UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage

[The Oracle]

Date: Sep 24, 2011
Location: Denver, Colorado
Venue: Pepsi Center
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, Spike TV and Facebook

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

Champ Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (for light-heavyweight title)
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell

Predictions;


Champ Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.......As much as I would like to see Jackson win this one I just can't see it. Jones by 4th round GnP.

Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck...................................I'm praying for hughes to pull the upset but just once again don't see how he's going to pull it off. Kos by split decision in a close one

Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne............................... Browne keeps the momentum on his side.

Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi....................................... Diaz by 3rd round sub as Gomi's cardio fades as usual.

Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell...................................Rothwell in a sub after weathering the storm

 

[Smash]

I will go with the upset Rampage by KO in the 2nd rd.:crazy:
Cant help it I like the underdogz especially the Ex Pride ones. I hope Page connects good on Bones's chin.

 

[dj1470]

I'm looking forward to watching Nick Ring improve to 13-0 after destroying Boetsch.
IMHO, Ring is the next great Canadian.
Ring and Rory MacDonald will carry the MMA Canadian flag for years to come.

 

[Riotman]

I like Rampage but the guy has not seemed very interested (talking aside) once in the octagon for some time....

 

[The Oracle]

I will go with the upset Rampage by KO in the 2nd rd.:crazy:
Cant help it I like the underdogz. I hope Page connects good on Bones's chin.

Nick Ring? You really think so?

Rory I agree with absolutely.

 

[Manji]

Champ Jon Jones vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (for light-heavyweight title)
Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck
Rob Broughton vs. Travis Browne
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell

Jones vs Jackson: Jones by TKO in the 3rd...Rampage will just have trouble with Jones dynamic strikes (kicks) and reach....
Hughes vs Koscheck: Koscheck by KO in the second
Browne vs Broughton: Brown by KO in the second as well
Diaz vs Gomi: Diaz by Sub in the third
Rothwell vs Hunt: Rothwell by Sub in the second
Ring vs Boetsch: Ring by Decision

 

[Manji]

Nick Ring? You really think so?

Rory I agree with absolutely.

As much as I like Ring (though am I only one that think he's a bit fruity) I doubt he'll go too far...

He's a little too old and more importantly he's had too many injuries...

 

[Captain Fantastic]

As much as I like Ring (though am I only one that think he's a bit fruity) I doubt he'll go too far...

He's a little too old and more importantly he's had too many injuries...

Add to that the fact that Riki Fukuda - an average middleweight at best - completely dominated him at UFC 127 also tells me he ain't all that.

He's no Randy Couture, so at 32 he probably is what he is and isn't going to set the world on fire. Solid fighter, but he hasn't fought anyone (a 2-rounder on TUF vs. Court McGee is his best win) and I get the feeling he's just "a guy." I hope he proves us wrong... he's certainly endured enough injuries that he deserves some good luck.

How he deals with Tim Boetsch - a strong, tough guy with decent wrestling (Ring's weakness) at 185 - will tell us a lot about Mr. Ring and his future.

Other bouts:

Jones should manhandle 'Page and win via ref stoppage.
Hughes over Kos in an upset (Koscheck took the fight on 19 days notice)
Brown KO win
Gomi TKO (catches Nate, who's been distracted by Nick's drama)
Rothwell G'n'P TKO after some dicey early moments

 

[The Oracle]

I'll say one thing Page was humble in defeat. Jones slowly dismantled over 4 rounds and I'm not sure where Jackson goes from here. Hollywood perhaps.

It's time for Hughes to cowboy up and take that long ride into the sunset. On the shelf? Who's he kidding. Maybe himself.

Much respect for Nate Diaz as he took it to the fireball kid standing. Love em or hate the Diaz bros always put on a good show and this was no exception. Gomi well his days in the show are at an end.

Hunt surprised me. He showed some decent take down defense and much better cardio than I expected. Rothwell on the other hand well showed some of the worst cardio I've seen in years. With the blood streaming down his face I felt like I was watching an episode of The Walking Dead as he zombied His way through the last round. As Bas says there isn't any reason for not being in shape.

 

[dj1470]

I was extremely disappointed with Nick Ring. He never looked to engage and basically avoided the whole fight. Plus, I thought he was younger. I didn't realize he was 32.

Too bad Rampage lost but like the other great PRIDE guys of the last decade his time has come and gone.
Personally, I don't like Jon Jones. Confident is one thing but cocky with a bit of assholeness mixed in really bothers me. What did the wise man once say? Smart I like. Smart ass I don't. The whole crawling on the ground to start the fight and the Ali-ish mocking of his opponent during the fight really turned me off.

Diaz? I despise the name. Too bad he won. Gomi was a no show and much overrated I suppose.

Hughes must be getting big money to show up and get his ass kicked. At least, I hope he is. That can be the only explanation as to why he continues to take these fights and prove over and over that he is done like yesterday's dog's dinner.

 

[GG2]

Too bad Rampage lost but like the other great PRIDE guys of the last decade his time has come and gone.

It's partially that and the fact that he hasn't been the same since he started doing movie roles. But Jones (at current skill level) would have dismantled Rampage just the same even in Rampage's prime, and anybody else in the light heavyweight division past or present. Rashad doesn't stand a chance. Jones is just that good - basically a light heavyweight version of Anderson Silva. Jones is so young, and if he continues to build hone his skills, he's going to dominate his division for a decade or longer.

Hughes should retire before he tarnishes his record too much.

 

[dj1470]

But Jones (at current skill level) would have dismantled Rampage just the same even in Rampage's prime, and anybody else in the light heavyweight division past or present.

Quite a statement.
Opinions are like assholes - everyone's got one
AND your opinion just happens to be 100% wrooooooooooooooooooooong

 

[pokergod]

I think Rampage had a chance to beat Jones, if Jones didn't run away when rampage was throwing heavy punches. Rampage is still dangerous but too predictable. He doesn't do his power slams anymore.

Quite a statement.
Opinions are like assholes - everyone's got one
AND your opinion just happens to be 100% wrooooooooooooooooooooong

 

[kirmit129]

I think Rampage had a chance to beat Jones, if Jones didn't run away when rampage was throwing heavy punches. Rampage is still dangerous but too predictable. He doesn't do his power slams anymore.

hmmm yeah, you stand in front of Rampage when he's throwing heavy punches. You do not stand and exchange punches when you know the other guy has one punch knockout power.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

It's partially that and the fact that he (Rampage) hasn't been the same since he started doing movie roles.

He's been done for longer than that. His heart hasn't been in it for a quite some time now. On top of that, he never took the time and effort required to improve as an all-around fighter. No Muay Thai. No BJJ. No ground and pound/clinch game. Poor conditioning. He was a one-trick pony. Because of his power and toughness, he was able to get away with that for the most part. But he was exposed by more motivated, skilled and in-shape fighters.

Quite a statement. Opinions are like assholes - everyone's got one AND your opinion just happens to be 100% wrooooooooooooooooooooong

You don't see the irony of your statement, do you?

Fact is, he's right. Given Jon Jones' freakish size & strength, and his advanced training + skillset compared to the guys from Pride and past UFC champs, he is the best LHW of all time. He dismantled the two best Pride light heavyweights in Shogun and 'Page (Wanderlai was a blown-up middleweight) like they were children and he demolished the best of the young UFC LHWs, there is little doubt he's the best. For now.

The only person in the conversation of best light heavyweight of all time is Chuck Liddell - and he was exposed by Q. Jackson and Randy Couture. (I don't count the string of beatings at the end; he was already shot as a fighter.)

In fact, a prime Randy Couture may have been the only threat ever to Jones, barring a flash KO by the Iceman. Even a prime Shogun would have had to had everything go right to beat Jones. See above for Rampage, who if he had put the effort in, could have been one of the 2-3 best.

Rashad may talk a good game, but all the Greg Jackson fighters have said that Jon Jones regularly schooled the older and more experienced Evans as far back as two years ago. Outside of that, who is there? Lyoto Machida? (Too small + he's been exposed.)

Time will tell but until someone - anyone - even challenges Jones just a little, I don't see how it's even arguable.

Unlike yourself, I'm not going to call you names. But I'd say his case is stronger than your non-discussion.

I think Rampage had a chance to beat Jones, if Jones didn't run away when rampage was throwing heavy punches. Rampage is still dangerous but too predictable. He doesn't do his power slams anymore.

This is MMA, not Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots.

He doesn't do his slams anymore because he's fighting real light heavyweights who are often good wrestlers, unlike his Pride days.

 

[Smash]

Okay here's my opinion (and asshole lol) on Jon Bones Jones

Jones is a very skilled and a dynamic fighter but I just don’t see the elite level striker that everybody and their uncle praise him for.
I think he's good but he doesn’t have the accuracy % of an Anderson Silva or the footwork or the power. I think his kicks are more for show and kinda sloppy, his hands imo are just okay. I don't think his punching and kicking technique's are that good. His strength is clearly on the ground where he is an amazing wrestler and BJJ fighter. What keeps him from getting in trouble is that freakish long reach he has on everybody on the planet.
I don’t want to knock the guy but I just don’t agree with making him a mma God so early. Let the guy develop before making him the king. Remember what happened with LeBron James?
Plus I don’t like his cocky attitude and him trying to be perfect and say the "right things", seems fake imo. I think a long time ago Dana told Bones that he has the potential to be the MJ of mma so now he tries to say all the right things which to me is fake. It seems like he's trying to convince us too much that he's a great guy.

A few things I do praise him for is he tries to finish you off and he is exciting to watch. With his great wrestling ability he could easily hold opponents down and lay on them for 5rd's ala GsafePierre but he doesn’t, he actually tries to finish them. At least Bones has a true warrior spirit and tries to use all his tools to end fights. He is a good champion and I would pay to see him fight but I'm not gunna dub him God just yet. A good matchup would be him and Lyoto. Machida is also versatile and hits from odd angles and I would like to see how Bones handles that.

 

[dj1470]

H

You don't see the irony of your statement, do you?.

Unlike yourself, I'm not going to call you names. But I'd say his case is stronger than your non-discussion. .

Do you even have a sense of humor?
OMG you are boring.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Do you even have a sense of humor? OMG you are boring.

Ever think that you're not very "funny?"

It didn't occur to me that you were trying to be humourous (no smiley or "lol") as that's not your style.

But I'll take your word for it and just say it fell flat, so apologies...

 

[GG2]

Quite a statement.
Opinions are like assholes - everyone's got one
AND your opinion just happens to be 100% wrooooooooooooooooooooong

It's crystal clear. You'd have to be blind not to see that the man is untouchable and a class above anybody else in his division. He's not only dexterous, quick, and powerful. He's also tall and has unparalleled reach. Add to that his skill as a wrestler and you basically have a guy that has virtually no weaknesses. Unless he has a weak chin (and nobody knows yet since he's never been clocked hard enough in the head), it is inconveivable to think that any MMA opponent now or in the near future will be able to beat him. MMA talent isn't very deep, because few people grow up learning mixed martial arts.

I thought it was hilarious that anybody could think Rampage stood a chance against Jones. Now like before Rampage relies on boxing and sheer brawn to overpower his opponents. That can only take one so far in MMA. It puts one at a severe disadvantage when up against somebody built like Jones and with his unique skill set.

 

[GG2]

The only person in the conversation of best light heavyweight of all time is Chuck Liddell - and he was exposed by Q. Jackson and Randy Couture. (I don't count the string of beatings at the end; he was already shot as a fighter.)
In fact, a prime Randy Couture may have been the only threat ever to Jones, barring a flash KO by the Iceman. Even a prime Shogun would have had to had everything go right to beat Jones. See above for Rampage, who if he had put the effort in, could have been one of the 2-3 best.

Jones would have schooled Liddell even easier than he manhandled Rampage. Much like Rampage, Liddell likes to go toe to toe as a striker. Much like Rampage, he'd be at a reach disadvantage and wouldn't be able to get close enough to Jones to hit him. Rampage defeated Liddell twice, and Jones made Rampage look like a schoolgirl. Shogun massacred both Rampage and Liddell yet Jones made Shogun look like a rookie. Couture and Liddell are on par so Jones would have easily destroyed him too.

It's clear that Jones has been studying Silva and other Brazilian fighters. Most American fighters are generic - throw punches that can be read, kick, rinse and repeat - while the Brazilians are dynamic; leg kick, chest kick, head kick, spin kick, knee with punch combo, jumping knee, submission attempt when nobody expects it etc. They pull out all the stops while most American fighters seem to approach the sport as if it were a boxing match. In MMA if you've got legs, use them.

I've been saying for at least two years that MMA hasn't seen real talent and that an American version of Silva will rise from some corner of America and fight in the [light] heavyweight division as a champion. He's been found and his name is Jones. Keep an eye out for the heavyweight version if the sport continues to grow and compensates fighters with big payouts.