UFC 135 sees the return of Quinton Rampage Jackson to title contention. Much ado has been made over the danger swirling in the hands of the 33-year-old warrior, and for good reason: Jackson has knocked out a lot of fighters.
Beneath his vicious gloves have fallen the likes of Chuck Liddell, Marvin Eastman, Kevin Randleman, Yuki Ishikawa and Wanderlei Silva. That getting knocked out has since become a hobby of Wanderlei’s, takes nothing away from the proven pop of a Rampaging right hook. As of late, however, the southern slugger, concerned about the possibility of being taken down, has gone skittish, opting to hang back and hope the judges favor him.
So enamored does Jackson seem with the opinion of the judges and the contents of their scorecards, that he has opted to defer to them more and more often: six of his last seven fights have gone to decision. So concerned does Jackson appear with being taken down, that he allowed Matt Hamill to survive to the judge’s decision, a happening that had no business well…happening.
But people, including Rampage himself it seems, have forgotten that Jackson began his career as a decorated wrestler and that four of his first 10 wins came via a variety of submissions. In May of 2000, Jackson took out Marco Bermudez via rear naked choke; in October of that same year he defeated Warren Owsley with an armbar. In April 2001, he beat Rocko Henderson with a kimura at the Gladiator Challenge in California. Two months later he choked out Kenneth Willams.
In light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, Rampage faces a striker’s conundrum. Jackson has never faced anyone with the reach of the 24-year-old Jones, which is almost a full foot longer than Jackson’s. Further, Jones has really good takedowns. If Jackson plays it cagey and hangs back, he’s going to find himself right at the end of those long punches. If Jackson commits, he’s likely to be taken to the mat, a place he has gone to great lengths to avoid.
But if Rampage wants to overcome Jones, he needs to beat him to the takedown and grind the young champion to powder on the mat. He needs to suffocate Jones, make him miserable and longing for the end. Jackson needs to show that although Jones has the reach, the youth and the athleticism, he has not the grit and salt needed to defeat Rampage.
It’s been over a decade since Jackson logged a win via submission. If one assumes he’s worked his grappling even one hour a week over that period, then he has booked over 520 hours of training. I have a difficult time picturing Rampage slapping on an armbar or kimura. It just goes against what I know of the man. It is, however, something I’d like to see, and if Rampage is to have any chance against Jones, it might be something I need to see.
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