with several noteworthy fights. I think we’ll be feeling the repercussions of this event for quite some time, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for some of the night’s big winners and losers.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of UFC 123?

The nights headliner between former champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida quickly became heated when the two met for the stare down, after both had came in at 205-pounds on the nose.

Machida squared off with Jackson with the traditional fist to face motion, which Quinton apparently didn’t take kindly, and before it was all said and done, a scuffle was quickly averted when UFC head honcho Dana White interjected between the two strikers.

After the awkward tension alleviated, cooler heads prevailed and the two shook hands out of respect and went their separate ways.

For the most part, all fighters came in at the exact weight limit with all but one fighter not needing the extra pound allowance. Aaron Simpson, who is featured as one of the two bouts in the Spike TV portion of the special “UFC Prelims”, came in at 185.5.

Also interesting to note, both former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, who serve as the co-main event of the evening and will meet for the third time in an epic trilogy, came in at a svelte 169 pounds; a pound under the maximum weight requirement.

Here are the weigh in results in their entirety, thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the format.

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (205) vs. Lyoto Machida (205)
* Matt Hughes (169) vs. B.J. Penn (169)
* Tim Boetsch (205) vs. Phil Davis (205)
* Joe Lauzon (155) vs. George Sotiropoulos (155)
* Maiquel Falcao (185) vs. Gerald Harris (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Matt Brown (170) vs. Brian Foster (170)
* Mark Munoz (185) vs. Aaron Simpson (185.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Dennis Hallman (170) vs. Karo Parisyan (170)
* Edson Barboza (155) vs. Mike Lullo (155)
* Paul Kelly (155) vs. T.J. O’Brien (155)
* Nik Lentz (155) vs. Tyson Griffin (155)

George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon: This could end up being a great fight…depending on which George Sotiropolous shows up. But I don’t think there’s any doubt that George will win this one. At least, I’d be incredibly surprised if Lauzon pulled out the victory. For all intents and purposes, Sotiropolous is being groomed as the next big threat at Lightweight while living up to that mantle. Look for him to take the submission win during Round 2.

Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch: I have to admit, I’m not too familiar with either fighter. To me, it seems as if Boetsch has more experience in the UFC while Davis has more potential as a young and undefeated UFC newcomer. We might just have a very entertaining war on our hands. Based on his undefeated track record and his penchant for toughing it out, I’m thinking that Phil Davis takes a hard-earned Unanimous Decision at the end of three good rounds of action.

Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Falcao: There seems to be no stopping Gerald Harris. The man is on a ten-fight win-streak, a five-fight TKO streak, and has stopped each and every single one of his opponents since August 2008, when he last recorded a Decision win. But Maiquel Falcao is also on a very high win-streak (seven) with a huge amount of finishes. This fight doesn’t just have sneaky “Fight of the Night” potential, it may be good enough to land on some people’s “Fight of the Year” lists. Look for Gerald Harris to win by KO in Round 2 after an amazing Round 1.

Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn: If you had asked me about this match back when Penn still had the UFC Lightweight Championship, I would have answered without a moment’s delay: this is BJ’s fight to win. Now I’m honestly not so sure. I look at where Penn is right now compared to where Hughes is, and I’ve got to say: Hughes seems to have the better mentality going into this fight. Now that Hughes is fighting just for the fun of it, he’s able to take a lot of risks that end up paying off more often than not. I hate to pick against someone I’ve been such a big fan of for such a long while, but both my heart and my head tell me that Matt Hughes is going to fight his way towards a Unanimous Decision win.

Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton Jackson: I’ve said a whole lot about this fight in the days and weeks leading up to it, so I’ll keep my predictions short and sweet. We’re going to witness the rebirth of “The Dragon”. He’s going to come on strong and finish stronger. “Rampage” will put forth a solid effort, but he’ll crumble underneath a resurgent and resurrected Machida. Lyoto Machida KO’s Rampage Jackson by Round 2 at the very latest.

So that’s what I think is going to go down, fans and friends. What about you? What does your inner Nostradamus have to say regarding the big match-ups at UFC 123: “Rampage vs. Machida”?

Here’s what “The Dragon” had to say in a new interview with MMA Weekly: “Everyone has their own opinion. But my style made me a champion… I knew one day I could lose like everyone else. Now, I feel like I’ve learned a lot from that loss and it’s taken a lot of pressure off my back… Part of this game is that you win some and you lose some.”

I’ve said it before, but it does bear repeating since so many fans have hopped off the Machida bandwagon and gone right back to criticizing him: I’ve been a supporter since day one. The first time I ever saw Lyoto Machida, I knew big things were in store for “The Dragon”. People would try to strike him, to hurt him, and he simply wouldn’t be there by the time they had completed their strike. I wholeheartedly believe that a true sign of dominance is to inflict maximum damage on your opponent while taking minimum damage to yourself. I can appreciate a wild brawl where both guys land big and swing for the fences, many fights like that even end up on my “Fight of the Year” lists. But when I look at Lyoto Machida, I see one of the smartest Octagon generals ever.

I get that Mauricio Rua gave Machida a lot of trouble and caused him plenty of setbacks. But all great champions lose. It’s the ones that come back from defeat, better and deadlier than ever, that are the true champions. And Machida has done quite a lot to make me firmly believe that he’ll fully be able to live up to that higher standard. Machida was gracious in defeat, honest in admitting his mistakes, and seems to be incredibly focused on becoming the best fighter possible. That’s a champion with or without a belt, and that’s the chief reason why I think Machida will take it to Quinton Jackson and ultimately knock him out.

But I’ve said this several times as well: Machida is going to have his hands full. I think “Rampage” will play into Machida’s counter-striking style and ultimately get KO’d for his efforts, but there’s always a possibility that Rampage could score a big punch. Even while gassed out and dealing with a huge amount of ring rust, Jackson still found a way to put Rashad Evans in a heap of trouble at one point in their recent, much-hyped encounter. “Sugar” could even be criticized of playing it safe and grinding out a decision in order to avoid Rampage’s strikes.  No matter what problems he has going into a fight, you can never fully count out Quinton Jackson.

But we all know where my allegiance lies, fans and friends. Lyoto Machida isn’t boring, he’s elusive. He fights smart, he hits hard, and he’s an incredibly humble fighter that’s fully dedicated to proving that he’s the best fighter in the world. “The Dragon” isn’t done yet, not by a long shot. And I can’t wait to see him return to form.

And what about you, fans and friends? As we get closer and closer to the pivotal showdown, which former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion are you siding with and why?

This Saturday night, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, in Detroit, Mich., former champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida will compete, serving as the main event of the nights festivities at UFC 123.

While fans and the media alike have been somewhat split as far as an anticipated outcome for the nights headliner, “Shogun” asserts that it will in fact be his countryman in Machida that will reign victorious.

“They are two top athletes”, began Rua while speaking with GracieMag.com.

“Lyoto is really good and it’s hard to pick up on his game. Rampage is really strong, has a dangerous hook. But I feel Lyoto will win this one. Either way, it’s a fight I want to watch.”

It may be the bravado of Mauricio speaking, picking for his Brazilian, but if he had it his way, I don’t think “Shogun” could care less who wins.

The current light heavyweight kingpin holds victories over both opponents, albeit the win over Quinton was some years ago during their PRIDE days, but there would certainly be some nostalgia and big numbers between these two heavy hitters, should the fight ever come to fruition once again.

At the moment, Rua is on the tail end of his rehab, and began light training. He will come into full fledge fight mode in the coming months, if he returns by March as scheduled.

So, MMA peeps, do you agree with Mauricio’s assessment? Do you think Lyoto will walk away the winner, or will Jackson pull it out with his patented boxing prowess? Sound off in the comment section below.

The event takes place in the Detroit suburbs in Michigan, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and will feature one of the best lineups of the year.

In the main event of the evening, former UFC light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida will battle it out for top contender billing in one the busiest divisions inside the promotion.

While many loyal fans are pulling for the charismatic “Rampage” to prove successful in this tough match up, one more supporter has voiced his opinion. Someone whom Jackson is all too familiar with.

“Honestly, I think Rampage has a lot better chance than what appears before your eyes,” said Evans, whom spoke with MMAWeekly.com. The most ironic part of it all, aside from the fact that Rashad has fought both Jackson and Machida with mixed results (a win and a loss, respectively) is the disdain that Evans and Quinton share for one another.

Former coaches on season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter” their rivalry really cooked up their, and eventually the two squared off at UFC 114 in one of the most anticipated grudge matches in the company’s history. Evans won by unanimous decision.

Where most people are picking “The Dragon” based on his unique style of blended Karate skills coupled with sumo as well, Rashad is anticipating the A-Team movie star to pull of the upset, if the right Jackson shows up.

“It all depends if Rampage is going to come for this camp. If Rampage is really taking it serious, and he starts training how he needs to train, I think he has a really good chance of beating Machida”, began the Greg Jackson product, whom is rumored to face Mauricio Rua in March for the 205-pound title.

“One of his strengths is one of Machida’s weaknesses, which is he always pulls back in combinations, he goes in and he pulls back,” Evans commented about Machida’s style. “Rampage has always been good at reaction punches, so if he moves forward, he’s going to charge him and catch him like how he caught Chuck Liddell and how he caught Wanderlei Silva. That’s one of his strengths, if you pull back on Rampage, you’ll get caught all day”.

Beyond the intricacies of the fight, Rashad has delved much more than just simple thought. The former light heavyweight champion has even been visioning Jackson knocking out Lyoto in his dreams, which is something he’s not all that happy about.

“I had a dream that Rampage knocked out Machida,” said Evans. “I had a dream about four nights ago that Rampage knocked him out. I don’t know why I was dreaming about Rampage’s ugly ass in the beginning, but I woke up and it felt like he knocked out Machida, it felt like it was real.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Evans’ thoughts? I think the popular frame of thought for everyone is to WANT Jackson to win, but generally think that Machida will steal the victory. Or am I wrong? What do you think? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here are some of the highlights of the interview: “This fight right here is all about honor and respect. Since I’ve been in the UFC, I have been all about money because quite honestly, I’ve made more money in the UFC than I ever did in other shows… I want to go back to my old Pride days when I used to fight to put on a show… This time, I’m just going to go out there and give it my 100 percent, give it my best. If I win this time, I’m going to be really proud of myself. If I don’t pull it off this time, I’m not going to be as disappointed in myself as I was the last time… I’m going to fight my fight. I don’t care what Machida does or what he thinks he’s going to do. It’s all about what I’m going to do.”

This new interview feels like a breath of fresh air for “Rampage”, who has done everything from dry-humping to bullying to outright walking away from his interviewers in the past. Sometimes it’s nice to see Quinton Jackson, the man, and not “Rampage”, the character. It’s also great to see him so motivated, with no mitigating circumstances holding him back from fully unleashing the beast the next time he steps into the Octagon.

But don’t get me wrong, I still think the man is going to lose. I’m still a firm Machida believer, I just have no problem giving Rampage a lot of respect and admitting that Machida is most likely in for a very tough fight. I just think that Rampage will fall into the same trap that almost all of Machida’s recent opponents (the obvious exception to the rule being Mauricio Rua) have fallen into: he’ll try to bring the fight to Machida in order to force him to engage, and then he’ll get countered into oblivion. It’ll be a great fight for sure, but Rampage has been KO’d quite viciously in the past, and I firmly believe we’ll see the start of a rebirth for Lyoto Machida as he gets back to his winning ways in a huge way with a massive KO over “Rampage”.

But no matter what happens, this should be an excellent fight. It even has the potential to end up being a late “Fight of the Year” candidate. No matter whose side you’re on, this fight features two former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions taking an important step back on the comeback trail by most likely viciously finishing their opponent. This is going to be a massive, massive showdown, and the great thing about it is that it’s only a few days away.

And what about you, fans and friends? As we get closer and closer to UFC 123, the question bears repeating: who you got? Who takes Rampage/Machida, how, and why?

The Event: UFC 123 “Rampage vs. Machida”, which airs live on Pay-Per-View Saturday, November 20 from the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Why You Should Care: The main event features two former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions, both of whom are very popular and have very powerful strikes. The co-main event also features two former UFC Welterweight Champions that are widely regarded as two of the best Mixed Martial Artists of all time, and they’ll be fighting each other for a third time.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Quinton Jackson is known for his street-tough personality that bleeds into his fighting style. The man known as “Rampage” is heavy on the brawling and the striking, so he very rarely has a boring fight. Lyoto Machida is also a very versatile and cunning fighter, with very good counter-punching and sneaky one-hit KO power. If this becomes a brawl, look for someone to get viciously KO’d and for both men to add several moments to their highlight reel during the course of this bout.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Matt Hughes and BJ Penn have a long and historic rivalry. BJ Penn put an end to the long championship reign of Matt Hughes in their first fight, and in their second fight Hughes became the first man to ever finish BJ Penn (Hughes won by TKO, until that point Penn had only ever lost by decision). Both men are at a crossroads in their career: Hughes is fighting for a legacy while Penn is fighting to recapture his relevancy. These two always bring out the best in each other, and since they’re so good to begin with, this has all the makings of an incredible fight.

Why to Buy This Card: The main event and co-main event puts most other MMA cards to shame. Hughes/Penn 3 could headline its own card, having it as the co-main only sweetens the pot. Rampage vs. Machida is better than most championship matches.

Why Not to Buy This Card: Besides the co-main and main event, the rest of the card seems decidedly average, maybe even a bit underwhelming. Anything is possible when the Octagon closes, but on paper, the top two matches clearly anchor this show and everything else feels a little flat.

Closing Thoughts: Having two great fights doesn’t make your card a “super-card”, but it does make your event well worth watching. If you go in expecting greatness from Rampage/Machida and Hughes/Penn 3, I sincerely doubt you’ll be disappointed. If you go in expecting greatness from the start of the show until the show’s end, you may be a little bit disappointed. But, all in all, the strength of the two marquee matches easily propel this card into “definitely buy it” territory.

And that’s it, fans and friends! Look for more “Crash Courses” in the near future. Until then, please let me know: what do you think of this new series? What areas did you like or dislike, what would you add or subtract? Comments and opinions are welcome. Also, what’s your take on “Rampage vs. Machida”?

5. Ben Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis

The WEC would be hard-pressed to find a better fight to go out on than this headlining attraction at WEC 53, the final WEC event before the entire promotion is folded into the UFC. In one corner you have the unlikely champion Ben Henderson, who established himself as a worthy champion with several incredible performances against the WEC’s best and now stands poised as possibly one of the best Lightweights in the game. Then in the other corner you have Anthony Pettis, an incredibly dynamic and wildly entertaining fighter. This fight as a whole sums up the WEC’s long history of solid matchmaking, and I can’t wait to see it happen.

4. Dan Henderson vs. Renato Sobral

This is one for the old-school fans, let’s get that straight right off the bat. But if you do consider yourself a diehard or simply a fan of the old-school, this fight has quite a lot to offer. It features two aging fighters that still seem to have a lot left to give, trying to recapture the old magic that made them champions in the past. It’s also the classic “styles clash” match-up pitting the heavy-handed striker versus the grappler, and also the wrestler versus the Brazilian Jui Jitsu practitioner. It has all the makings of a good fight between two big names from the past, so it definitely deserves a watch.

3. BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes

Like Hendo/”Babalu” but bigger. This fight happens at a critical moment in both men’s careers. Now that he knows his legacy is intact, Matt Hughes has been fighting for the fun of it without the added pressure of wanting a title shot. If he beats Penn, he might just get one. Conversely, the added pressure of having to constantly defend his Lightweight Championship ultimately spelled doom for “The Prodigy”, and he looks to a Welterweight return to reestablish and reinvigorate himself. Whoever wins this one takes a massive step forward, but Penn has a lot more to lose if Hughes gets the better of him. It’s the end of a rivalry that has spanned several eras in Mixed Martial Arts, so you should definitely watch it.

2. Josh Koscheck vs. Georges St. Pierre

I never would have believed that you could still have an incredibly bitter rivalry where one side does all the talking, but here we are and there it is. This fight is going to be insane for a number of reasons. The reaction GSP will get will be monumental, as will the boos Koscheck will receive. The fight itself should be wildly entertaining as GSP lets loose months of pent-up rage while Koscheck sets out to prove that he’s an entirely different fighter compared to when he lost to GSP the first time. It’s an epic main event and the culmination of a very bitter rivalry, so of course it takes the #2 spot.

But my top spot simply has got to go to…

1. Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton Jackson

This non-title fight could put just about any other promotion’s championship fights to shame. This is a massive match between two phenomenal athletes with two clearly divided fanbases. I’ve vocally supported Machida from the get-go, and I can’t wait to see him rise from the ashes and prove once and for all that “The Machida Era” has been postponed, not cancelled. He can do just that if he beats “Rampage”, one of the most well-known and feared strikers in the history of the business. It’s a colossal showdown that you absolutely must not miss.

So that’s where I stand, fans and friends. What about you? What matches do you think should absolutely not be missed as 2010 draws to a close?

After a rough patch with PRIDE in which the fighter has pin pointed several instances where the now defunct promotion mistreated him, Quinton made his way to the UFC in 2007, only to encounter more problems.

Though Jackson would eventually work his way through the UFC ranks quickly, earning the title with a swift knockout victory over Chuck Liddell in just his second appearance within the organization at UFC 71, things were all down hill from there. Quinton though is still optimistic about his future, and hopes to deliver another fashionable KO victory with a win over Machida, but regardless, still sees his opponent as “boring as hell”.

“Why would it change because I’m matched up with him? Why would I change how I like his fighting style just because I’m fighting him?… I’m prepared for a fight. I’d rather fight someone who’s going to put on a show like me and stand and bang”, said Jackson, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, while speaking with the media promoting next week’s festivities.

What Quinton says he has true respect for, is those who are fighting in the co-main event slot: Matt Hughes and BJ Penn. In his eyes, those are the one’s whom are true fighters. It will be the third time both men will compete against one another, which is essentially what Jackson finds admirable. He can relate with his own three battles against former PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva, where after an 0-2 stretch against “The Axe Murderer”, Quinton scored a first-round knockout in their third meeting at UFC 92.

“Those people are true warriors, true fighters like the way BJ Penn fights and Matt [Hughes] fights. I like watching guys like that fight”, began Quinton.

“Other guys I’m not a fan of at all… I feel like I have a fighting spirit, a true warrior spirit. When you get in the octagon, you fight. It’s not like boxing where guys are trying to outpoint each other and go for a decision. We’re MMA fighters, we’re the best athletes in the world. I just hate to see our sport change into boxing where people aren’t even fighting anymore. I can’t even watch a boxing match anymore.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Jackson’s comments? I find them valid, though I would say Machida is a far cry from the fighter he was when he initially stepped foot inside the octagon, though stylistically, both men pose problems for one another, so it’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here. Sound off in the comment section below.

Thanks to MMAFighting.com for the transcribe.

Here’s what “Sugar” had to say in an interview with MMA Weekly: “…Ever since Shogun’s been out there’s been talk when he’s coming back… They said he won’t be ready until like the first of the year… Then they go he won’t be ready until March. Then Dana went on MMA Live and said he won’t be ready until May… Then I heard just the other day he’s not even at the doctor’s yet. He probably won’t be better until like after June…. I was just really frustrated because I didn’t understand is he not going to fight? …If I could just get an idea of when he might be coming back, it’s all good… But when it’s all these different dates thrown around it was just kind of confusing, like what the (expletive) is it going to be? …I was just frustrated because I didn’t have any idea of when I should start getting ready for the fight.”

Like I said in my previous article, I can certainly empathize with Rashad Evans. Evans is basically stuck on the sidelines until current champion Mauricio Rua rehabs fully from a knee injury that happened during his brief 3:35 thrashing of Lyoto Machida at the “Machida vs. Shogun 2” event back in May. And there honestly have been a lot of dates tossed around for Shogun’s return.

In the interview with MMA Weekly, Rashad also states that he turned down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira that would have been a co-main event at the upcoming UFC 123: “Rampage vs. Machida” event. Rashad’s logic was pretty sound: if he’s the #1 contender, why is he fighting lower on the card than two Light Heavyweight fighters that aren’t in his position? It just wouldn’t have made sense, and it certainly would have hurt Rashad’s credibility if he lost to Nogueira.

I’ve said multiple times that I’m generally not a fan of fighters turning down fights, but honestly, what incentive did Evans have for agreeing to fight Nogueira? He would have stayed active, but he also could have lost his chance at the championship if Nogueira beat him. And what if he developed an injury training for the Nogueira fight, or during the fight itself? In a Light Heavyweight division ridiculously stacked with best-in-the-world talent, Evans chose to wait it out, bide his time, and get the shot he deserves. At the end of the day, it’s a smart move.

Ultimately, I’m siding with Rashad Evans on this one even though I think he shouldn’t be so quick to criticize the UFC for not keeping him active when he himself was the one that made the call to stay on the sidelines and wait for Shogun. I think it frustrates Evans that he’s waiting longer than he had planned to, but if he’s not willing to risk his credibility on another fight in the meantime, ultimately he’s got nobody to blame but himself.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on this situation?

The 11-bout card has been made official by the promotion today, including two-televised Spike TV bouts serving as the lead in for what is shaping up to be a good night of fights.

Along with the highly anticipated light heavyweight match up, a pair of former welterweight champion’s are set to face one another for a third time in order to put to rest a rivalry that has lasted for over 7 years, when BJ Penn meets UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes in the co-main event of the evening.

In addition the 170-pound fight, a pivotal match up in the lightweight division has been arranged, with two “The Ultimate Fighter” veterans squaring off on the pay-per-view event. Joe Luazon will meet George Sotiropoulos, who is currently riding a 6-fight win streak inside the octagon, with his last victory coming over the likes of perennial contender Kurt Pellegrino at UFC 116. For Lauzon, a win could vaunt him back into the title mix.

Here is the full card in it’s entirety. Thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the lovely format.

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
* Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
* Joe Lauzon vs. George Sotiropoulos
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Maiquel Falcao vs. Gerald Harris

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Matt Brown vs. Brian Foster
* Mark Munoz vs. Aaron Simpson

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. T.J. O’Brien
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin

Here are the highlights of an interview Evans recently had with ESPN: “”…If I don’t get the chance to fight for the belt, I will never ask to fight for this belt again. I will never want to fight for that belt again… If [Rua] is going to be out longer than May or June then [UFC] should consider an interim title and I will fight for an interim belt… But if I don’t get a chance to fight for an interim belt, then I will just beat everybody in the division and I will never fight for the belt… If I don’t get to fight for this belt because [Rua] stays injured too long and they don’t make anything happen, then I will never ask to fight for that belt again, man.”

On some level, I can see where Rashad is coming from. Mauricio Rua’s expected return is around March 2011, if Rashad continues to play the waiting game he’ll be looking at a layoff of almost a year before he finally steps into the cage to get his shot at the gold. “Shogun” is looking at an even longer layoff, but he’s rehabbing an injury. Evans is perfectly healthy and needs to remain active in order to fully capitalize on this comeback that’s in the works.

But it seems as if Evans thinks that the UFC is conspiring against him. That’s wishful thinking at best. Rashad earned his shot at the champion, and then the champion came down with an injury. It happens. The UFC shouldn’t jump the gun and make an Interim title at a moment’s notice, especially not in the Light Heavyweight division, which hasn’t seen a dominant champion since the glory days of Chuck Liddell. The actual UFC Light Heavyweight Championship is so hotly contested that any Interim Championship would immediately be recognized for the make-believe belt that it is, and it would be a small comfort to an athlete like Evans.

Interim belts should only be created when the future of the current champion is uncertain. Many people don’t like Interim belts to begin with, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their creation. Even past UFC stars have been quick to criticize and basically throw away their Interim Championships. If Rashad Evans wants a belt so badly, he should train hard, minimize any ring rust, and wait for it. Rua’s future is not uncertain, he will be making his return, and in the meantime, an Interim belt is completely meaningless.

Perhaps the funniest thing about this entire situation is that I seem to be one of the few that believes that not only will Evans beat Rua, but that he’ll beat him decisively. Evans certainly isn’t endearing himself to the general public with these kinds of interviews, but he’s still a dominant wrestler with serious KO power. If “Shogun” blew out his knees defending the takedowns of Lyoto Machida, they’ll be turned to jelly against “Sugar”, so long as Evans stops needlessly complaining and focuses on preparing for one of the biggest fights of his career.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Rashad’s comments and/or his chances against “Shogun”?

5. Rampage Jackson v. Lyoto Machida (UFC 123)

This fight is all about the questions at hand.  Is Rampage mentally still excited about MMA. In several interviews he has not seemed to be his old wacky, trash talking self.  My view is that he is just clocking in to get his paycheck. Does he still burn to fight?  Will Lyoto be the old dominating Lyoto before Shogun knocked him out?

My concern is that both these guys like to counter.  Each needs the other to engage first.  This scenario can lead to a tentative, less exciting fight, as neither wants to commit first.

4. Matt Brown v. Brian Foster (UFC 123 Spike TV)

Matt Brown came into the UFC via the Ultimate Fighter show as a tough guy who came forward always looking to brawl and bully.  This led to winning 4 out of his first 5 fights.  His last two fights have ended badly, getting finished by Ricardo Almeida and Chris Lytle on the ground.  Can he return to his tough-guy standup strengths?  He will have to, to win and keep his job in the UFC.

3. Joseph Benavidez v. Wagnney Fabianno  (WEC 52)

One of the great things about the WEC joining under the UFC banner is the world will be exposed to some great fighters which have never received big media.  Wagnney Fabianno is one of these names.  A world class third degree Jiu Jitsu black belt with heavy hands.  Google the Fabianno / Lierley video from the IFL to see his knockout power.  At 35, Fabianno has been in the game a long time but should now have the stage to really shine.  However, he will have his hands full against Benavidez, who recently lost his title shot vs. Jose Aldo.

2. Nate Marquardt v. Yushin Okami (UFC 122)

Nate the Great is coming off an ackward win over Rosuimar Palhares and should lock up a title bout if he beats Okami.  With Chael Sonnen out of the picture, this is the time and chance for Marquardt.  Okami is coming off a solid win over Mark Munoz and also is back in title contention talk.  Both are warriors and this could be a classic, if one or both decide to come forward and not onlu wait to counter.

1.  Joe Lauzon v. George Sotiropoulos (UFC 123)

Lauzon and Sotiropoulos will not be the fight to headline UFC 123 commercials or brand the Times Square billboard, but these two are each peaking and the winner is primed for a title shot in the near future.  Sotiropoulos is simply beating people up across the board. 6-0 in the UFC, he is looking unstoppable on the ground.  Lauzon was a beast in easily dispatching Gabe Reudiger at UFC 118.  Since both have stellar ground games, this one may stay standing longer than most think.  This fight may showcase the highest level of skill on the entire UFC 123 card.

–

Which fights are you most looking forward to this month?

When asked to comment on how he sees the fight going down, Rampage responded with the following: “Hell if I know, I’m not psychic. Who knows? The thing is, I come to fight. Some people don’t always show up to fight, they want to be ‘tricky’ and do angles. I come to fight. You guys can figure out how that fight’s going to go. I come to fight… I don’t even worry about MMA Math.”

At that point, Jackson cut the interview short and simply walked away. For those unfamiliar with the term, “MMA Math” looks to a fighter’s past accomplishments to predict future successes or failures. Generally, it’s expressed as the following: “If Fighter X beat Fighter Y, and Fighter Z lost to Fighter Y, Fighter X beats Fighter Z every time.” For Jackson, this applies to Rashad Evans beating him while Evans was famously KO’d by Lyoto Machida. Due to this, many are thinking that Machida will make quick work of his opponent in this clash of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions.

To be honest, I’ve never bought into the whole “MMA Math” train of thought. Every fight is different, and every fighter has the potential to reinvent himself again and again. It sure sounds like a sound judgment call in theory, but there are simply far too many examples to list of this principal failing in practice. Just like I believe there is no such thing as luck in MMA, I also believe that “MMA Math” fails just as often as it’s proven correct, if not more.

What we should really be focusing on is Rampage Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida, not Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans when compared to Rashad Evans vs. Rampage Jackson. Now that he’s got a budding movie career, now that his relationship with the UFC continues to be on shaky ground, it remains to be seen whether or not Jackson’s loss to Evans was due to the sizable amount of ring rust he had to deal with heading into that fight…or if Jackson simply doesn’t have his heart in it anymore. A primed and ready Quinton Jackson has an excellent shot of beating Lyoto Machida. But Quinton Jackson hasn’t looked primed and ready since his last win in March 2009.

Overall, I think this will be a great match between two very talented performers. I’m still picking Machida to win, not just because I’m a Machida fan but because I think he’ll come back better and deadlier than ever when he steps into the Octagon against Jackson. But unlike some, I’m not going to quickly criticize or even ostracize Jackson simply because he’s made a few mistakes in the past. Quinton Jackson can still be a major force to be reckoned with in the UFC, but quite a lot hinges on how he performs against Machida. However, I’ll reserve judgment until then and wish him all the best as he heads into what will probably be one of the most important fights of his career.

And what do you think, fans and friends? As we get closer and closer to this key Light Heavyweight showdown, who are you picking to win and why?

The following is taken from a press release that has found its way onto several major news and business websites: “Boost Mobile, a leader in the no-contract wireless space with $50 Monthly Unlimited with Shrinkage, is joining forces with UFC®, the world’s fastest growing sports organization, as the official wireless sponsor. To celebrate its entry into the sport, Boost Mobile will present the heavyweight showdown UFC 121, featuring reigning champion Brock Lesnar against undefeated Cain Velasquez on Saturday, Oct. 23, in Anaheim, Calif.”

Bob Stohrer, one of the higher-ups at Boost Mobile, had this to say: “The popularity of UFC has exploded during the past few years, solidifying its position as a mainstream competitive sport. This is an ideal partner for Boost as the sport aligns well with our competitive nature and will give our brand heightened visibility with UFC’s avid and growing fan base.”

For fans who aren’t familiar with the cell phone scene, Boost Mobile is an “urban-themed” cell phone company with a focus on prepaid no-contract phones, and is owned by Sprint. Up until this partnership, Boost Mobile had been a proud sponsor of several MMA fighters, most notably former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson and former MMA fighter, backstreet brawler, and ratings juggernaut Kimbo Slice.

I think this is a smart move for all involved. In particular, I think the UFC made a very wise choice by going with Boost rather than some of the heavy-hitters like Verizon. Despite their rampant popularity and mainstream acceptance, the UFC has maintained a bit of a counter-culture aspect to themselves for their entire history. While the UFC has taken great pains to increase awareness and legitimize Mixed Martial Arts as a sport, they’ve always had this distinct “underground” appeal.

I think signing with Boost Mobile is a further continuation of that trend. The UFC is hip, new, exciting, and growing whether you like it or not. They need a partner that is sleek and slick, maybe not as well known as the other heavy hitters in the game, but one with a definitive brand and appeal. With its focus on looking cool and attracting young well-to-do men and women, Boost Mobile is a perfect partner for the UFC.

I think it’s great to see that the UFC hasn’t stopped their drive for mainstream acceptance even as they amp up their focus on international expansion. While the UFC is on very stable footing in the US right now, their position could always be better. New and interesting partnerships like these will continue to build the UFC brand and allow more men and women access to it. And the best thing about this deal is that it’s strategically sound and makes sense.

So what do you think, fans and friends? Do the benefits of the right demographic and the right image make Boost Mobile a worthy partner to the UFC, or should the UFC had signed to a major, more well-known cell phone company?

Headlining the nights festivities will be former light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida in a non-title bout, with a trilogy between former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn being completed that night, serving as the co-main event of the evening.

Prior to these bouts, a pair of middleweights and 170-pound fighters will be in action as part of the Spike TV special, which will have the potential to reach 96.1 million people at home in these United States.

MMAJunkie.com has indicated that match ups between middleweights Mark Munoz vs Aaron Simpson, and Matt Brown vs Rory MacDonald, will serve as the two bouts selected for the Spike broadcast.

Munoz, a heavy handed wrestler is coming off the sting of his first defeat in the middleweight division, where he lost a close split-decision to top contender Yushin Okami. The Japanese star brought it to the former NCAA champion early and often, dropping Munoz on one occasion and stuffing all of his take down attempts. Mark hung tough, and even managed to wobble Okami to the ground and pressured him with his improved stand up arsenal. In the end it wasn’t enough, and Munoz saw a three-fight win streak snapped with the loss.

Aaron, meanwhile, is coming off a loss as well, his first as a professional mixed martial artist. A two-time NCAA champion in 96′ and 98′, became an assistant wrestling coach for Arizona State, where he initially compiled 110 victories for the university.

There, he coached the likes of UFC standouts CB Dollaway, Ryan Bader, and current UFC heavyweight number one contender, Cain Velasquez. Being bit by the biting bug, Aaron opened up to the idea of fighting as a living in 2007, and compiled a perfect 4-0 before joining the UFC. Going on to garner a three-fight win streak within the promotion, his run was snapped when Simpson met with Chris Leben at “The Ultimate Fighter” season 11 finale, losing by TKO in the second round.

Both Rory MacDonald and Matt Brown are coming off losses as well. The Canadian shined though, in his bout against former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit, last June at UFC 115. Arguably ahead on the score cards going into the third round after getting the better of the stand up against Condit, Rory was notably fatigued in the final round. Carlos was eventually able to work the fight to the floor, eventually mounting the former King of the Cage lightweight and welterweight champion, pounding him out for a TKO victory in waning moments of the fight. Prior to the loss, MacDonald made a successful debut into the organization with a first-round arm bar over fellow KOTC veteran Mike Guymon at “UFC Fight Night 20″ in January of this year.

Brown, however is feeling the sting of defeat well and hard. The former contender is coming on the heels of two consecutive losses, submissions at that, to standouts Ricardo Almedia and most recently current top contender Chris Lytle.

In the bout with Lytle at UFC 116, which was the second in the series, the two traded blows early, Brown effective on the feet, the welterweight battle found its way to the floor in the early stages of the second round. Both fighters were jockeying for position, and Lytle was eventually able to secure an arm, and completed the bout ends with an arm bar victory over Brown.

Prior to the losses to Ricardo and Chris, Brown was riding a three-fight win streak in the organization and four of his last five overall. However now on the cusp of his UFC career, this is a must-win situation for both Brown and MacDonald. A loss for either could spell pink slips, which can also be said of Munoz and Simpson.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the UFC 123 prelims? Worthy? Do you have any other bouts in mind as far as what you would rather see in place of said matches? Sound off in the comments section below.

The UFC just made official today the fight card, which will include a headlining bout pitting former light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson versus Lyoto Machida, in a contenders bout.

Also on the card, BJ Penn and Matt Hughes try to settle the score once again when the two competitors meet for the third time. Both men have split victories, BJ Penn getting the better of the “farm boy” at UFC 46, where he was able to slip in a rear naked choke and claim the welterweight title from then champion Hughes. Matt, meanwhile, got a little bit of a taste of revenge when he was able to pound out the former lightweight star (at the time) inside of three rounds.

While no animosity exists, according to the two competitors, there is a healthy rivalry that has carried over the last 6 years of their lives, and this will give them the chance to settle the score once and for all. Hughes is riding a 3 fight win streak inside the crowded 170-pound division where he is slowly sneaking ahead of. Most recently, he continued the streak when he put to sleep Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Ricardo Almeida, with a modified guillotine win over. The victory at UFC 117 las August, was perhaps one of Hughes’ most impressive in recent years.

BJ, mean while has been on a slope, dropping his last two contests in the lightweight division, with decision losses to current champion Frankie Edgar.

Here is the card as follows: formatted by MMAJunkie.oom

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
* Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
* Maiquel Falcao vs. Gerald Harris
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Joe Lauzon vs. George Sotiropoulos

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Mark Munoz vs. Aaron Simpson
* Matt Brown vs. Rory MacDonald
* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. Gabe Ruediger
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the card? If you are in the Detroit/Auburn Hills area, I highly suggest you make an effort to catch the event live. Who do you think will take which bout? Sound off in the comments section below.