Tag: Matt Hamill

The UFC has recently run into a string of bad luck, losing their next two pay-per-view card’s main events due to injury and illness.

First, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard were both injured while training for their UFC 130 main event. Neither fighter will be able to compete on the May 28 card, as Edgar has back issues while Maynard has sustained a knee injury.

Due to the short notice, the new main event of UFC 130 will be Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Matt Hamill.

On Thursday, the promotion revealed that Brock Lesnar would be forced out of his UFC 131 main event battle with Junior dos Santos due to a recurrence of the diverticulitis that forced him out of action for a year, earlier in his career.

The UFC moved fast, replacing Lesnar with Shane Carwin, who was already scheduled to fight on the June 11 card with his original opponent being Jon Olav Einemo.

Jon Jones is another fighter whose loss will be felt by the UFC in 2011. Jones was set to face his former friend and training partner Rashad Evans when a hand injury forced him out of that fight.

At the time Jones withdrew from the fight, there was no official date or location for the Jones versus Evans match up, but they hype for that fight had been building even before Jones defeated “Shogun” Rua for the UFC light heavyweight championship in March.

Phil Davis has been booked in Jones’ place and he will face Evans at UFC 133, which will take place on Aug. 6.

Bleacher Report takes a look at how the injuries and illness could impact the pay-per-view buys for these upcoming events.

All UFC PPV numbers provided by MMAPayout.com Blue Book.

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UFC 130 was supposed to feature the third and decisive battle between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edger and Gray Maynard.

Because of injuries both men have during training camp, we’re left with former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson taking on Matt “The Hammer” Hamill.

Rampage has been one of the most recognizable names in MMA over the past five years.

Whether it has been for knocking guys out, legal troubles or choosing movies over fighting, Rampage has become a household name.

Hamill, on the other hand, has become a story of inspiration being one of the best light heavyweight MMA fighters today despite being deaf. 

This could be a close fight that goes either way. 

But here are five reasons why Rampage will beat Matt Hamill.

The brand new main event of UFC 130, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Matt “The Hammer” Hamill, might have some heavy shoes to fill with Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard sidelined, but even with no title being on the line for UFC 130, the card still packs enough of a punch to create some intrigue.

On paper, it would seem that Hamill is in an uphill battle against a tough legend of the sport and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, but Rampage can still be defeated by any percentage of fighters, and Hamill is no exception.

The question now is, can Hamill hand Rampage defeat in what is arguably the biggest fight of his career?

Edgar and Maynard are sharing a shelf right now, and it’ll be close to the end of the estimated six-to-eight-week time of rehabilitation before we hear about whether the rematch of the UFC’s first main event (and “Fight of The Night” bonus winner, and title fight, and “Fight of The Year” candidate) of the calendar year 2011 will headline the upcoming UFC 133 card or the UFC 135 card that is slated to have Matt Hughes-Diego Sanchez on it, but for now, it’s Hamill and Rampage we’re all taking about.

Without further ado, it’s time to go to school. Here are five of the reasons why Hamill WILL upset Rampage in about two weeks.