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UFC champ Jon Jones: I'm fighting Quinton "Rampage" Jackson next

4K views 46 replies 29 participants last post by  Liddellianenko 
#1 · (Edited)
http://mmajunkie.com/news/23853/ufc-champ-jon-jones-im-fighting-quinton-rampage-jackson-next.mma

The hand injury that Quinton "Rampage" Jackson sustained this past Saturday at UFC 130 is serious – but perhaps not serious enough to stall his career.

As light-heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) tells it, Jackson (32-8 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will get a shot at his belt.

"I'll be fighting Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson next," Jones told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Thursday. "I'm not allowed to discuss the date because I didn't sign a contract, but yeah, it will be very soon."

The announcement may come as a surprise to those familiar with Jackson's recent health history. The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him this week following his lopsided decision win over Matt Hamill at UFC 130, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The former champ had to get his left hand X-rayed and could be suspended until Nov. 25 if an injury was found. He can, however, gain clearance before that from an orthopedic doctor.

Jackson said he first hurt his hand while horsing around with teammates over the holidays and re-injured it in camp. The fight with Hamill did little but aggravate it further. However, it appears that the severity of the injury, which UFC president Dana White said could give Lyoto Machida or Rashad Evans the next title shot, has been downgraded.

White also said the title shot was Jackson's should he be healthy by fall.

"Bones" has wrestled with his own injuries, or specifically, one injury. He was expected to undergo surgery on a long-bothersome hand ligament, which scratched a potential fight with Evans at UFC 133. The promotion instead booked Evans to meet standout Phil Davis at the Aug. 6 event. Soon afterward, Jones caught fans by surprise when he announced that his doctor ruled against surgery and that he expected to return to the cage in the fall. But officials said it was too late to scratch Evans' UFC 133 headliner with Davis.

Jones said Thursday that his hand is "totally fine" and will be good to go for a fight with Jackson.

When would he like to return to the cage?

"September," he said.

If Jones gets his way, two options may accommodate him. "UFC Fight Night 25: Battle on the Bayou" is slated for Sept. 17 in New Orleans, and UFC 135 is targeted for Sept. 24 in Denver. However, the financial upside is far greater for Jones with a pay-per-view event since he receives a cut of its profits.

So, UFC 135 appears a likely option.

If the champ gets his way.
Can't wait. I would love to see how Jones reacts getting punched in the face by rampage, he really hasn't been tested like that.
 
#2 ·
Can't wait. I would love to see how Jones reacts getting punched in the face by rampage, he really hasn't been tested like that.
This is a broken record. We heard the same thing before the Shogun fight. If Jones fights Rampages fight then yeah he could get caught. But Jones can fight an exciting fight out of the pocket and make Rampage look like he doesn't belong in there. Unless Page changes his style and thinks about taking down Jones this could be a quick fight or a long beating.
 
#8 ·
Rampage is gonna get ragdolled like the rest...

If he thinks he can stuff JBJ's TDs because he stuffed Hammill he is mistaken...

I think I would give Lyoto a decent chance at not getting destroyed, but Rampage only has a puncher's chance...IMHO of course :)
 
#16 ·
I dont even care about this Rampage vs Jones business. What I wanna know is why is his hand fine and ready for september when august (just a few weeks earlier was out of the question to fight rashad. He originally said it was simply too painful and he wouldnt be ready before november which is why rashad took the phil davis fight... Im not saying Bones can't beat Rashad and maybe Rashad will lose to Davis and it wont even matter anymore but something about this is fishy.. I think Johnny Bones is a two faced liar and I really think he purposely avoided the Rashad fight
 
#18 ·
The Shogun fight really has no bearing on this one, and anyone who knows anything about striking will understand why.

Rua and Machida are marvelous strikers, but no one in the division is going to 'pepper' Jones with shots or kick him into submission, or land a heavy overhand counter, because the dude is just too damn long, he covers too much ground and his head is too far away. The answer to this is to get inside his reach, punish his body and head with hooks and uppercuts, push away to avoid the clinch, repeat. And if Jones get's hold of you, a strong TDD and wrestling base is handy, which Rampage does possess.

Quinton is the man best suited for this in the whole division and I don't care what anyone says about who Jones has beat or how dominant he's been, I'm not saying Quinton will win the fight or saying anything negative about Jones(just so you know, Limba), I am simply talking styles. Quinton has a style that can quite likely put Jones on his ass, simple.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Why do people keep bringing up Shogun's pride days? He has never looked the same in the UFC, even when he is racking up wins against Chuck Liddel and Coleman, just not the same fighter. I do admit that he looked good vs Machida but thats just against one fighter, who might fit his style to the point.

The Shogun in Pride was a monster but you can't say the same since he stepped inside the UFC.

JBJ doesn't go for takedowns the tradition way, he gets a hold of your body and ragdolls you, I don't know if he can do that to Rampage, he has one of the stronger upper bodies in the LHW division.
 
#21 ·
Why do people keep bringing up Shogun's pride days? He has never looked the same in the UFC, even when he is racking up wins against Chuck Liddel and Coleman, just the same fighter.

The Shogun in Pride was a monster but you can't say the same since he stepped inside the UFC.

JBJ doesn't go for takedowns the tradition way, he gets a hold of your body and ragdolls you, I don't know if he can do that to Rampage, he has one of the stronger upper bodies in the LHW division.
LOL go watch the Machida fights.. :sarcastic12:
 
#23 ·
I continue to feel bad for Rashad.

Jones: Sorry Rashad, I can't fight, my hand is wrecked.
Evans: Alright, I'll take a different fight.
Jones: Yeah man, my bad.
Evans: Alright, new fight is signed.
Jones: Sweet! By the way, my hand is 100% fine.
Evans: ...

Anyways, I think Rashad got robbed but hopefully he gets Jones after Rampage. Gotta be honest: I don't think Rampage stands a chance. Jones is faster, longer, and has better wrestling. Rampage throws more powerful shots and probably has better boxing, but he's going to have a hard time getting around Jones' reach and he's just as susceptible to leg kicks as ever. If I were Jones I'd leg kick the hell out of 'Page while fending him off with my broomstick-long jab for a round or two. By the third round 'Page wouldn't have a leg to stand on and then Jones could go to town.

Jones takes this easily.
 
#25 ·
Rampage can win this fight. He is strong, has solid wreslting and KO power. He will tag Jones several times during the fight. How jones reacts to getting hit is what will determine who wins this fight.

As for this being Jones first test, thats just BS from people in denial. The guy is good and he proved it against Vera, Matyushenko, Bader and Shogun.

I expect a war but will be rooting for Rampage 100%.
 
#26 ·
No-one else has pointed out the fact that Rampage has a 6 month medical suspension for his broke hand, while JBJ seems to think his next fight will be September, and unless my maths has gone to shit thats November at the earliest. Also Dana said at the post 130 press conference that JBJ's future opponant would be determined by what suspensions were given out... I don't see Rampage being Jones's next fight.
 
#33 · (Edited)
I can see no other outcome than JBJ complete domination. Page has a punchers chance, but he is going to have to get inside Bones reach, past his kicks and excellent takedowns - with the odd spinning elbow thrown in. The difference in speed will probably be like watching the Lyoto/Couture fight.

I predict that Page is going to be KO'd for the first time (or at least TKO'd). Jones is the champ, so Page is going have to take the fight to him, which will greatly reduce his counter punching and put him at risk of all the aforementioned.

A smart fight for Jones would be to work Page's legs, which he doesn't seem to like to lift when a kick is thrown. Once softened up, and Page starts dropping his hands, start to move upstairs, then switch to the take down. If Page actually tries to engage, I think this fight will be over in 3 rounds.
 
#35 ·
I'm backing Rampage in this fight all day long. Its not always about 'who' the fighter is, rather how styles match up. Shogun is a tremendous fighter and would beat 99% of LHW's in the world, BUT he is a god-awful stylistic matchup for Jon Jones - even if he is 100% (which even a blind man could see he wasnt, but lets not get back into that).

Rampage has a great chance here. He isnt going to be intimidated by this kid. He has terrific defensive wrestling and TDD (which i have been saying for ages, hopefully the way he easily dismissed Hamills attempts will have woken some people up to this). Jones doesnt appear to be as quick as Rashad, and it has always been pure pace rather than abilitity that Page has struggled with.

He is strong as an ox in the clinch.
He has a tremedous chin.
When he is in shape (which he will be) he has good cardio. From what i have seen, there are some question marks over Jones cardio that still need to be answered. I think he gassed in the Shogun fight, its just that Mauricio was basically a walking corpse after being beat down that nobody noticed)
His tight style of counter boxing lends him a very solid chance of getting through Jones reach.


Obviously, Jones is a phenom, and i wouldnt be surpised if he did win. And if he did, it would be an incredible first 2 defences. But i see Rampage causing him all kinds of problems if he plays it right.

But then again i thought that Shogun would turn up in shape and wreck Jones, so what do i know
 
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#36 ·
I'm a Rampage fan through and through, but Rampage doesn't have phenomenol TDD. What we saw in his recent fight wasn't a TDD clinic put on by Rampage, but more so a travasty of a display of TD's displayed by Hamil. Against Rashad, Rampage was wrestle-raped and before him, vs. Forrest, when Rampage was closer to his peak then he is today, Forrest didnt struggle too, too hard to take Rampage down and if we're talking the Rampage that fought Hendo, that was pre-Hollywood Hogan Rampage and that version of Rampage that fought Hendo is MIA. I'll be back Rampage 100%, but I'm fully expecting Rampage to lose.
 
#40 ·
Hamill is a very solid wrestler. I believe Rampage's TDD is what made Hamills takedowns look weak, you believe the opposite. Thats fine we agree to disagree. But Hamill could do NOTHING to Rampage in the wrestling department, his bread and butter, and that speaks volumes.

I mentioned Rashad, and you are correct, he did outwrestle Rampage handily. I will make two points from this (which i alluded to in my initial post)

i) It was Rashads speed moreso than his ability than enabled Rashad to take Rampage down consistently. Rampage has always struggled with outright speed. Jon Jones is not as quick as Rashad.

ii) Rashad shoots doubles from a distance and relies on his speed to secure them. Jones takes you down from the clinch. Jones isnt going to shoot on Jackson, he is going to try and tie him up and trip/throw him like he usually does. Pages is very effective and strong in the clinch. Any time Rashad DID try a takedown from the clinched position he found it infinitely more difficult than when he shot in from range.

I see it looking more like Rampage v Hendo than Rampage v Evans in terms of wrestling.


Also, that was a poorly conditioned, ring rusted Rampage. (I'm not making excuses, i believe Page would lose a rematch, but it has to be taken into account).


I cant fully remember the Forrest fight, so i dont feel educated enough to counter that point, so i'll have to re-watch it and get back to you. :thumb02:
 
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#44 ·
As entertaining as the fight should be I don't really want to see Rampage win cuz then it's going to be a whole round robin; Rashad, Shogun, and Machida. It'll be fun to see JBJ wreck shop leading up to Machida.

I don't see how Rampage can pose a major threat to JBJ. He couldn't put away Griffin, Rashad, Jardine, and Hamill. He KOed a slow moving Chuck and Wand who decided to go toe to toe with em. Marvin doesn't really count cuz he was a feeder "even though he did beat em before early on in Rampage's career."

The question how JBJ is going to beat Rampage. KO or TKO and in which round. I'd be damn surprise if it went the distance. It could though knowing how tough Rampage is. Also JBJ seems to get tired fairly easily. He could get sloppy and you know what that means.

I'm pumped though!
 
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