Tag: UFC 186

Although there was a great deal of uncertainty surrounding his status, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will make his long-awaited return to UFC Saturday when he faces Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 in Montreal.

Jackson had been blocked from fighting Maldonado due to an injunction filed by Bellator, but he won his appeal, which means the 215-pound catchweight bout will go off as planned. Rampage has long been one of the most outspoken stars in MMA, and that has held true during the confusing lead-up to UFC’s latest event.

Maldonado has held his own in that regard as well, which is partly why there is so much intrigue surrounding the bout. Jackson’s UFC return is big in its own right, but Maldonado certainly hasn’t taken a backseat.

With the time for talking nearly over, here is a look at what both fighters have been saying prior to UFC 186.

What Rampage Is Saying

Now that Jackson is back in the big leagues after a 3-0 run in Bellator, he fully intends to make his return a successful one. That will be easier said than done against a fighter of Maldonado’s ilk, though.

The 35-year-old from Brazil has won four of his past five fights, and he is a knockout artist, with 13 of them to his credit. That makes Maldonado an extremely dangerous competitor, but Rampage prefers that type of style, according to Martin Domin of the Daily Mail:

[Maldonado is] good on paper. He’s a stand up fighter; on paper it’s the type of fight I love so it should be a good show for the fans. But I’ve heard he’s been doing a lot of wrestling so we’ll see what happens. … I’m tired of fighting guys who are cowards, who just want to take you down and lay on top of you. In fights like that, the fans lose. I am a true definition of a fighter, you know what I’m saying. My style is a brawl, a street fighter. I like the excitement of the surprise of what he’s going to bring at me.

Jackson is a true throwback in that he would rather throw fists than grapple. MMA is getting away from that in many ways, but the 36-year-old star refuses to change.

Another thing that sets him apart from other fighters is the fact that his preparation for fights does not include breaking down film on his opponents, per Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun (h/t the Toronto Sun).

“I don’t like to watch my opponents’ tapes, I like to be taken by surprise,” Jackson said. “I feel like I’m the definition of a fighter. I’m a brawler, a street fighter. I grew up fighting in the streets, I had to beat up the bullies who tried to bully the kids in my neighbourhood.”

It can be argued that Jackson’s tactics may give Maldonado a distinct advantage, but he has carved out a hugely successful career by doing things a bit differently.

That hasn’t changed in his second UFC stint, and it should make for both an unpredictable and exciting contest Saturday.

What Maldonado Is Saying

Maldonado may not have the same star power and name recognition as Rampage, but the well-traveled veteran can change that by spoiling Jackson’s return to UFC.

While Maldonado has taken on some high-profile opponents over the years, there is little doubt that Rampage tops the list in that regard. According to Fox Sports: UFC, this is a fight that the Brazilian has craved for a very long time:

He is finally getting his wish, and it will be interesting to see what his game plan is. Maldonado has traditionally been a brawler, much like Jackson, but Rampage mentioned that his counterpart has been dabbling in wrestling.

Even so, Maldonado’s comments seem to suggest that he intends to engage in a veritable street fight with Jackson, according to Portal do Vale Tudo (h/t Lucas Rezende of BloodyElbow.com):

No doubt it’s a huge fight. I’m going all out. It only took me a second when Alex Davis asked me if I wanted it. I will concentrate and try not to do what I did against [Stipe] Miocic, I will focus more. I’ll give my best and I hope it doesn’t last only one round, because I want a really grueling fight for the both of us. I want a lot of blood on Saturday night.

Maldonado obviously wants to win, but he also seems to be focused on pulling off a great show for the fans, much like Rampage.

There is no question that Maldonado has a reputation for putting on some exciting fights whether he wins or loses, and all signs point to that being the case once again Saturday.

Prediction

Due to the circumstances surrounding this fight, it truly feels as though it could go either way. Neither man was sure that the bout would even happen until recently, and that makes for an extremely interesting dynamic.

Rampage will undoubtedly be motivated to win his first fight back in UFC, but that factor could generate a ton of pressure as well. Maldonado is the one who has nothing to lose, which should allow him to take some chances and throw caution to the wind.

The manner in which Jackson and Maldonado have been talking suggests that the fight could be stopped early with a knockout, but seven of Rampage’s past 10 fights have gone to the scorecards, so don’t be surprised if they both manage to hang in there regardless of how brutal the clash is.

Jackson has some momentum entering this fight on the heels of three consecutive victories, and he will use that to confidently dissect Maldonado en route to a unanimous-decision win.

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UFC 186 can be added to the number of events that have been hurt by the injury bug in recent years. The marquee that was once anchored by a rematch between T.J. Dillashaw and Renan Barao is now headlined by Demetrious Johnson and Kyoji Horiguchi. 

But the lost luster doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause. 

Oftentimes, it’s the cards with the least amount of star power that wind up providing exciting fights. With a slew of up-and-comers and familiar veterans on the docket, the night should still wind up being filled with exciting bouts for those in attendance at the Bell Centre. 

Here’s a look at all the vital information surrounding the card as well as a look ahead at the biggest storylines to watch for on Saturday. 

When: Saturday, April 25

Start Time: Fight Pass prelims at 6:30 p.m. ET (subscription required); Fox Sports 1 prelims at 8 p.m. ET; main card pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Live Stream: UFC.tv

Just How Good is Thomas Almeida?

Leading off the pay-per-view card is a classic prospect-vs.-gatekeeper matchup with 23-year-old bantamweight Thomas Almeida in line to fight 35-year-old Yves Jabouin.

Jabouin is a veteran of the UFC, having stepped in the Octagon eight times since joining the organization in 2011. However, none of the five opponents he’s beaten are still fighting under the Zuffa banner.

Almeida—on the other hand—appears to be just getting started. He’s 18-0 and coming off his first win in the UFC. And even with just one fight under his belt on the biggest stage in MMA, he’s already drawing comparisons to professional kickboxers, via Patrick Wyman of Sherdog.com:

With 13 of his 18 wins coming by way of knockout and Jabouin losing two of his last three fights by knockout, everything points toward a highlight finish for Almeida.

Do Michael Bisping and Rampage Jackson Have Anything Left in the Tank?

The card may start with some future contenders in Almeida and Shane Campbell, but it’ll be kicking it old school in the lead-up to the main event. Both Michael Bisping and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will be making their returns to the Octagon. 

Bisping will be the first up on the senior circuit when he takes on C.B. Dollaway in middleweight action. Despite losing two of his last three fights, the British fighter is confident he can not only beat the Doberman but also challenge for the title. 

“Luke Rockhold is going to beat Weidman later in the year. I’ll beat someone in summer, and then I’ll get my rematch with Rockhold,” Bisping told Rick Lee and John Morgan of MMAJunkie. “He head-butted me in that fight, and then this time next year, I’ll be the champion. There you go.”

Those comments aren’t surprising given The Count’s reputation for bravado. Still, it’s lofty talk for a guy who is 3-4 in his last seven fights. Lyoto Machida recently dominated Dollaway, but the latter won back-to-back fights prior to the loss. He’ll be a game opponent to see where Bisping is truly at in the hierarchy. 

While Bisping is one of the bigger names on the card, there’s no denying that the return of Rampage is one of the biggest storylines. Dana White even tweeted out a short hype video pumping up the former champion’s return from Bellator:

Here’s the biggest question, though. Can Rampage, a fighter who left the UFC in 2013 on a three-fight losing streak, still really be relevant?

Well, just the fact that he’s fighting for the UFC again is relevant in its own right. The announcement that an injunction linked to his contract with Bellator would be lifted and that he would be on the card was only announced five days before the fight, per Nancy Gay of UFC.com.  

With the legal issues settled for now, Rampage actually has to go out and perform. With his history of motivation issues, one has to wonder if Fabio Maldonado might be coming into this bout a little more prepared than his celebrity opponent. 

How Will Mighty Mouse Win?

Unless Kyoji Horiguchi can channel a T.J. Dillashaw– or Rafael dos Anjos-type performance that no one sees coming, Demetrious Johnson is walking away from UFC 186 with the flyweight title firmly around his waist. He’s reached the level where we can assume the crown is his until someone special comes along. 

The real question is how he’ll have his hand raised. 

Early in Mighty Mouse’s career, he had to face allegations of being a decision machine. The technical juggernaut saw his first seven UFC bouts end by decision. But lately that’s changed. 

Whether it’s due to a progression of skills or simply fighting a more aggressive style, Johnson is no longer a guy who outpoints opponents. He’s ended three of his last four bouts. 

He has more than one way to skin a cat, too. He finished Joseph Benavidez via first-round knockout but submitted both John Moraga (armbar) and Chris Cariaso (kimura). 

With his recent penchant for finishing fights, it’ll be interesting to see how he chooses to handle Horiguchi and his unique striking style. The safe bet is that he’ll find a way to end it on the ground by relentless ground-and-pound or another slick submission as he ends his night early. 

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At UFC 186, Rampage Jackson will make his return to the Octagon against Fabio Maldonado.

Momentarily, Jackson’s UFC return was very much in question. His most recent promoter, Bellator MMA, filed an injunction to have Jackson removed from the UFC 186 card, stating that Rampage’s contract with them still barred him from competing for any other MMA organization:

Jackson, who has completed only three fights of his exclusive six-fight contract with Bellator, is barred by contract from fighting for any promoter other than Bellator. Our lawsuit for an injunction and related relief – filed in the Chancery Division of the Superior Court in Burlington County, New Jersey – will compel Jackson to honor his contractual agreement.   We look forward to having one of our MMA stars fighting for Bellator again.

Over one month after Bellator MMA officially announced its injunction, MMAFighting.com’s Luke Thomas reported that the Burlington County Superior Court of New Jersey had ruled that Jackson should be prevented from competing against Maldonado at UFC 186.

The decision left the UFC with less than two weeks to find Maldonado a replacement opponent. Steve Bosse, a former professional hockey player and UFC newcomer who had announced his MMA retirement in 2014 after recurring injuries, was quickly named Maldonado’s new adversary.

However, the UFC was not done fighting to have Jackson appear on the UFC 186 main card. The UFC submitted an emergency appeal to the Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division, which overturned the ruling that Rampage could not compete at UFC 186 on Saturday:

As a result, Jackson was added back onto the UFC 186 card only four days before the event. Rampage will compete against Maldonado, while Bosse will have to wait a while longer to make his debut for the world’s top MMA promotion.

Betting Odds

Despite competing outside the UFC for the past two years, Rampage enters UFC 186 as a somewhat sizable favorite over Maldonado.

According to Odds Shark, the odds on Jackson winning stand at 5-13 with hours to go before the UFC 186 fight card begins. Maldonado, meanwhile, currently sits as a 2-1 underdog on most books.

While Jackson isn’t the fighter he once was, it’s not surprising to see him being considered a favorite against Maldonado.

Since December 2001, Rampage has lost only to UFC or Pride Fighting champions and opponents currently ranked among the top 15 light heavyweights on the UFC roster. He’s fallen down the 205-pound ladder, as he’s apparently abandoned his wrestling, but Jackson is capable of competing with the best in the world when he’s on.

Maldonado, on the other hand, does not own a win over a currently ranked light heavyweight. The Brazilian is one of the toughest men in the light heavyweight class and never makes things easy on his opponents, but he relies almost solely on his boxing and lacks the athletic ability needed to become a serious contender.

Prediction

Rampage’s motivation has been questioned regularly throughout recent years, but he continues to win the bouts he’s expected to win. Only elite light heavyweights have been giving him problems, and that shouldn’t be a shocker now that Jackson’s prime years have passed at 36 years old.

Facing an opponent who is 35 years old and has never reached elite status, Rampage should be able to return to the UFC with a win Saturday.

Because Jackson prefers to get into boxing matches with MMA gloves, there is a chance that Maldonado could spoil the former champion’s return to the Octagon. Getting into a stand-up brawl is probably the worst game plan one can have against Maldonado, but that’s how Rampage likes to compete nowadays.

That said, Jackson has developed his current fighting style for good reason. He’s long been one of the better boxers in MMA and should be able to at least hold his own in that department against Maldonado, who was a professional boxer before getting into MMA.

Maldonado possesses one of the best chins in the light heavyweight division, so Rampage might have a tough time putting him away. The more likely outcome would be a decision win for Jackson, and he’ll have an easier path to that outcome if he mixes in some takedowns to avoid boxing with Maldonado for 15 minutes.

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