Rampage Vs Henderson (UFC 75)

24_QuintonJacksonUFC71weigh.jpg

 
Following his destruction of Chuck Liddell at UFC 71, Quinton Jackson was immediately introduced to his next opponent, Dan Henderson. The Ultimate Fighting Championship introduced Henderson, the current Pride 185-pound and 205-pound champion, as its latest marquee acquisition and the first challenger to Jackson’s light heavyweight title.



Yesterday on CBS 2 in Los Angeles, Jackson confirmed that his fight with Henderson would take place later this year when the UFC returns to England. Speaking to reporter Jim Hill, Jackson noted, “I have to fight September 8th in London with the champion of Japan [Henderson]. He has the belt that I was trying to go for that I never got.”



UFC 75, planned for September 8th, will be the promotion’s third event of the year in Europe. Although the UFC hasn’t yet officially confirmed the event, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has mentioned that he will be fighting on the card, and other rumored participants include Michael Bisping, Alessio Sakara, Jess Liaudin, and Dennis Siver.

It seems like the UFC would build up Henderson with a warm-up fight or two instead of throwing him right into the championship.

I'm hoping and wishing and praying we get CroCop/Arlovski on the undercard.

"I'm hoping and wishing and praying we get CroCop/Arlovski on the undercard."

That would be sick as well!

Ticket getting booked :)

Very surprised it's not in Vegas

That card is gonna be sick.

i've got to go with 'page in this match-up. from what i've seen you need to have 1.) sick jiu-jitsu skills to keep rampage on the defensive if he gets a takedown, and 2.) a good muay thai clinch attack to keep him from picking you up and dumping you on your head.

i think his showing against chuck showed you can't beat him on the strength of good wrestling skills and a punch. i know quinton didn't fare amazingly well against lindland, but lindland has the ability to make lots of people look bad.

The title unifications have begun!

Fuck I thought this fight was gonna happen in Cali?

I really like both guys but I will be rooting for Rampage. I do hope for a competitive tough fight where both guys look great. Don't want to see any 30 second ko's in this fight!

Rooting for Dan, but this one could go either way. That would be some serious belt-holding shit for Hendo.

"Wish that fight was in the US. No offense to the Brits, but that fight was made for Vegas or CA."

The fight between two guys that most American fans know little or nothing about is made for Vegas or CA... I don't see the logic.

6 months ago nobody would have anticipated this match up anywhere but Japan.

I was always gonna buy a ticket for UFC 75, but damn I've gotta be quick about it cos I think they will sell out quick!

Doesn't matter if they aren't well known in the US yet, hold the event in cali or Vegas and promote the shit out of both guys. Then after they have a knock down drag out war that pulls in 900 000 + PPV buys everyone will know who they are.

I was gonna go to this event, still hoping that it ends up in the states.

"Hendo winds up in his guard more than any other wrestler of his caliber in MMA...it's real weird. Rampage will win."

Good reason to like Hendo, imo. Other wrestlers are afraid to get taken down and forget to actually fight.

"Doesn't matter if they aren't well known in the US yet, hold the event in cali or Vegas and promote the shit out of both guys. Then after they have a knock down drag out war that pulls in 900 000 + PPV buys everyone will know who they are."

you are making my point, you would need to promote the shit out of them to make this a big fight in the states.

I don't live in Cali or Vegas, so as long as they don't have some random ackward 3PM Eastern start time to the ppv, i could care less where they fight. -I just want to see them fight!

And you wouldn't in London?

Rampage just KTFO'd the UFC's poster boy that mainstream America was getting to know. He has been on Nationally broadcast television giving interviews, he is not some bum that absolutely no one has heard of. He just needs that little bit of a push from Zuffa and his personality will do the rest.

"Most American fans don't know Rampage just KO'd Chuck? How did they miss it?"

Way to take what I said totally out of context.

Putting it in perspective.

Chuck vs. Tito 3 or Tito vs. Couture 2 or Couture vs. Chuck 4 or Chuck vs. Rampage 3 would all draw better in the U.S. than Rampage vs. Hendo.

It's clear that the UFC is spending money on building fanbase and brand recognition in Europe, specifically the UK (which makes sense since frankly Cage Rage is probably the biggest threat to the UFC in Europe).

Rampage and Hendo are both already international stars in the sport more than they are stars in the U.S. It makes good business sense to hold this fight in the UK.

Of course everyone could just go back to bitching about how bad UFC 72 (the next card in the UK) is and how it needs a title fight etc...

'I don't live in Cali or Vegas, so as long as they don't have some random ackward 3PM Eastern start time to the ppv"

The fight is in the UK, when are you expecting the PPV to start EST?