UFC 96 (March 7th)

[SAMSON]

Rampage Jackson vs Keith Jardine

Gabriel Gonzaga vs Shane Carwin

2 good looking main event fights here. Rampage and Jardine are both coming off wins (Wanderlei and Vera) with the winner of this taking a big step towards a title shot vs Rashad Evans. I think Rampage looked fresh and hungry in his last fight, full of confidence working out of his new camp (Wolfs Lair) with this I expect another victory for Rampage.

Carwin is an exciting fighter, with a 10-0 record, but he hasnt faced anyone of Gonzaga's level as of yet. This will be a big test, Carwin certainly has KO power, but i fancy Gonzaga to finish this one early, probobly by submission.

[IanMazia]

Compared to the rest of the stable of 205'ers, I think Keith Jardine has one of the weakest chins out there. With that said, my money is on Rampage knocking Jardine the fuck out in the first round.

You heard it here first suckas!!! :D

[DaEagles]

The rest of the card is so-so. Actually have to work, havent missed one is 3 yrs.

[~BG~]

Cant wait for the GG fight. I think it will be the fight of the nite.

[Charles Kozeluh]

I got Jackson and Carwin but I've been wrong alot latley so what do I know

[thechampofchamp]

This fight shouldnt even be happening, UFC rankings make no sence, Rampage is Champ, loses belt, Silva KO's Jardine, Rampage KO's Silva, Silva would of been the #1 contender if he would have won, but now its either Henderson or Bisping, I mean what? look at Griffin went was just champ, now in title shot looks he's behinf Rampage, Jardine, Henderson, Bisping and probably Liddel. Maybe just the result of a stacked 205 class but come on why have Rampage fight the guy that was KO'd in 10 seconds by the guy he just knocked out.

[samvic5150]

very lackluster card this year, but quite a few local(Ohio) guys fighting.

hoping for good things from Matt Brown and Mike Patt in their fights.

just being there will be good enough for me!

Laterz

[Swede]

Dana is feeding rampage jardine to Dana,s main man can get back on track.

[Charles Kozeluh]

ya I don't think Jardine's chin will handle Rampages power to well. Jardine has beeten guys who I never expected him to beat (Vera Liddell) but I think rampage brings to much to the table for him

[Bubba Bronko]

MATT BROWN EXPECTS TO BANG IT OUT AT UFC 96
Monday, March 02, 2009 - by Mitch Gobetz - MMAWeekly.com

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Matt Brown will be making his return to the Octagon at UFC 96 against Pete “Drago” Sell. Brown was last seen at UFC 91 where he submitted Ryan Thomas after taking the fight on short notice.

As he prepares to deal with Sell, he will do so at a different camp than in the past. Moving out to Las Vegas to expand his training regimen, Brown discussed his recent transition and the reasoning behind it.

“There was a lot of things,” he told MMAWeekly Radio recently. “The biggest thing was just to get refreshed in life. Change things up and get away from the norm. A lot of it, after being in the show and everything in Ohio, people started putting me up on a pedestal. I needed to come out here and be around a lot more UFC fighters where I'm kind of a nobody.

"I train mainly at Warrior Training Center. They're some great training partners out in Cincinnati. I love everyone out there. It wasn't so much the training that brought me out here. Jorge's gym, nothing against it, but it was more of a jiu-jitsu gym. That's never been my strong point. I like to stand up and bang. I work with better Muay Thai and boxer guys out here.”

As luck may have it, Brown’s next fight happens to be back in his home state of Ohio. Realizing that he was fighting on this card prior to making the move, he was planning to take his camp out of his home state regardless. “I was originally not planning to have my camp in Ohio to avoid distractions when I was going to fight on this card. Once I came out here in Vegas, I got a lot of good friends out here and decided to make it a permanent move.”

He is excited about having the opportunity to showcase his skills to his hometown fans. “This is a dream come true to fight in front of my home town. There is going to be close to 100 people in my family there, so it's going to be pretty crazy for me.”

Having a crowd chanting his name isn’t something that he’s necessarily used to. After all, prior to his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, Brown wasn’t the cheered-for fighter. This will more than likely not be the case for this fight.

“I've never really had crowds cheer for me until I went to Atlanta. That was the first time and it was just a weird feeling. I was never famous in the local scene and stuff," he recalled. "I never really had a fan following until I made it on The Ultimate Fighter. All of a sudden I got 20,000 people cheering for me. Once that bell rings, you're not thinking too much about the crowd. You're worried about the guy in the ring knocking your head off.”

Brown’s opponent is no slouch either. Sell has had an up and down career in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, however most would be hard-pressed to find a boring fight that he’s been part of. Sell trains with former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra and has one of the most memorable fights ever in the UFC when he lost to Scott Smith. Even though he lost that fight, it was an extremely entertaining fight from start to finish. That’s what Brown is hoping for, not to mention the fact that this fight has fight of the night potential written all over it.

“I watched Pete Sell all the way back from UFC 51 when he fought Phil Baroni,” he said. “I always expected him to do a lot better than he did. I always thought he was a real talented guy. As soon as they called me and said they were looking to have me fight Pete Sell, I jumped all over that. I'm ready to get that fight of the night bonus. I don't think he's going to do a lot of shooting or pulling guard or anything like that. He's going to stand and we're going to beat the (expletive) out of each other.”

When you have an opponent that is willing to stand and trade with you, it can make a fighter increase his will to win and push himself just a little bit harder. That’s what Pete Sell is doing for Matt Brown.

“It definitely made me train that little bit harder. Not that I wouldn't train just as hard anyway, but I don't know, there's just something about it. When I fought Dong Kim, I knew it wasn't going to be the most exciting fight. It turned out to be a good fight, but he doesn't want it to be an exciting fight. Me and Pete Sell, we want this to be an exciting fight. We'll go in there and try to hurt each other. We're going to do everything in each others' power to put the other one to sleep. There's no possible way this fight will be boring.”

[Bubba Bronko]

TOP RUNG OFF LIMITS, JARDINE CLIMBING LADDER
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - by Tom Hamlin - MMAWeekly.com

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Whether Keith Jardine is first, second, or third in the light heavyweight hierarchy, the important thing is that he’s there in the first place.

“I’m probably like the third person asked to the prom on this one, I think,” he said of his UFC 96 fight with Quinton Rampage Jackson (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=QJackson2) during a media teleconference. “But I got a call and couldn’t turn it down.”

The announcement that he’d face the former UFC light heavyweight champion was dropped on fans during the telecast for UFC 93, scrapping earlier reports he would face Brazilian prospect Luis Cane at UFC 97.

It’s a familiar scenario for the Jackson MMA fighter – an extremely tough match-up with implications in the division’s hierarchy. Like his teammate and current 205-pound champion Rashad Evans (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=RashadEvans), he’s got a habit of throwing a wrench in everyone’s plans – whether they’re for him, or his opponents.

Whatever happens at Saturday’s fight, though, he’s aware of his role in the sport’s marquee division, and he’s okay with it.

“They just think they’re going to get a good fight from me,” continued Jardine on the UFC’s outlook. “I like to strike. I’ve never been in a boring fight. And they’re just throwing me out there and they expect me to put on a good show, but they don’t expect me to win.”

And that’s often where Jardine is at his best. When he’s expected to lose, he wins. Recently, he lost to the heavily favored Wanderlei Silva (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=wsilva) at UFC 84, but rebounded with a win over Brandon Vera as a slight underdog at UFC 89. He’s unpredictable.

“It’s just the way things work out,” he explained. “After I lost to Wanderlei, I took the (Alexander loss) as a fluke, and then I just got caught down on the head with a big punch. And the same thing happened with Wanderlei. So I had to really take a look at myself and look at how I was approaching fighting and the way I was doing things. I was able to take that with me to fight Vera, which is one of my favorite wins. I think he’s a better striker than anybody I’ve fought, better than Forrest, better than Chuck.

“So I’m just climbing the ladder right now. Since that Wanderlei fight I feel like I started over and right now I’m 1-0 in the UFC – that’s the way I look at it.”

It’s not breaking news that a fight between Jackson and Evans would be better for business. Jardine maintains he won’t fight Evans, and the UFC has already invested in Jackson. A Jardine win could create an awkward situation for those who think title shots should be given out in a straight line. But the soft-spoken fighter says, for him, it’s not all about status or dollars and cents.

“I get to beat somebody else that used to have a title, so that’s great for me,” Jardine said. “That’s why people love this sport, is because we’re not businessmen. We’re not like NFL players; they’re trying to stay healthy and get a paycheck. We fight with all of our heart and our soul.

“How are you going to do out there and give the audience what they deserve when you’re fighting one of your best friends? That is just not going to happen.”

Jardine does promise that he'll continue to give his heart and soul, even if the top rung of the ladder may be off limits.

“I’m going to have a long career,” he said. “All of that stuff will work itself out. I have no problems up in heavyweight. I have no problem knocking out contenders either. So we’ll see. I’m in this game for a long time.”

[Bubba Bronko]

THE YEAR OF GONZAGA BEGINS AT UFC 96
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com

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The heavyweight division in the UFC (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=UFC1) may crown the next top contender on Saturday night as Brazilian Gabriel Gonzaga (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=GabrielGonzaga) tries to take one more step towards his championship dreams as he faces undefeated prospect, Shane Carwin, in Columbus, OH at UFC 96.

For Gonzaga, the opponent has never mattered as much as the challenge, and he knows that Carwin is the real deal and a very tough opponent.

"Carwin is a big guy with great power and wrestling background. Great fighter, undefeated and (he's) been training in a great camp," Gonzaga said about his opponent in an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly.com.

On fight night, Carwin will likely step into the cage weighing well above the 265lb heavyweight limit, and as a massive fighter gives him a size and strength advantage in almost any bout. Despite his opponent's size, Gonzaga says he will not put on any extra weight to try and contend with Carwin, but will instead use his skill to test the Colorado native who has yet to go out of the first round in his professional career.

"I am training very good and I am going to this fight ready to fight three rounds if we have to," Gonzaga stated. "It will be a great fight."

Going to the ground is nothing new to Gonzaga, who holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has competed in countless grappling tournaments. His opponent, Shane Carwin, has a tremendous pedigree in the wrestling world, which leads many to wonder if he'll test his ground work against that of Gonzaga's.

"We have to respect his wrestling skills, but I am training a lot (of) wrestling, but it would be interesting to see how we match it…his wrestling skills on top, and my BJJ on the bottom," said Gonzaga.

With the announcement on Monday that the UFC will be pitting Frank Mir against Brock Lesnar (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=BLesnar) to unify the heavyweight title, Gonzaga knows that his chance at the championship could depend on this fight, but his mind is only thinking about one thing.

"The heavyweight (division) is getting better all the time with new comers, and it is awesome!" Gonzaga stated. "I would face anyone that the UFC asked me. At this point I am just focused on Carwin and after that let's see what happens."

Regardless of a future title shot or not, Gonzaga thinks that 2009 will be his year, and Shane Carwin is the first obstacle in his way.

"I think 2009 is going to be my year," said Gonzaga. "I hope at the end of the year have the belt on my waist."

[Bubba Bronko]

READY FOR JARDINE, NO EASY FIGHTS FOR RAMPAGE
Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com

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When former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Rampage Jackson (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=QJackson) decided to make his move to the United Kingdom and become a full time member of the Wolfslair Gym, many wonder what the end result would be. The answer came in the form of an emphatic knockout of longtime rival Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 in December 2008.

Since that time Jackson has continued to train abroad in England with training partners like Michael Bisping (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=MichaelBisping) and Cheick Kongo, while staying focused on getting his title back. The next step towards that goal comes by way of Keith Jardine, who opposes the Tennessee native this Saturday night at UFC 96 in Columbus, Ohio.

Speaking about Jardine, Rampage had nothing but compliments for his opponent, and he understands the skill level of the "Dean of Mean."

"I think he’s an excellent fighter," Jackson said about Jardine recently. "So you know he got big wins. He got big losses just like us all. You know what I’m saying? That don’t make a fighter, how many losses, how many wins you got, what type of fighter. Anything can happen on any given day. I like Keith’s style. He’s got a good little style. He stands up and he likes to bang. He’s a good fighter."

Coming into this fight, much like the third bout with Silva in December, Jackson draws upon a loss to gain motivation to hit the gym and train harder than he ever had before.

"After my performance with Forrest I’ve been so ashamed of myself, so every fight I’m motivated. I’m motivated to go out there and look good and win because I know what type of fighter I am," he stated. "And I was really disappointed in myself for letting myself take it to that point where I’m not motivated and I get it in my head that all of these guys are easy.

"There’s no more easy fights. I’m motivated to train hard every time."

That motivation to train has pushed Jackson that much harder when working with his new team at the Wolfslair. He gives them credit for helping him get to where he's going for this fight, and beyond.

"I chose to train at Wolf’s Lair because I see the way they train. The guys train really hard there, no non-sense, and they’ve got really good coaches there," commented Rampage. "And a lot of people would be surprised if they came and saw how the training is there. It’s not like the best looking gym you ever want to see. They don’t care about that type of thing. All they care about is putting in hard work. And there’s a lot of guys that are training. It’s a good training environment. Everybody at the gym is a fighter. It’s the type of place where I like to train at."

Jackson also commented on the differences that a nutritional plan has made in his career, something he had never done before working with the Wolfslair.

"Actually it did make training camp better," he said about eating better before his fights. "It’s doing its job. I never ate really good. I never took supplements and stuff before. So now I’m doing it. I’m 30 years old now and so it makes a big difference."

The former light heavyweight champion says as long as he's healthy and ready he wants to keep competing this year. While he is in no way looking past Jardine, if given the choice for his next match of another shot at Forrest Griffin or a title bout against Rashad Evans (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=RashadEvans), he has an answer.

"I guess I’d probably go for the title shot," Jackson said.

While a title shot seems almost virtually guaranteed with a win, Jackson remains focused on Keith Jardine at UFC 96, and everything else stays in the background.

[Mr X]

Rampage...K.O...1st rd...nuff said.

[Bubba Bronko]

MMAWEEKLY.COM: UFC 96 WEIGH-INS LIVE ON FRIDAY
Thursday, March 05, 2009 - by MMAWeekly.com LIVE

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Ohio on Saturday night where Quinton Rampage Jackson (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=QJackson) and Keith Jardine invade the Arnold Classic weekend to headline UFC 96 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus. The undercard features an anticipated heavyweight showdown between undefeated Shane Carwin and perennial contender Gabe Gonzaga.

Friday at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET, the fighters from UFC 96 will step on the scales to officially weigh-in for their Saturday night bouts. For those of you not in Columbus to attend live, you can watch a video stream of the UFC 96 weigh-ins live on MMAWeekly.com (http://mmaweekly.com/ufc96-live-weighin-video.asp), courtesy of the UFC (http://www.ufc.com/).

The UFC also recently added a new feature to its video player. There is now a tab that you can click on at the top of the video player to listen to coverage of the UFC 96 weigh-ins in Spanish (http://mmaweekly.com/ufc96-live-weighin-video.asp).

Although the weigh-ins don't air until Friday afternoon, you can watch the UFC 96 promo in the player until the weigh-ins begin. The promo is available on the UFC 96 weigh-ins page now (http://mmaweekly.com/ufc96-live-weighin-video.asp).

Again, the fighters will begin to step on the scale at about 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET. Watch the LIVE stream of the UFC 96 weigh-ins on MMAWeekly.com (http://mmaweekly.com/ufc96-live-weighin-video.asp), courtesy of the UFC (http://www.ufc.com/).

UFC 96 WEIGH-INS LIVE ON MMAWEEKLY.COM (http://mmaweekly.com/ufc96-live-weighin-video.asp)

UFC 96 Main Card Bouts:
-Quinton Jackson (#4 Light Heavyweight in the World)* vs. Keith Jardine (#8 Light Heavyweight in the World)*
-Gabriel Gonzaga (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=GabrielGonzaga) (#8 Heavyweight in the World)* vs. Shane Carwin
-Matt Hammil vs. Mark Munoz
-Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller
-Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell

UFC 96 Preliminary Bouts:
-Brandon Vera vs. Mike Patt
-Kendall Grove vs. Jason Day
-Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz
-Tamdan McCrory vs. Ryan Madigan
-Aaron Riley vs. Shane Nelson

Main card airs on pay-per-view for $44.95 in the United States

[Bubba Bronko]

UFC 96 IN-DEPTH: JACKSON VS JARDINE
Thursday, March 05, 2009 - by Tom Hamlin - MMAWeekly.com

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Though they could hardly be considered utility fighters, Quinton Rampage Jackson (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=QJackson) and Keith Jardine were inked for this Saturday’s UFC 96 when several main event proposals fell through. Jackson was expected to meet Rashad Evans for the title in the summer, and Jardine was in limbo after a loss to Jackson victim Wanderlei Silva and win over Brandon Vera.

If things were easy – and they never are – Jackson would have waited for the shot. But with main event worthy fights in short supply, a roll of the dice was in order.

If Jardine wins, things get complicated. If Jackson wins, things stay pretty simple. Somewhere in the picture, Lyoto Machida lurks.

Striking

Since making his debut on the big stage, Jardine has drawn sideways glances for his awkward gait – a leaning, shuffling style that runs counter to the traditional movements of fighters weaned on boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai. He throws bent punches from his arms, winging them from his sides (where his hands often sit). If there were any strikes he threw traditionally, it would be his leg kicks, which have stung many an opponent over the years. But even then, his hands often fly up when throwing them after punches, or when he chases a moving target.

Both fighters and fans were skeptical of him early on, but lately, more people have begun view him as a threat, simply because he gets the job done, and for fighters, because they can’t replicate him in the gym.

That said, Jardine has shown glaring weaknesses for aggressive strikers and straight punchers. The placement of his hands (low) and the position of his head (forward) make him an easy target for fighters who get inside and throw bombs. No examples are more obvious than his quick losses to Houston Alexander and Wanderlei Silva (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=wsilva), who turned his lights out quick from close range.

But because his attacks come from odd angles and timing, it often means he’s harder to hit from range. He gets in and gets out, and changes pace (though he rarely stops coming forward unless overwhelmed). Two of his biggest triumphs, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera, had difficulty adjusting to the variations in his rhythm.

After many years as a brawler, Jackson’s striking has taken a technical turn. He still likes to throw bombs, but his jab, head movement, and footwork have improved dramatically since his UFC debut.

Jackson is strongest as a counter fighter. He is willing to take an initial shot, particularly to his legs, as a fighter closes distance. He keeps his head up, at the ready, to return fire as they move into clinch range or backward from punching range.

His last appearance, a big knockout of nemesis Wanderlei Silva, was a perfect example. Silva came in aggressive with a flurry of hooks, and was caught by a well-timed hook that left him lifeless on the mat.

While his knockout power gives him the ability to end the fight on a moment’s notice, an elusive fighter is his greatest enemy. The man who took his light heavyweight title, Forrest Griffin, worked outside combinations, and with the exception of one right uppercut, got away before being clobbered.

Grappling and Submissions

Jackson is far more effective from top position, using his strong wrestling base to take fights down. His ground game is more in the style of anti-jiu-jitsu, preferring to work position for ground and pound. When opponents threaten him with submissions, he powers his way out of danger. He is anxious to get off his back when put there, but he avoids damage well when he’s on the bottom.

Jardine is generally a convert to the ground game, and uses it as a supplement to his bread and butter on the feet. Against Brandon Vera at UFC 89, he immediately shot for a takedown, surprising all with a ground and pound attack. Though he was not able to do a tremendous amount of damage, it illustrated his unpredictability again.

Jardine’s work with friend, teammate, and light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=RashadEvans) has made him more able to control the action when it hits the ground (or threatens to), but he hasn’t been tested there for a long time.

Ring Control

Jardine, more often than not, likes to be the aggressor in a fight. Instead of a big rush of aggressiveness, he keeps the pressure on, wearing opponents down over time. He can be pushed back if properly motivated, especially early on in fights. However, he generally likes to keep moving forward.

Despite being a counter fighter, Jackson will often take the center of the ring and let opponents move him from it. Also not overly aggressive, he has developed into a more patient fighter over time, waiting for the right opportunity to let out short burst of aggressiveness. Sometimes, he gives too much ground waiting for the right opportunity to strike back, but eventually takes it back.

Conditioning

As the story goes, Jackson’s much-publicized run in with the law taught him the value of taking better care of his body. Though he wasn’t known to expire more quickly than the average fighter, he went on a health kick as of last year, scrapping post-training cheeseburgers and supplementing with vitamins. With his first round knockout of Silva, conditioning didn’t come into play. It didn’t seem to be much of an issue for the two 25-minute fights he fought against Dan Henderson and Forrest Griffin, either. So, if history is any indication, Jackson will not tire in the least after 15 minutes with Jardine.

Jardine’s conditioning seems to have gotten better in his recent fights that went the distance. Against Vera, his punches kept their snap into the final minutes of the fight. Earlier, in his days on Ultimate Fight Night cards, he seemed to lose steam as fights wore on. But the more talent trainer Greg Jackson’s camp has attracted, the less he seems to falter in longer battles.

The “X” Factor

Let’s face it: Jardine seems to be an “X” factor wherever he goes. One minute he’s grinding his opponent out, next he goes down in a blaze of glory – or defeat. As he’s faced bigger talent, he’s gotten less consistent results, a common problem in the upper echelon of UFC talent.

The early moments of the fight will be Jardine’s unknown. If his chin is touched early by a power puncher like Jackson, he will expire. If he can survive, and Jackson gives him too much respect, the fight favors him as it wears on.

Will Jackson give Jardine that respect? It’s been a while since he’s faced a fighter with such a unique style; Matt Lindland, whom Jackson battled to a narrow split decision in 2006, was perhaps the last fighter to throw him off guard. Whether he’s equipped to negate Jardine’s style is unknown.

A lot will be determined by the first few minutes of the fight.

Keys to Success

Jackson would do well to take control of the fight early. He’s got a strong chin and heavy hands – bad news for Jardine. He is incredibly strong, and can use that power to muscle Jardine around in the clinch. If he ends up on his back, Jackson needs to lock Jardine up quick to avoid a swarm of punches. But his mission should be to get inside and throw bombs.

Jardine, on the other hand, should replicate the game plans that served him so well against Brandon Vera and Chuck Liddell. Soften Jackson’s legs with his devastating kicks, get in and out with punches, and stay in motion. Surprise the former champ with a takedown. If he’s pressured, circle away and re-set. Do not match strength with strength.

[Bubba Bronko]

UFC 96 PREVIEW: GONZAGA-CARWIN TOPS SUPPORT
Friday, March 06, 2009 - by Ricardo Mendoza - MMAWeekly.com

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Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

Highly touted heavyweight prospect Shane Carwin faces the biggest challenge of his career as he faces off with former UFC heavyweight title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96. This is a critical fight for both fighters. A win for Gonzaga could see him get another chance at a title shot. A win for Carwin would establish him as one of the best heavyweights in the world.

Carwin’s advantages in the fight will be his size and brute power. He has devastating striking and is no slouch when it comes to wrestling, which will pose a serious problem for Gonzaga. Gonzaga on the other hand will want to take the fight to the ground where he can impose his jiu-jitsu superiority on the inexperienced Carwin. Although Gonzaga has several knockouts on his UFC resume, those come against passive strikers on the feet and Carwin will be all over him with strikes.

This fight isn’t going the distance. Either Carwin will finish the fight on the feet or Gonzaga will finish it on the ground. Carwin needs to pressure Gonzaga while standing, not letting him get settled and keeping him off balance until he can finish it with strikes. Gonzaga will look to play it smart and take the fight to the ground, where he can out maneuver the less experienced Carwin and lock on a submission. Out of all the fights on Saturday night, this is the one that has the most future implications in the UFC.

Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz

Ultimate Fighter 3 participant Matt Hamill faces off with two-time NCAA All-American Mark Munoz. This is an interesting fight because both fighters have a strong wrestling background, which could very well decide who wins the fight. Another factor in the fight will be who can impose their will on the other on the feet, being that both fighters come from a similar background.

Hamill has the edge when it comes to experience in the UFC, which in some instances has been a factor in the fight because those without the experience many times succumb to the pressure. At this point in their careers, Hamill is the better striker based on that fact that he has had more time to hone his technique. Neither fighter is much of a submission artist, but Munoz will have the advantage on the ground because he is the better wrestler of the two.

Munoz has shown in his pair of WEC fights that he has some serious power in his hands, finishing both fights with devastating strikes. Hamill also has some power in his hands, but not to the effect that Munoz does. Hamill’s best chance to win the fight will be to keep it on the feet and stay on the outside, using his more polished striking to avoid getting caught. Munoz will look to take the fight to the ground, where he can punish Hamill with vicious ground and pound. This is the most evenly matched fight of the night, so don’t be surprised if either fighter wins.

Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell

Ultimate Fighter 6 participant Matt Brown faces off with Matt Serra trained Pete Sell. Brown has steadily improved since his time on The Ultimate Fighter, while Sell has reinvented himself by moving down to the welterweight after fighting bigger guys at middleweight. Both fighters love to push the pace, so this could turn out to be quite the barnburner.

Brown always brings the fight to his opponent and it won’t be different this time either. Sell usually likes to bang it out on the feet and should have a slight advantage because of his size and power. A slight advantage on the ground would go to Brown, who seems to have a more polished submission game then Sell, who hasn’t really ever shown much of one. Conditioning will be a factor in the fight as both fighters will push the pace of the fight.

Brown will look to keep the distance on the feet, avoiding Sell’s powerful shots. He’ll look to get the fight on the ground and lock on a submission. Sell will look to use his size and keep the fight on the feet, where he can muscle Brown around and land a fight ending blow. However the fight ends up going, this should be one of the high points of the night.

Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller

Ultimate Fighter 5 participant Gray Maynard faces off with new UFC lightweight sensation Jim Miller. This is an important fight for both fighters because both men are undefeated in the UFC. Another win could get either fighter in the upper echelon of the UFC lightweight division.

Maynard has shown incredible wrestling ability in his fights and he uses it to impose his will on his opponents. He is quickly getting better as a striker, but his wrestling is still his strongest attribute. Miller has shown that he can bang it out on the feet, but his comfort zone is his submission game. Whoever can control the fight on the feet will be the one who has the advantage because he can dictate when it goes to the ground.

Maynard is just a bad style match-up for Miller as he has never faced anyone with the wrestling ability that Maynard has. Miller’s best chance will be to catch Maynard off guard on the feet and finish him off with strikes. Maynard on the other hand will look to take the fight to the ground and punish Miller with solid ground and pound. Neither fighter is going to back down, so expect them to go all out for fifteen minutes.

Tamdan McCrory vs. Ryan Madigan

Northeastern fighter Tamdan McCrory looks to get back on the winning track as he takes on UFC newcomer Ryan Madigan. Both fighters are replacements for other fighters that bowed out of the original fight due to injuries. McCrory should have the advantage on the ground, while Madigan on the feet with his extensive kickboxing background. McCrory will have an experience and reach advantage over Madigan. Plain and simple, McCrory will look for the submission, while Madigan will look for the knockout.

Kendall Grove vs. Jason Day

Ultimate Fighter 3 winner Kendall Grove takes on Canadian striker Jason Day. It’s been about nine months since either fighter has seen action; both should be eager to get back into action. Neither fighter is shy about banging it out on the feet, but it might be smarter for Grove to take the fight to the ground where he’ll have the advantage. Day will need to pressure Grove on the feet and not let up as that seems to be the way to defeat Grove, while Grove just needs the fight on the ground. A loss for either man could mean an exit from the UFC in this day and age.

Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz

Eastern based wrestling powerhouse Tim Boetsch faces off with University of Nebraska-Omaha assistant wrestling coach Jason Brilz. Although both fighters are wrestlers, Boetsch has embraced being a powerful striker as seen in his UFC appearances. Boetsch will look to keep the fight on the feet and punish the less talented striker Brilz with heavy punches. Brilz will look to wrestle Boetsch down to the ground and smoother him to a decision. The fight comes down to which fighter is the better wrestler and get the fight to where they want it.

Brandon Vera vs. Mike Patt

Former touted heavyweight prospect Brandon Vera faces off with Midwest fighter Mike Patt. Both are coming off losses and need a win very badly to stay afloat in the UFC. Ever since his year off, Vera hasn’t been the same fighter. A move to light heavyweight hasn’t helped matters much either. He is the better fighter on the feet and on the ground when it comes to technique, while Patt seems to be a strong brawling wrestler. If Vera can slow the fight down then he’ll have the advantage. Patt will need to be all over Vera from the onset, hoping to catch him off guard.

Aaron Riley vs. Shane Nelson

Mixed martial arts veteran Aaron Riley faces off with Ultimate Fighter 8 participant Shane Nelson. Both are coming off wins in their last UFC appearances and will look to continue their momentum. Riley is a pure brawler and if he can lure Nelson into a brawl then he’ll have a distinct advantage, controlling the pace of the fight. Nelson needs to take the fight to the ground and avoid getting into a brawl with Riley. Either way, expect the fight to be a high paced back and forth affair.

[Bubba Bronko]

DANA WHITE: THEY KEEP WINNING, THEY WILL FIGHT
Friday, March 06, 2009 - by Tom Hamlin - MMAWeekly.com

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There was a big elephant in the pressroom at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday and it was a victorious Keith Jardine.

Jardine has repeatedly and publicly said he will not fight Rashad Evans, his teammate at Jackson’s MMA and current UFC light heavyweight champion.

But at the pre-fight Q & A for UFC 96, president Dana White made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate any impasse in the light heavyweight ladder. Though it was clear there hasn’t been a formal sit-down yet, White said the bearded fighter would force his hand if he won against Quinton Jackson (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=QJackson3).

“Keith Jardine, for him, it will move him up in the ranks, when he will eventually have to fight Rashad Evans (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=RashadEvans), if Rashad Evans keeps winning and he keeps winning,” said White. “He says they won’t, but I guarantee you they will, and we’ll be making the Rashad Evans/Keith Jardine fight.”

Time, he said, was on his side.

“What happens if Rashad holds the title for the next three years?” White continued. “I’m sure they’re not that good of friends. He’s going to have to get his shot here soon.”

Faced with an abnormally quiet room of journalists, Jackson jumped into the fray and offered Jardine his support, sort of.

“I feel bad for Jardine, right here,” the former light heavyweight champion said. “Dana said, ‘you gonna make him fight his friend.’ I have friends I train with, and I couldn’t see myself fighting them. I like Jardine and I like Rashad. But Dana’s right, this is mixed martial arts, and it’s a business. So I’m gonna try and help you out. I got your back.”

Jackson gave the fighter a pound in solidarity.

Jardine, unable to hold his tough-guy exterior, smiled as he stepped up to the podium.

“Thanks for looking out for me, man,” he said. “I couldn’t say yes to this fight fast enough, because I could match myself up against one of the greatest of all time. We’ll see how it goes.”

For the last three years, it’s gone well for the UFC in Columbus. Despite the wintry economy, ticket sales were tallied at 11,000 on Monday (according to Yahoo! Sports), a number that will undoubtedly rise as the Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition and fitness expo, and state wrestling championships swing into full effect. Ticket prices, according to the report, have been lowered to accommodate the tough times.

Bernie Profato, executive director of the Ohio State Athletic Commission, said the number of MMA events in the state went from six in 2004 to 132 in 2008 with the UFC's explosion in popularity. Afterwards, he gave White a lifetime matchmaking license in Ohio.

For fans who said this weekend’s card was light on talent, the UFC president pointed to last month’s UFC 95, which took the same criticism.

“You can’t stack cards. When you’re doing as many fights as we do, cards aren’t stacked,” he said. “At the end of the day, fight fans want to see good fights. Just like the card from London. Everybody was claiming that card was – and when I say everybody, I’m talking about four retards on the Internet – the card wasn’t stacked enough. The card was awesome.”

[Bubba Bronko]

EVANS WILL DEFEND THIS SUMMER AGAINST RAMPAGE OR MACHIDA
Thursday, March 05, 2009 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com

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With UFC 96 only 2 days away, Quinton Rampage Jackson (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=QJackson) and Keith Jardine, met the press at the customary pre-fight press conference to address last minute questions about their fight and of course what will happen in the light heavyweight division after their bout is over.

UFC President Dana White announced at the press conference that UFC light heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=RashadEvans), would be defending his title this summer against either Jackson if he is victorious against Jardine, or Lyoto Machida if Jardine wins. White was also adamant in saying that if Jardine does get the win, he will get closer to a title shot, and he will fight Evans if he's still the champion.

"Very important fight for both of these guys," White said. "Ever since Quinton's "episode" he's been back on track, looked amazing in his last fight, he wants the title back obviously. He wins this fight Saturday he gets the next title shot."

"Keith Jardine, a win for him will move him up in the ranks, he'll eventually have to fight Rashad Evans. If Rashad Evans keeps winning and he keeps winning, he says they won't but I guarantee you they will."

White stressed the importance of title fights and the opportunity that goes along with being the 205lb champion in the UFC, and he believes that when push comes to shove, Jardine and Evans will fight.

"Rashad and Keith saying they won't fight each other, la la la la la. I don't listen to it. I don't hear that (expletive)," said White. "They're going to fight each other. This isn't (expletive) baseball. You're not on a team. You've got training partners that you train with. I just said to a guy earlier, Larry Holmes was Mohammad Ali's sparring partner for years and the list goes on and on. Many friends in boxing - like guys whose kids grew up together. They have dinner together every Sunday - have fought each other. It's not about I hate you and I want to kick your ass. It's about we're two professional athletes and we want to find out who the best in the world is."

While Jardine still didn't seem to warm on the idea of fighting his teammate, Quinton Jackson expressed his feelings on the subject and offered to help his opponent out on Saturday night.

"I feel bad for Jardine right here, you know Dana said he's going to make him fight his friend," said Jackson. "I have friends I train with, I couldn't see myself fighting them. I couldn’t see myself fighting my friends I train with, I like Jardine and I like Rashad, but Dana's right this is mixed martial arts, it's a business, it's a sport."

As Jackson looked over at Jardine, he decided to keep the scenario of putting him in a fight against Evans on the back burner by beating the "Dean of Mean" in their fight.

"I'm going to try to help you out, I got your back," Jackson said to Jardine.

Jackson and Jardine will square off on Saturday night to see who exactly will take one more step towards a title shot against champion, Rashad Evans.