When former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson faces Matt “The Hammer” Hamill this Saturday in the main event for UFC 130, he will be facing a fighter very similar to himself.Both are strong wrestlers with powerful striking and du…
When former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson faces Matt “The Hammer” Hamill this Saturday in the main event for UFC 130, he will be facing a fighter very similar to himself.
Both are strong wrestlers with powerful striking and durable chins.
They even share what is arguably their trademark strike: the uppercut.
The uppercut is oft underutilized by other fighters, but this technique is never lost on these two.
Although they both use the uppercut to great effect, they use it in distinctly different ways.
Rampage’s uppercut is short and used in close range. He loves to knock opponents out with his devastating hooks, but as soon as they step in too close he is there to greet them with his trademark uppercut.
Hamill’s trademark uppercut is a lunging strike, utilized at range. When fighters are used to their opponents coming in with overhands and straight punches, Hamill comes in with an unexpected uppercut.
Which strike will play a bigger role this Saturday?
Rampage’s might be quicker and more ferocious, but Hamill’s might be more versatile and possibly used more frequently.
Of course, considering their wrestling abilities, we could see the match play out mostly as a grappling battle. However, my intuition tells me that their wrestling is going neutralize each others’.
When these two powerful men step into the octagon, somebody is going to get hit very, very hard, and I have the distinct feeling that we are going to see some of the best uppercuts in the sport at work.
LAS VEGAS — Before it happened, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson said that being a champion wouldn’t necessarily mean anything to him. Even when he won the UFC belt, he held the same contention. But now, it seems like Jackson is at the point of his career wh…
LAS VEGAS — Before it happened, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson said that being a champion wouldn’t necessarily mean anything to him. Even when he won the UFC belt, he held the same contention. But now, it seems like Jackson is at the point of his career where he’s reevaluating some of his long-held beliefs. On Thursday, he seemed to reverse course, indicating that yes, it was a goal of his to re-capture the light-heavyweight championship.
That declaration — “I want to be a champion again one day,” for the record — might serve to quiet some of the critics that hammered Jackson for his comments about a lack of excitement to face his UFC 130 opponent Matt Hamill.
After indicating that his career will come to an end around his 35th birthday, perhaps Jackson — who turns 33 next month — has begun to think about his career winding down, and setting goals for before he calls it quits. Or maybe he simply liked being the champion, and the bragging rights that it provides. Or maybe the money is simply better. Whatever the case, Jackson seemed to buck any thoughts that he is lacking in motivation for this bout and beyond.
The more you find yourself around him, the more fascinated you find yourself about what comes out of his mouth. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s insightful, and sometimes it’s controversial. Some of his recent comments fell into that last category. But Jackson, who has been fighting professionally for over a decade, clarified the “excitement” remarks during a Thursday interview session.
“It’s like a teacher being excited to go to the classroom every day,” he said. “He’s used to it. You guys may look at it differently than me, but this is my career. It’s my job and what I do. I think it’s weird when people think I’m not excited. I keep it real. I don’t know if other fighters get excited or not. I don’t know. I’m excited to be working and make a living and stuff like that, but another day, another dollar.”
Jackson, in other words, said the previous comments were not an indictment on his opponent Hamill as they are a reflection of the way he approaches his career. Which is to say, it’s a job first and foremost.
Part of that attitude stems from his love-hate relationship with the sport. He loves to fight, but he hates the training, the aches and pains, the early morning runs, the inability to eat the things he enjoys.
Because of that, it takes a lot to get him really amped for a fight, even if the stakes are high. He says even when he fought Chuck Liddell for the title, and Wanderlei Silva for the third time, he didn’t find himself excited at the prospect. That changed last year when he faced rival Rashad Evans after the two formed an antagonistic relationship on The Ultimate Fighter.
“I really wanted to beat him and I wanted to shut his mouth,” Jackson said, explaining that the match became personal more than business. ” I guess thats maybe why I’m not trying to get excited anymore. I was under the impression we’d get it on and do the thing, but it turned into a boring match for the fans.”
Jackson has no such animosity for Hamill, describing himself as “very impressed” with Hamill’s ability to overcome his hearing disability while becoming a divisional contender.
Looking fit, lean and happy, the popular Jackson has plenty to gain with a win, as a victory may vault him into a fall date with light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. That opportunity was likely one he didn’t see coming, and so maybe one he finds more precious than he might let on. Earlier this week, he voiced regret for letting an opportunity to fight then-champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua escape him for getting out of shape between fights, and said he was “sick and tired” of blowing up in between fights.
To that end, he and a friend recently opened a gym nearby his California home, and he plans to stay in better shape year-round to take advantage of any opportunities presented to him.
“I’m trying,” he said. “I’m trying to stay in shape but I’m a lazy guy. I dread going to gym. I’d rather be at home playing video games. But I’m trying. I want to be champion again one day.”
If you missed the Countdown to UFC 130 show this week, not to worry, we have you covered. During the show both Matt Hammil and Quinton Jackson’s camps give some interesting insight into their fighter’s respective opponents and we learn a bit more about some of the lesser-known fighters on the card like Rick Story and Jorge Santiago.
(Video courtesy of VideoObb/IronForgesIron)
If you missed the Countdown to UFC 130 show this week, not to worry, we have you covered. During the show both Matt Hammil and Quinton Jackson’s camps give some interesting insight into their fighter’s respective opponents and we learn a bit more about some of the lesser-known fighters on the card like Rick Story and Jorge Santiago.
As always, the most head shake-inducing quotes came from Frank Mir, who is as high on himself as ever.
At one point Mir, who went on to brag about how much better he is in jiu-jitsu compared to Nelson says with a straight face:
“If he has the confidence that because he didn’t get hit by dos Santos and get dropped, I’m a lot bigger then dos Santos and I believe I hit a lot harder. When I hit Cheick Kongo, the punch alone threw him half way across the Octagon.”
What’s funny is, they repeated the clip of the punch he threw at Kongo and it didn’t really seem to connect with Cup Cheick’s chin, as much as it grazed off the side of his face and hit his chest. It looked more like he fell while he was backpedalling trying to dodge the shot.
I guess we’ll have to see what happens Saturday night, but if you look at the stats, they lean in Nelson’s favor. Roy has been knocked out once in his career and has beaten eight opponents by TKO or KO. All of Frank’s five losses have come by KO or TKO and he has won by the same methods three times.
Per the drill… Our host, Steve Cofield breaks down the lines for the top 3 fights on the UFC 130 main card. Expert MMA analysts, Damon Martin of MMAWeekly.com and Larry Pepe of ProMMARadio.com weigh-in.
Per the drill… Our host, Steve Cofield breaks down the lines for the top 3 fights on the UFC 130 main card. Expert MMA analysts, Damon Martin of MMAWeekly.com and Larry Pepe of ProMMARadio.com weigh-in on their picks for the UFC 130 best bets.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (-200) vs. Matt Hamill (+160)
Bleacher Report’s Jeffrey McKinney:When referee Herb Dean stopped the fight between Frank Mir and Tim Sylvia at UFC 48, the stunned live crowd booed.Mir had Sylvia in an armbar. Sylvia did not tap, and showed no signs of being hurt. When the replay sho…
Bleacher Report’s Jeffrey McKinney:
When referee Herb Dean stopped the fight between Frank Mir and Tim Sylvia at UFC 48, the stunned live crowd booed.
Mir had Sylvia in an armbar. Sylvia did not tap, and showed no signs of being hurt.
When the replay showed though, it left one of the most shocking images in MMA history. Mir had snapped Sylvia’s arm, breaking it in four places.
Mir won the UFC heavyweight title that night, and looked to have a promising title run.
Mir’s run was cut short due to a motorcycle accident that occurred three months after winning the title. The accident caused Mir to be stripped of his title after being unable to defend it.
Mir struggled to be the fighter he once was when he returned, going just 1-2 in his first three fights back.
It was not until Mir faced Antoni Hardonk that he looked like the champion he once was.
Mir would go to make Brock Lesnar tap in his first UFC fight, and become the first person to make beat Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira by TKO.
The Nogueira fight was the first of three championship fights that Mir has been featured in within the last three years.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan R.R. Clarke:The countdown, the wait, the anticipation for UFC 130 is almost over. The hype, the training, the blood, the sweat and the trash talking will all be tested this Saturday night. Can Rampage, coming off of his vic…
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan R.R. Clarke:
The countdown, the wait, the anticipation for UFC 130 is almost over. The hype, the training, the blood, the sweat and the trash talking will all be tested this Saturday night. Can Rampage, coming off of his victory over Lyoto Machida, dispose of Hamill in front of the Vegas crowd? Can Edgar overwhelm Maynard to retain the Lightweight Championship? This is the power-ranking of UFC:130 – the matches that promise to be the most exciting, thrilling and outright thoroughly entertaining clashes on the night; and the matches that could turn into potential blowouts. Enjoy!
When former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson faces Matt “The Hammer” Hamill this Saturday in the main event for UFC 130, he will be facing a fighter very similar to himself.
LAS VEGAS — Before it happened, Quinton “