Light Heavyweight bout: Quinton Jackson vs. Rashad Evans
Odds: ( -115 Jackson / -115 Evans )
The main event of the evening is a highly anticipated grudge match between two former UFC Light Heavyweight champions. Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson have absolutely no love for each other after their stint as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, and with Rampage’s film commitments film commitments finally behind him, the two are finally set to have it out in the Octagon.
Rashad Evans, while not at all a fan favorite, is an extremely dangerous fighter with very good wrestling and a quickly developing stand up game. Technically, his boxing is still coming along, but he has a huge amount of power in his hands that helps fill the holes in his technique. His combination of wrestling, top control, and power punching, coupled with his top-notch gameplanning courtesy of fight guru Greg Jackson, make him one of the most formidable opponents at 205 pounds.
Quinton Jackson, like Rashad, has got a surplus of punching power and a very dominant wrestling game, although he uses it quite differently. Whereas Rashad is more traditional, with a textbook double leg being the bread and butter of his wrestling, Rampage uses his wrestling more defensively, keeping fights standing and punishing opponents with his world-class boxing, and then occasionally punctuating the action with a vicious slam.
The big difference between Rashad and Rampage is their technique, especially on the feet. Rashad relies on huge, lunging power shots, whereas Rampage has just as much power but also has an excellent technical boxing game to complement it. Furthermore, while Rashad is a great wrestler, so is Rampage, and stylistically I think Rampage comes out ahead in that department, too. Unless Rampage is totally crippled by a ring rust, which is a possibility considering his lengthy absence to film the A-Team movie, I think he will absolutely punish Rashad on the feet and deny him takedowns repeatedly. Cardio could become an issue for Rampage if this fight goes into the later rounds, but I don’t see that happening. Expect Rampage to make quick work of Evans, and return to the UFC wit a T/KO victory.
Prediction: Rampage Jackson via first round T/KO.
- Bet on Rampage at Sportsbook.com @ +115 for the Win and a BIG pay out.
Rashad Evans fan’s can take him at Sportsbook.com @-115.
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