The UFC’s heavyweight division is one of the divisions weakest and so any fighter has the potential to become a prospect with a just a couple impressive wins.At UFC 135, Travis Browne has the potential to become a prospect, if he can defeat Rob Brought…
The UFC’s heavyweight division is one of the divisions weakest and so any fighter has the potential to become a prospect with a just a couple impressive wins.
At UFC 135, Travis Browne has the potential to become a prospect, if he can defeat Rob Broughton in spectacular fashion.
Broughton, even if he beats Browne, will likely have some more work to do before he can make any big waves in the heavyweight division. This is just his second fight in the UFC and the first time he’s fought in almost a year.
This match up will be featured on the main card, so both men should be extra motivated to win.
That said, only one man can walk out of UFC 135 the victor.
Who’s going to take it?
My money is on Travis Browne.
At this point in his career, Browne has faced tougher competition than Broughton and, arguably, deserved a more well-known opponent, considering that he’s coming off a knockout victory over Stefan Struve and a draw with Cheick Kongo.
Despite Browne weighing in four pounds lighter than Broughton, he should have the size advantage. Broughton is a chubby 261lbs and Browne isn’t exactly shredded at 255lbs, but he has a more solid build.
Browne has better striking and trains with Jackson’s Submission Fighting, so I expect him to come in with the better game plan.
Broughton does have a background in wrestling, but I don’t think his grappling skills are good enough to control Browne.
Travis Browne is heading into UFC 135 undefeated and he’ll leave the same way.
The time for talking is over, and it is finally time to see who the true heir to the light heavyweight throne is. Is it the legend or the future?The world will have its answer in the main event of UFC 135 when light heavyweight champion Jon Jones meets…
The time for talking is over, and it is finally time to see who the true heir to the light heavyweight throne is. Is it the legend or the future?
The world will have its answer in the main event of UFC 135 when light heavyweight champion Jon Jones meets former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
The story of Jones’ rise to superstardom is pretty well-known by now.
The 24-year-old phenom took the light heavyweight division by storm, dominating highly-touted stars in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Ryan Bader, Brandon Vera, Matt Hamill and Vladimir Matyushenko. UFC 128 still stands out as Jones’ true arrival in the sport, as he decimated Shogun to become the new UFC champion.
There is a myriad of hype surrounding Jones. He could possibly be the most complete fighter this sport has ever seen. There are also a few question marks.
How good is his chin? Does he have the cardio to go the distance in a championship fight? How well does he handle adversity?
While many underestimate his chances, Rampage has the ability to answer some of these questions.
Coming off back to back wins over Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill, Rampage has taken this challenge very seriously. All indications point to the former Pride superstar enduring one of the best training camps of his career.
For most fighters, this type of talk would be meaningless, but for Rampage, motivation and training have been serious problems in the past.
Apparently, all of that is behind him for this fight, as he’ll be forced to deal with one of the greatest young talents this sport has ever seen.
On the feet, Jones’ lanky frame gives him a nice reach advantage over any opponent in the 205-pound division. His standup is pinpoint and methodical, but the biggest hurdle opponents face in the cage with him is his awkward angles and unorthodox maneuvers.
Arguably the best pure boxer in the light heavyweight division, Rampage has the skill set to present Jones with some unique problems.
There are few fighters in any division with the devastating knockout power of Jackson. His ability to roll under and throw the hook has been practiced to perfection, and it has been proven lethal against a laundry list of world class names.
The deciding factor of this fight will probably be Jones’ ability to secure takedowns and maintain top position.
Jones may be the better wrestler, but people tend to forget that Rampage’s base for MMA is also wrestling. He has the core power and takedown defense to keep things interesting if Jones decides to change levels.
Fans should get a fun scrap, but Jones’ seemingly unending arsenal of skills makes him a very attractive pick. Rampage could provide a scary moment or two for the young champion right out of the gates, but Jones’ well-rounded blend of striking and wrestling will be too much.
In the end, the future will become the present as Jones picks up a second round TKO.
There is no doubt, along with Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn, Matt Hughes is one of the top three welterweights in MMA history. Now, he is 37 years old and scheduled to take on Josh Koscheck in UFC 135.Koscheck was a late replacement for Diego Sanchez…
There is no doubt, along with Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn, Matt Hughes is one of the top three welterweights in MMA history. Now, he is 37 years old and scheduled to take on Josh Koscheck in UFC 135.
Koscheck was a late replacement for Diego Sanchez who was originally scheduled to battle Hughes but had to bow out after he broke his hand.
In a stretch from November of 2006 to June of 2008 it looked like Hughes legendary career should be coming to an end. During this time he lost three of four fights, two of those to St. Pierre.
Since then, Hughes has won three of four, though he lost his last fight almost a year ago to BJ Penn.
Hughes has flirted with retirement for about three years or so, this fight will be the one that makes the flirtation a commitment or at least it should. Hughes is a proud competitor so he may not want to leave on a losing note but I expect Koscheck to batter Hughes at UFC 135.
Koscheck himself is 33, so he isn’t a young up and coming fighter but he is younger and a world class wrestler. Lets face it, the wrestling background will help him hold his own against Hughes, who is perhaps the greatest wrestler ever at welterweight but it won’t win him the fight. The area where Koscheck should defeat Hughes is in the stand up game as a boxer.
Koscheck’s boxing skills are fairly advanced for a MMA fighter as he has displayed in KO victories over Frank Trigg and Yoshiyuki Yoshida. Koscheck hasn’t lost a fight to a fighter whose primary discipline is wrestling, even though Hughes is still elite in this area.
It is a fight that should happen for both fighters resumes. Hughes is already a legend and Koscheck needs a few marquee victories to take the next step in his MMA career. My prediction is that Koscheck gets that in a lopsided unanimous decision over Hughes.
Hopefully, Hughes will make this the last defeat of his illustrious career.
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.
Tonight at UFC 135 the UFC will finally make its first return to Denver since UFC 1 in 1993. Back in those days it’d be hard to imagine that fighters as well rounded as Nate Diaz and Takanori Gomi would be fighting but, they are! The sport has co…
Tonight at UFC 135 the UFC will finally make its first return to Denver since UFC 1 in 1993. Back in those days it’d be hard to imagine that fighters as well rounded as Nate Diaz and Takanori Gomi would be fighting but, they are!
The sport has come a long way since then and the dynamic matchup between Diaz and Gomi is proof.
Takanori Gomi is one of Japan’s finest and was once considered to be one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) lightweight fighters on the planet. The hype around “The Fireball Kid” has since died down but he is still a competitor.
One of Gomi’s biggest strengths is his extremely durable chin; he has never been knocked out in 40 fights! Aside from his chin, his hands pack good power. He managed to brutally knock out Tyson Griffin and has 11 other (T)KO victories to his credit.
Gomi is also a skilled wrestler and grappler. He has won numerous wrestling titles in Japan and won the Japanese leg of the prestigious ADCC tournament in 2011.
How do these accomplishments stack up to Diaz’s?
Diaz’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is his biggest strength and he has nine submission victories out of 13 wins. His striking, like his brother Nick’s, is of a high-volume style and is difficult to figure out.
Will this style present a problem for Gomi?
It may, it may not. What is more important is the gameplan Gomi decides to enact. If he brings Diaz to the ground in an attempt to smother him with wrestling a la Rory Macdonald, it’s possible and even likely that he will get caught in a submission. Gomi’s wrestling is good, but not at the level to suppress the jiu-jitsu of Diaz.
If Gomi winds up on the ground, he’ll be submitted, just like he was against Kenny Florian and Clay Guida.
If the fight stays on the feet, Gomi will have greater odds at victory since both men are roughly equal in striking skills and have never been knocked out.
So what’s the “final prediction?” Diaz via submission in the third round.
Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson are set to face off inside the Octagon on Saturday, September 24 to figure out whom the UFC light heavyweight title truly belongs to. Currently the title resides with Jones, who captured it with a third round TKO vic…
Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson are set to face off inside the Octagon on Saturday, September 24 to figure out whom the UFC light heavyweight title truly belongs to. Currently the title resides with Jones, who captured it with a third round TKO victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. Jackson, on the other hand has stated that he will be heading to Denver’s Pepsi Center to take his belt back.
Jones’ ascent to the top of the UFC’s light heavyweight division has been stunning. Jones made his professional debut in 2008 and in less than three years found himself a UFC champion with a record of 13-1. Jones’ sole loss came via disqualification for landing illegal 12-to-6 elbows to Matt Hamill.
Rampage, had been fighting professionally since the 24-year old Jones was a 12 years old. In that time he has put together a record of 32-8, capturing both the UFC light heavyweight title as well as the PRIDE middleweight crown.
Also appearing on the UFC 135 fight card will be welterweights Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes. Both fighters will be coming off long layoffs as well as devastating losses heading into Saturday. Hughes last set foot in the Octagon in November 2010, suffering a 21-second knockout loss to BJ Penn at UFC 123. Koscheck has not fought since dropping a unanimous decision to UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 124. Koscheck suffered a broken orbital bone in that December 2010 scrap, the damage required surgery and a long period of rehab.
The full fight card for UFC 135:
Jon Jones vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson:
Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes:
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton:
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi:
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt:
Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley:
Tim Boetsch vs. Nick Ring:
James Te Huna vs. Ricardo Romero:
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Cole Escovedo:
Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin:
Check back often as Bleacher Report will have pre-fight, in-fight and post-fight coverage of UFC 135 right here.
Filed under: UFCFighter vs. Writer has been on a bit of a hiatus, which is what happens when you go from a country where you don’t speak the language and your cell phone doesn’t work to a Strikeforce event where the only fighters around are the ones on…
Fighter vs. Writer has been on a bit of a hiatus, which is what happens when you go from a country where you don’t speak the language and your cell phone doesn’t work to a Strikeforce event where the only fighters around are the ones on the card, but you don’t want to hear my excuses, do you?
All that matters is that we’re back this week with UFC middleweight and TUF 14 coach Michael Bisping, who graciously took time away from bickering with opposing coach ‘Mayhem’ Miller to go head to head with yours truly over the UFC 135 main card.
Bisping: Jackson via TKO. “Jon Jones is unbelievable and an incredible athlete and an incredible champ. He’s forging a fantastic career and he’s got what it takes to be a legend one day. That said, he’s fighting Rampage and this is going to be the best Rampage you’ve seen in a long time.” Fowlkes: Jones via TKO. With Jackson’s punching power, you can’t ever count him out. And yes, I think this is the most motivated and in-shape Rampage we’ve seen in a long while. But I still don’t think it’ll be enough. Jones is too quick, too long, and too dynamic. Jackson won’t get close enough to hurt him, and Jones will chop him down.
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Bisping: Koscheck via decision. Matt Hughes has been a great champion in the past and a great ambassador for the sport, but he’s coming to the end of his career. He hasn’t looked too great lately. He hasn’t looked like the Matt Hughes of old, and it pains me to say that because he’s a Hall of Famer. But I’ve got to go with Koscheck being younger, faster, stronger — probably a better wrestler as well.” Fowlkes: Koscheck via TKO. Honestly, I don’t see a single area where Hughes holds the advantage. Experience, maybe? But even there, Koscheck has enough that he’s not going to be beaten on sheer veteran savvy alone. I think he out-strikes, out-wrestles, and overpowers Hughes.
Bisping: Diaz via submission. “That’s a tough one. It could go a lot like the Nick Diaz-Gomi fight. I’ve got to go with Nate.” Fowlkes: Diaz via submission. I’d feel better about it if I didn’t think Diaz was inclined to stand and trade, thus giving Gomi more of a chance than he needs to. Even so, I think it eventually winds up on the floor, where Diaz is superior.
Bisping: Broughton via TKO. “He’s one of the toughest human beings walking this planet. He’s big, strong, and you wouldn’t know it from the look of him because he carries a little extra weight, but he’s a cardio machine. I see him wearing [Browne] down and finishing him in the later rounds.” Fowlkes: Browne via TKO. Every Englishman I’ve talked to this week (and between Bisping and Telegraph writer Gareth Davies, I’ve talked to two) tells me what a tough guy Broughton is. I don’t doubt them, but Browne is just so big and so powerful. I think he’ll keep Broughton at a distance and smash him.
Bisping: Hunt via KO. “I’m going with Mark Hunt because I know him. I don’t know too much about Ben Rothwell, but I know he’s had mixed results. I like Mark Hunt. I’m a big fan of his Pride days and K-1, so I’m rooting for him.” Fowlkes: Rothwell via submission. If Bisping can pick based purely on personal feelings, then so can I. I got to know Rothwell when we were both working for the IFL, and he’s one of the truly good people in this business. If he’s smart, he gets Hunt to the ground and takes advantage of his weak submissions defense.
There is no doubt, along with Georges St. Pierre and 
Fighter vs. Writer has been on a bit of a hiatus, which is what happens when you go from a country where you don’t speak the language and your cell phone doesn’t work to a