Tag: UFC 144

UFC 144 Weigh-In: Rampage Jackson Missing Weight Shows the End Is Near

While the UFC’s epic return to Japan with UFC 144 was going to be something amazing, trouble has already struck, with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson missing weight for this fight.The set weight was 205 pounds, but Rampage came in at a very…

While the UFC’s epic return to Japan with UFC 144 was going to be something amazing, trouble has already struck, with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson missing weight for this fight.

The set weight was 205 pounds, but Rampage came in at a very small 211.

Jackson’s opponent Ryan Bader will receive his portion of the money for this fight because of the issues with weight, but it’s what was said about the veteran’s appearance that ruffled feathers.

Former UFC Champion Rich Franklin was tough on Jackson about the condition in which he came into this fight. When looking at Rampage’s body during weigh-ins, you could tell he was completely drained.

Jackson told Ariel Helwani on the Fuel TV broadcast about the fact that he suffered an injury during the training that didn’t allow him to cut weight enough for the fight:

I wasn’t going to say anything. I thought I was going to make the weight, but I got injured in my camp [and] that kept me from doing a lot of running. But I didn’t want to miss this fight because it’s so important to me and I fought so hard to get it and I said ‘forget it, I’m just gonna man up and make the fight.’

I kept training in other ways, I just couldn’t get my road work in a lot of ways. Then I healed up and could get my roadwork in but it was too late. I started cutting weight and it was a lot of weight to cut. I cut 21 pounds. I just couldn’t get the last six.

I tried my best, it’s kind of difficult [when you’ve got to] weigh in earlier and I kind of underestimated the time. I woke up at three o’clock this morning cutting weight and I cut everything I had.

While this is something that happens from time to time, the way Jackson looked on the stage during the weigh-ins makes many fans think that there are two possible reasons for his appearance: he either didn’t train hard enough or he hurt himself.

As much as the easy way to go is to say that he didn’t take this fight seriously enough, Jackson is a fighter returning to where it all started for him. With Japan being a very special place for the former champion, to say he took this fight lightly would be disrespectful.

Jackson’s career is coming to an end before our very eyes, but we can’t stop giving the man the benefit of the doubt. If he says he was injured and that caused the problems, I believe him. It’s not like it’s uncommon not to report injuries in MMA.

I am seriously worried about how he will look during the fight after trying to cut weight as hard as he was, though. Jackson’s night could end with Rampage KO’d.

 

Check back for more on Mixed Martial Arts as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s UFC Page to get your fill of all things UFC/MMA. For more on MMA/UFC, check out Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 144 Final Predictions: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch

Yushin Okami looks to rebound off his recent loss to Anderson Silva when he returns to his homeland to face middleweight contender Tim Boetsch.Despite his loss to Silva at UFC 134, Okami still is one of the top middleweight contenders in the division. …

Yushin Okami looks to rebound off his recent loss to Anderson Silva when he returns to his homeland to face middleweight contender Tim Boetsch.

Despite his loss to Silva at UFC 134, Okami still is one of the top middleweight contenders in the division. Utilizing a strong wrestling base, Okami imposes his size on his opponents and also displays an improved stand-up game.

Winning three of his last five bouts, Okami will look to continue his success at 185 pounds and work his way back to a title shot.

In his second stint inside the Octagon, Boetsch is 3-1 since re-signing with the organization in 2009.

The 31-year-old recently moved down to the middleweight division and has been undefeated so far, with victories over respectable fighters like Kendall Grove and Nick Ring. Boetsch will hope to remain undefeated when he faces his next test in Okami. 

Boetsch has fared well against the middleweight competition. However, he meets a big step-up in Okami. 

Okami’s wrestling should prove to be the difference in this bout. He should look to take down his opponent and control him with his size and position.

Boetsch should fare well on his feet and mix up his attack to keep Okami hesitant about the takedown. But Okami should overwhelm him fairly easily with his superior grappling to earn the victory via unanimous decision.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 144 Fight Card: What Has to Go Right for a Mark Hunt Victory

A lot is going to have to go Mark Hunt’s way in order for him to get a victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 144 tonight.It’s as simple as that, and the article could very well end right there. Kongo is a minus-300 favorite in this fight and rightfully so, …

A lot is going to have to go Mark Hunt’s way in order for him to get a victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 144 tonight.

It’s as simple as that, and the article could very well end right there. Kongo is a minus-300 favorite in this fight and rightfully so, but don’t count Hunt out of this fight just yet.

This is how Hunt can write a storybook upset against Kongo tonight.

Begin Slideshow

[Video] UFC 144 Weigh-In Results: Rampage’s Hands Prove Too Heavy For Japan

“Where I come from, fighters who question my motivation get smacked.” (Video: YouTube/FuelTV)

The good news is that all of tonight’s fighters will throw down as expected, but that doesn’t mean it was smooth sailing for everyone stepping on the scales last night.

Under the guise of laughter, Rampage had refused to disclose his weight in Dana’s second video blog, but as we’ve learned time and time again it’s all fun and games until someone misses weight. Jackson tipped the scales at 211lbs, missing the Light Heavyweight cap by five pounds. In a post-weigh-in interview with Ariel Helwani, Rampage cited an unspecified injury in training camp as the reason he failed to make weight. Despite a doctor’s recommendation to withdraw from the bout, he pushed through camp and managed to cut 21-pounds but was unable to shed the last five.

Though he had no harsh words for his opponent, Ryan Bader, Rampage did take the time to lash out at Rich Franklin. The former Middleweight Champ commentated the proceedings for Fuel TV and questioned Jackson’s professionalism as well as whether or not he’d taken his training camp seriously. Understandably, Rampage, who has proven increasingly impatient with his critics, took umbrage to those assertions. In addition to losing the esteem of some of his colleagues, Jackson will forfeit 20% of his purse to his opponent.

After the jump, Bader’s reaction to Rampage’s weigh-in snafu, up-close videos of the Rampage-Bader and Edgar-Henderson face-offs, and full results from the scales.

“Where I come from, fighters who question my motivation get smacked.” (Video: YouTube/FuelTV)

The good news is that all of tonight’s fighters will throw down as expected, but that doesn’t mean it was smooth sailing for everyone stepping on the scales last night.

Under the guise of laughter, Rampage had refused to disclose his weight in Dana’s second video blog, but as we’ve learned time and time again it’s all fun and games until someone misses weight. Jackson tipped the scales at 211lbs, missing the Light Heavyweight cap by five pounds. In a post-weigh-in interview with Ariel Helwani, Rampage cited an unspecified injury in training camp as the reason he failed to make weight. Despite a doctor’s recommendation to withdraw from the bout, he pushed through camp and managed to cut 21-pounds but was unable to shed the last five.

Though he had no harsh words for his opponent, Ryan Bader, Rampage did take the time to lash out at Rich Franklin. The former Middleweight Champ commentated the proceedings for Fuel TV and questioned Jackson’s professionalism as well as whether or not he’d taken his training camp seriously. Understandably, Rampage, who has proven increasingly impatient with his critics, took umbrage to those assertions. In addition to losing the esteem of some of his colleagues, Jackson will forfeit 20% of his purse to his opponent.

 

Bader talks to Ariel.  (Video: YouTube/FuelTV)

 

Rampage’s apology to Bader (via YouTube/UFC)

Edgar-Henderson face-off (via YouTube/UFC)

 

Full Weigh-In Results:  (via MMAJunkie.com)

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

  • Champ Frankie Edgar (154) vs. Ben Henderson (154)
  • Ryan Bader (205) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (211)*
  • Cheick Kongo (229) vs. Mark Hunt (264)
  • Yoshihiro Akiyama (169) vs. Jake Shields (170)
  • Tim Boetsch (186) vs. Yushin Okami (185)
  • Hatsu Hioki (145) and Bart Palaszewski (146)
  • Joe Lauzon (156) vs. Anthony Pettis (155)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX)

  • Takanori Gomi (155) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (154)
  • Vaughan Lee (135) vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (136)
  • Steve Cantwell (185) vs. Riki Fukuda (185)
  • Chris Cariaso (136) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (135)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

  • Issei Tamura (145) vs. Tiequan Zhang (146)

 

UFC 144 Final Predictions: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski

Bart Palaszewski will play spoiler tonight when he beats Hatsu Hioki by decision at UFC 144.This is by no means the popular pick, but Palaszewski is a tremendous fighter that is receiving very little buzz. He’s won five of his last six fights, includin…

Bart Palaszewski will play spoiler tonight when he beats Hatsu Hioki by decision at UFC 144.

This is by no means the popular pick, but Palaszewski is a tremendous fighter that is receiving very little buzz. He’s won five of his last six fights, including victories over Tyson Griffin and Anthony Pettis, but Hioki just might be his toughest competition yet.

For those that don’t know who Hioki is, he sports a 25-4 MMA record and really has the complete package. Hioki’s ground game is his bread and butter, but his standup is also a strength. But when Hioki steps into the Octagon with Palaszewski, he has to be on his game.

Hioki is the favorite in this fight, but Palaszewski is a gamer. I strongly believe that Palaszewski will have the advantage on the feet, and he will waste no time in getting in Hioki’s face and making this a grueling bout.

Hioki will try to get this bout to the ground where he has the best chance to win the fight, but Palaszewski will be tough to get to the ground. Even if Hioki gets the fight there, Palaszewski’s ground game is solid and he can be tough to submit.

What Hioki has going for him is that this fight is taking place on his soil. It’s in Japan, which is where he’s from and has had numerous fights. He will have the Japanese crowd backing him, and sometimes that can will a fighter to victory.

But Palaszewski is a veteran, and this is where his 50 MMA fights come into play. He’s not going to let the moment get to him.

When the referee points to both fighters and tells them to get it on, Palaszewski is going to take it to Hioki with unrelenting pressure. From the start of the fight until the finish, he’s going to be in Hioki’s face throwing bombs and win a decision.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 144 Final Predictions: Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt

Cheick Kongo is going to finish Mark Hunt by way of knockout at UFC 144 Saturday night.Kongo is starting to put an impressive winning streak together with back-to-back victories over Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione, and with the way Hunt presses the action…

Cheick Kongo is going to finish Mark Hunt by way of knockout at UFC 144 Saturday night.

Kongo is starting to put an impressive winning streak together with back-to-back victories over Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione, and with the way Hunt presses the action on the feet, Kongo will score a powerful counter and send Hunt unconscious to the mat in the first round. You know, the kind of right hand that turned Barry’s world upside down at UFC Live 4.

Hunt made his name in Japan, and fans are very receptive to him over there. Because of that, he’ll be looking to give the Japanese another great show, and Kongo will make him pay for it.

If somehow Kongo doesn’t find the knockout, he and Hunt will put on a show. They both employ heavy hands that can drop their opponent, and they’ve proven in the past that they can take a shot on the chin as well.

Besides the Melvin Manhoef fight, Hunt has never been knocked out in an MMA bout, and Kongo has only lost by KO or TKO only once in his career.

There’s also that possibility that Kongo takes this fight to the ground and tries to ground-and-pound his way to a victory, but it would come as a complete surprise if that were his game plan.

Most likely, when these two fighters enter the octagon tonight, they will start off somewhat slowly because of the respect they have for each other. As the round gets to the midway point, look for the fighters to start to engage more.

Hunt and Kongo will go back and forth with exciting striking exchanges, and Kongo will catch him with the money shot at the end of the first round. Hunt’s aging chin won’t be able to withstand Kongo’s power in his right hand, and Kongo will give the Japanese crowd one more memorable knockout.

It won’t be all that bad for Hunt, either. Sure, you want to win and keep your job, and while defeating Kongo would be the spark for Hunt’s rebirth in MMA, it doesn’t get much more cooler than going out like a warrior in front of the Japanese hardcore MMA fans.

This is sure to be one of the best highlights from tonight’s show.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com