Before their fight at UFC 135, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson told the media that he had no respect for UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. With Jones willing to share in the trash talking, all of the pressure was placed firmly on the shou…
Before their fight at UFC 135, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson told the media that he had no respect for UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
With Jones willing to share in the trash talking, all of the pressure was placed firmly on the shoulders of the defending champion, and he punished his opponent and earned his respect.
Rampage is not a modest or humble man, but he tells things how they are, and that’s something that is very refreshing from MMA fighters, who sometimes sound like drones.
I expected to come out here and close the distance, but he’s great. I thought it was hype, but the kid is good. When he got on top of me, I knew I had a big cut. I turned so he wouldn’t elbow this cut any more. It was a big mistake on my part.
While gaining the respect of Rampage Jackson is great, it will be the respect he earns from all of the veteran fighters that really matters in Jones’ career moving forward.
Jones is only 24 years old, and it is imperative to his career in the UFC that the veterans respect his abilities, because that respect will give Jones the edge.
Rampage Jackson may not be in his prime anymore, but the way Jones handled him with patience and power will make other veterans weary of the talent this young star possesses.
Nate Diaz was clearly in a win or go home situation heading into UFC 135. Winning only three times in your past eight fights won’t exactly get you on Dana White’s good side. Especially when your brother is Nick Diaz. Fortunately for Nate, he easily locked in a fight ending armbar in the first round against Takanori Gomi. The 75 grand he pocketed for Submission of the Night honors? Just icing on the cake where he’s from, homie.
The only other fight on the card to end in submission, Jon Jones’ rear naked choke against of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, took home Fight of the Night honors. There really isn’t much else to say about this one, save for a sarcastic comment about how Rothwell vs. Hunt was far more deserving of FOTN honors. But you guys have higher expectations of us than that. Also, Josh Koscheck’s first round knockout over “K1 Hughes” earned him Knockout of the Night honors. This fight marks the fifth time in Koscheck’s career that he’s taken an end of the night bonus from the UFC, and also the second time he’s taken home KOTN honors. He also won Knockout of the Night for his performance against Yoshiyuki Yoshida back at UFC: Fight for the Troops in 2008.
Nate Diaz was clearly in a win or go home situation heading into UFC 135. Winning only three times in your past eight fights won’t exactly get you on Dana White’s good side. Especially when your brother is Nick Diaz. Fortunately for Nate, he easily locked in a fight ending armbar in the first round against Takanori Gomi. The 75 grand he pocketed for Submission of the Night honors? Just icing on the cake where he’s from, homie.
The only other fight on the card to end in submission, Jon Jones’ rear naked choke against of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, took home Fight of the Night honors. There really isn’t much else to say about this one, save for a sarcastic comment about how Rothwell vs. Hunt was far more deserving of FOTN honors. But you guys have higher expectations of us than that. Also, Josh Koscheck’s first round knockout over “K1 Hughes” earned him Knockout of the Night honors. This fight marks the fifth time in Koscheck’s career that he’s taken an end of the night bonus from the UFC, and also the second time he’s taken home KOTN honors. He also won Knockout of the Night for his performance against Yoshiyuki Yoshida back at UFC: Fight for the Troops in 2008.
“No, your breath does not smell like doodoo. Don’t say that, Quinton”. (Photo: UFC.com)
There are some folks who believe that you’re not really a champion until you successfully defend your belt. For those of you who agree, meet Jon Jones, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
“Bones” did whatever he wanted from the opening bell, starting the fight crouched in a Bloodsport-inspired fighting stance (and yes, Steven Seagal is a little butthurt over that). From that moment his unorthodoxy never waned. Spinning elbows and kicks are common weapons in his arsenal, and he seemed as comfortable throwing them as ever. Jones shows no fear of what his damage his opponent might do should he miss or leave himself open, and at this point it looks like we may never find out. According to FightMetric, Rampage failed to land a single power shot to the head. We’re all eager to laud Jones as the future of his division and the man to bring stability to 205lbs, and with good reason, but dammit I still want to see him get popped in the jaw a few times before we weld that belt around his waist.
“No, your breath does not smell like doodoo. Don’t say that, Quinton”. (Photo: UFC.com)
There are some folks who believe that you’re not really a champion until you successfully defend your belt. For those of you who agree, meet Jon Jones, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
“Bones” did whatever he wanted from the opening bell, starting the fight crouched in a Bloodsport-inspired fighting stance (and yes, Steven Seagal is a little butthurt over that). From that moment his unorthodoxy never waned. Spinning elbows and kicks are common weapons in his arsenal, and he seemed as comfortable throwing them as ever. Jones shows no fear of what damage his opponent might do should he miss or leave himself open, and at this point it looks like we may never find out. According to FightMetric, Rampage failed to land a single power shot to the head. We’re all eager to laud Jones as the future of his division and the man to bring stability to 205lbs, and with good reason, but dammit I still want to see him get popped in the jaw a few times before we weld that belt around his waist.
As for Rampage, I thought his defense looked exceptional. For a guy “mesmerized” by Jones’ offense, he showed us that spinning elbows and kicks look a lot less impressive when they miss, and he ducked quite a few of them in this bout. He also managed to avoid several of those fancy trips and throws as well. I bet a lot of Memphis-based facial reconstructive surgeons were grinning ear-to-ear when Jones secured the mount, but Rampage showed some skill off his back in shucking the champion off and working to his feet. As for his offense…well, it was his usual two-pronged attack of lefts and rights. Sure, he threw out a token leg kick or two, but the versatility he showed in the Hamill fight was gone. Then again, a fight against Jon Jones may not be the best time to throw away your tried and true weapons in favor of a little experimentation. I expected a slow, flat-footed Rampage to get thoroughly worked over by a well-rounded fighter last night, and though he didn’t put the champ in any danger, I think he looked as good as anyone can against Jones at this point in time.
Damn, how much does Matt Hughes love to compete? The man has nothing left to fight for other than fighting itself, and at age 37, following his second consecutive first round knock out, he still can’t bring himself to retire. In a day when many fighters fight to protect their record or simply to collect a check, it’s nice to see someone step into the cage purely for a love of the game. But at the same time, the game he loves has changed. As much as Goldy and Rogan were celebrating the performance of “K1 Hughes” last night, I just didn’t see it. His jabs and left hooks may have succeeded in making Koscheck weary of his right eye, but they won’t succeed in putting away top competition, and for an aging wrestler in a division full of great wrestlers that spells trouble. When Kos started throwing his hands, that became clear once again. Hughes isn’t retiring, but he is placing himself “on a shelf”. That shelf holds numerous UFC records, countless belts, and an incredible legacy, and I think it’s a perfect place for him at this stage in his career.
It was hard for me to watch Mark Hunt and Ben Rothwell without thinking back to Dan Severn vs. Tank Abbott, which also went down in Denver back in 1995. If you didn’t catch that fight, there’s no rush to see it. The same goes for this one. I’ll cut them a little slack because they’re big boys fighting at altitude, but that doesn’t make it any prettier to watch. Joe Silva, when scheduling their next bouts, please consider a more suitable venue.
Gomi’s offense consisted solely of swinging that wild right for a one-punch knockout, and that proved to be a poor gameplan against a guy known for unrelenting combos. Diaz mixed in some heavy hands with the trademark Diaz “Stockton Slaps”, dropping Gomi early in the first. “The Fireball Kid” popped back up, but the punches kept coming. Diaz’s hands found their home again and again until Gomi took him down, but the former Pride champion found no refuge on the mat. Diaz instantly sunk in a triangle choke before switching to an armbar to elicit the tap. It was an impressive return to lightweight for the Cesar Gracie protege. This is Gomi’s second straight loss and his third in four fights, but with the UFC heading back to Japan he’s unlikely to be cut.
Jon Jones def. Quinton Jackson via Submission (rear naked choke) at 1:14, R4
Josh Koscheck def. Matt Hughes via KO (punches) at 4:59, R1
Mark Hunt def. Ben Rothwell via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27) at 5:00, R3
Travis Browne def. Rob Broughton via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) at 5:00, R3
Nate Diaz def. Takanori Gomi via Submission (armbar) at 4:27, R1.
Preliminary Card:
Tony Ferguson def. Aaron Riley via TKO (Corner Stoppage) at 5:00, R1
Tim Boetsch defeated Nick Ring via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) at 5:00, R3
Junior Assunção def. Eddie Yagin via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27) at 5:00, R3
Takeya Mizugaki def. Cole Escovedo via TKO (punches) at 4:30, R2
James Te Huna def. Ricardo Romero via KO (punches) at 0:47, R1
Jon Jones systematically destroyed Rampage Jackson at UFC 135 and added another top-tier fighter to his impressively growing resume. After dominating both Jackson and Shogun Rua in his last couple fights, the remaining potential opponents for the curre…
Jon Jones systematically destroyed Rampage Jackson at UFC 135 and added another top-tier fighter to his impressively growing resume.
After dominating both Jackson and Shogun Rua in his last couple fights, the remaining potential opponents for the current light heavyweight champion are looking more and more like a list of future victims.
Luckily, Jones still has a few more fights that would capture the imagination of both fans and the MMA media alike. While most of these aren’t possible yet, there is a possibility that all of these fights could be made in the near future.
Jon Jones successfully defended the light heavyweight title against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 and he did it with relative ease. The 24-year-old champion’s performance not only solidified his status among the light heavyweight division, but a…
Jon Jones successfully defended the light heavyweight title against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135 and he did it with relative ease. The 24-year-old champion’s performance not only solidified his status among the light heavyweight division, but arguably one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts.
While the win erased all the doubt regarding Jones’ skills and ability, there were a few who were quick to judge his overall performance, mainly Steven Seagal.
Seagal, who is an occasional attendee at UFC events, gave his opinion on the main event and praised Jones for his dominant win. But Seagal was quick to point out the performance of Jones’ opponent, Jackson, and felt Jackson was more impressive.
“I was more impressed with Rampage,” Seagal said.
“That was the best head movement I have ever seen him do. If he would of let his hands go, that would of been something.”
Seagal added that while Jones’ talent can’t be denied, he believed his performance was underwhelming, to say the least.
Jones’ dominance over the light heavyweight division has continued to grow with three consecutive wins over of some of the sport’s top competitors. His next title defense will come against former teammate, Rashad Evans. Their heated rivalry has been well-documented and Evans will certainly serve as an intriguing opponent, due to their past friendship and time spent together training at Greg Jackson’s MMA.
Seagal’s analysis over Jones’ performance could be justified. “Bones,” while he did dictate the entire bout against Jackson, he did not necessarily dominate in the fashion like most fans had thought he would.
Regardless, Jones’ win was impressive and left little doubt that he is the best light heavyweight in the world.
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have been stuck on a collision course for months now, one that even a big name like Quinton Jackson was helpless to derail at UFC 135. And one that Evans will be powerless to steer away from disaster when he finally has his s…
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have been stuck on a collision course for months now, one that even a big name like Quinton Jackson was helpless to derail at UFC 135.
And one that Evans will be powerless to steer away from disaster when he finally has his shot at Jones.
These two, once close friends and training partners, have been sworn enemies since February, when Bones accepted an offer to replace an injured Sugar Rashad in a fight for the Light Heavyweight Championship against Mauricio Rua at UFC 128. Jones promptly took the title from Shogun by TKO, with Evans jealously claiming that his friend had stabbed him in the back by cutting in on what was supposed to be his shot at glory.
The two were originally supposed to square off at UFC 133, but Jones was forced out with a hand injury of his own. Instead, Evans brought a swift end to Tito Ortiz’s comeback with a second-round TKO to set himself up for a shot at his arch nemesis.
Jones was more than happy to oblige by holding up his end of the bargain, forcing Rampage into the first tapout of his career by way of a rear naked choke in the fourth round.
What happens next, aside from just one of the most hotly-anticipated title fights in recent memory, is a one-sided beatdown by Jones to further assert himself as the most stable and dominant Light Heavyweight Champion since Chuck Lidell.
As far as fighters are concerned, Jones is indeed The Ultimate, a veritable cyborg from the future who seemingly has no holes in his repertoire and incredible physical gifts to boot. Jones is long, strong and skilled almost beyond compare.
I say “almost” because Anderson Silva is still the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, though Jones is giving him a run for his money.
The only criticism anyone’s been able to muster about Jones thus far is that no one knows how he’d hold up under fire, how he’d be able to withstand big blows from a worthy competitor.
However, after Saturday’s shellacking of Jackson, who’s no slouch himself, it’s clear that Jones’ problem isn’t that he hasn’t been tested by quality problem.
It’s that he really is that much better than his competition, so much better that even championship-caliber fighters can barely put a lick on him.
To be sure, Evans is no pushover, either, but he’s looking more and more like Jackson with each passing day.
And by Jackson, I mean, of course, a mismatch against Jones in the Octagon. Evans was at the Pepsi Center in Denver to see Jones defeat the 33-year-old Rampage, on the eve of his own 32nd birthday. Jones, on the other hand, is just two months removed from his 24th birthday, giving him an advantage in youth and athleticism on top of his growing edge in skill and technique.
That won’t keep Evans from making a good fight out of it, or at least attempting to. In the end, though, Evans will be flattened into yet another stepping stone on Jones’ path to glory, just like Rampage, Shogun and Ryan Bader before him.
Make sure to check into Bleacher Report for all things UFC 135. B/R is your home for MMA, from pre-fight predictions, round-by-round recaps and post-fight analysis which you can check out at our event hub.
Before their fight at UFC 135, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson told the media that he had no respect for UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.
