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.
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.
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!
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.
"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!
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...