On September 24, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will present UFC 135: Jones vs Rampage in the same city they showcased their first ever event when they return to Denver, Colorado. The main event will feature a well anticipated Light Heavyweight title bout when the newly crowned champion Jon Jones looks to successfully defend his title for the first time against one of the most experienced strikers in the division when he takes on former champion and heavy hitting star Quinton Jackson. The co-main event while suffering a late replacement will pit former Welterweight champion Matt Hughes against a heavy handed fellow wrestler in his replacement opponent Josh Koscheck. The midway bout on the car will be a Heavyweight bout when rising undefeated hitter Travis Browne takes on the debuting Englishman Rob Broughton. The second bout on the card will be an interesting Lightweight match up when TUF5 winner Nate Diaz takes on final PrideFC Lightweight champion Takanori Gomi. And the opening bout on the card will pit two Heavyweight veterans against each other when the Heavy handed Ben Rothwell returns to the cage to take on former K-1 champion Mark Hunt. This event is well anticipated with Light Heavyweight title bout where the winner will take on a waiting Rashad Evans, a co-main event where the winner could save their relevancy in the Welterweight division, a Heavyweight bout midway into the card matching a striker against a grappler, a Lightweight bout where Diaz could look to repeat what his older brother had done to Gomi or the Japanese star could turn the tables and add the name Diaz to his list of wins, and a Heavyweight bout that pits two "heavy" hitting fighters with plenty of knockout power in a bout that some expect to deliver either a KO/Fight of the Night performance. With the UFC returning to the same city where their first event was held, they are looking to deliver action and entertainment to the crowd where the UFC was born.
Main Card Bouts:
(C)Jon "Bones" Jones (13-1-0) vs Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-8-0)
Matt Hughes (45-8-0) vs Josh "Kos" Koscheck (15-5-0)
Travis "Hapa" Browne (11-0-1) vs Rob "The Bear" Broughton (15-5-1)
Nate Diaz (13-7-0) vs Takanori "The Fireball Kid" Gomi (32-7-0(1))
"Big" Ben Rothwell (31-7-0) vs Mark Hunt (6-7-0)
Main Event: Light Heavyweight (205) Title Bout:
(C)Jones vs Jackson
The main event for this card will pit one of the fastest rising Light Heavyweight stars and fresh new champion Jon Jones against one of the most experienced fighters in the weight class and former division champion as well as a former PrideFC star in Quinton Jackson. Jones is riding an official four fight win streak that includes a Rnd1 TKO over former stand out Brandon Vera, a Rnd1 TKO over former contender Vladimir Matyushenko, a Rnd2 Submission over then undefeated TUF8 winner Ryan Bader, and a Rnd3 TKO to capture the title former PrideFC Middleweight Grand Prix winner Mauricio Rua at UFC 128: Shogun vs Jones. Jackson comes into this title bout as the challenger riding a two fight win streak with a Split Decision over fellow former champion Lyoto Machida, and a Unanimous Decision over TUF3 alumni Matt Hamill at UFC 130: Rampage vs Hamill where he fought with an injured hand. This title bout is well anticipated with the winner leaving champion and will later take on awaiting #1 contender and former champion Rashad Evans. The hype leading into this bout was elevated when Jackson made claims that Jones had a "spy" in his training camp and proved his suspicions faking an injury and was soon called by UFC matchmaker Joe Silva wanting to confirm after being contacted by Jones' manager, who had lied claiming that he had seen a post on Twitter claiming Jackson was injured. With this and the conflicting styles, this is one of the most anticipated title bouts of this year. In the striking, the styles of both fighters have to be looked at as well as the significant reach advantage of Jones. The style of Jones is diverse and "flashy" as described by some analysts. With the longest reach in UFC history at 84.5", Jones utilizes his lengthy limbs well landing whipping kicks and keeping many of his opponents at bay making them have to come at him. When close Jones uses flashy moves like spinning-elbows/back-fists and locks Muay Thai clinches to drive in torturous knees. While Jackson is recognized as a striker, his game is less diverse and more confined to a single discipline. With powerful heavy hands and coming from a time in MMA where diversity was not an immediate necessity, Jackson developed a strong boxing skill set that has brought with it fourteen finishes by (T)KO. Rarely even mixing in kicks, Jackson is seen by many as a one dimensional fighter whose style is simply to close the distance quick and land his signature hooks. With an 11.5" reach advantage for Jones over the 73" reach of Jackson, Jones is seen as the heavy favorite in the stand up. When it comes to the ground game, Jones is also seen as the heavy favorite. With a strong Greco-Roman/collegiate wrestling skill set, Jones finds little difficulty when getting takedowns. With his lengthy limbs alone, Jones has the unique capability to simply reach for submission attempts and training with experienced veterans of the sport has rubbed off on him developing a slick BJJ game. For Jackson, he is considered the heavy underdog at any point the fight hits the ground. While having a wrestling background himself, Jackson has been a devoted striker and really uses his own grappling as a defensive measure. After his bout with Evans at UFC 114, Jackson was heavily criticized for not having sufficient takedown defense, while in turn Evans was criticized for not wanting to stay standing with Jackson after claiming he wanted to knock him out. While it has remained relatively unseen, those close to Jackson have said that he possess a completely underrated BJJ game himself and that may come in handy. Looking at the comparisons, it is clear that Jones is the overall favorite to win this bout. For game plans, if Jones does plan on standing with Jackson, then he will utilize his reach attempting to keep him at bay and pick at him as well as use his whipping kicks to weaken Jackson's legs and affect his striking output. If Jones decides to just take him to the ground, his best chances are with doubles and trips. For Jackson, the game plan is simple: close the distance and aim for the knockout, as well as be prepared to work off his back. Hooks, uppercuts, and overhands will be some of the more utilized strikes for Jackson, and uppercuts will be the key tool in the clinch. While Jones will be the betting favorite, many fans are actually picking Jackson in this bout seeing the deterioration of Jones' humble character after winning the title.
Co-Main Event:
Hughes vs Koscheck (WW)
The co-main event suffered a minor set back after TUF1 winner Diego Sanchez broke his hand preparing to face former division champion Matt Hughes. While expected to make his long awaited return at UFC 139 at Middleweight, contender Josh Koscheck volunteered to step in on several weeks notice to get in the cage sooner.
The co-main event for this card will be a Welterweight bout with two experienced wrestlers when 2x division champion, UFC Hall of Famer and 2x NCAA1 All-American wrestler Matt Hughes takes on TUF1 alumni and 4x NCAA1 All-American wrestler Josh Koscheck. Both fighters are coming off tough losses. Hughes comes into this bout after a quick Rnd1 KO loss to fellow former Welterweight and former Lightweight champion B.J. Penn at UFC 123: Rampage vs Machida that snapped a three fight win streak. Koscheck is coming into this bout after a nine month layoff following his failed attempt to capture the division title from reigning champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 124: St. Pierre vs Koscheck II where he endured multiple jabs to the right eye which broke his orbital bone and caused nerve damage requiring surgery, and also snapped a three fight win streak. With Hughes looking to retire soon off a win and Koscheck looking to make a statement in his awaited return, both fighters are in a must win situation. In the stand up, the heavy favorite when striking will be Koscheck. With a heavy handed approach cocking his right hand that can knock out an opponent in one punch, Koscheck will be the favorite in the stand up. While Hughes packs some strong power of his own, many see his striking used more as a tool to set up his takedowns. When it comes to the ground game, Koscheck is considered the favorite as well. While Hughes does have the experience, analysts see Koscheck as the stronger wrestler of the two. Even with the factor of preparing on short notice, Koscheck is the favorite overall to win this bout.
"X" factors that could play out in this bout both target Koscheck. Having endured some of the worst damage ever just to his right eye, some analysts believe that Koscheck may become more tentative in the stand up following his second loss to St. Pierre. With that, Hughes may look to try out intimidation and test Koscheck's willingness to stay standing. Another factor that could play out is the layoff that kept Koscheck from training for some time. Though even with the layoff, some analysts tend to look past that in the case of wrestlers who are sometimes used to incurring injuries and forced layoffs. Even with these factors, the favorite to win will be Koscheck.
Browne vs Broughton (HW)
The midway bout on the card will be a test for both Heavyweight competitors when the rising undefeated striker Travis Browne takes on a tough British grappler in Rob Broughton. Browne will come into this bout technically undefeated with one draw as his record stands 11-0-1 with his last three going 2-0-1. Browne has fought his last three bouts in the UFC earning a Rnd1 TKO over TUF10 alumni James McSweeney, going to a Unanimous Draw with heavy hitting contender Cheick Kongo, and earning a well deserved KO of the Night bonus with a Rnd1 KO over the towering Stefan Struve at UFC 130: Rampage vs Hamill. Broughton comes into this bout off his promotional debut riding a five fight win streak with the last three including a Rnd2 KO over James Thompson, a Unanimous Decision over Oli Thompson, and a Rnd3 Submission over Vinicius Kappke de Queiroz at UFC 120: Bisping vs Akiyama. For some analysts looking at this fight, some will see it as a striker vs grappler match up. In the stand up, the favorite will be Browne with devastating heavy punches that have earned nine of his eleven wins by way of (T)KO, and eight of those coming within the first round. While not possessing a technical game when striking, Browne has decent aim when looking to land on the jawline. While possessing seven (T)KO finishes to his own record, Broughton is not seen as the better striker. For the advantage in the grappling aspect, Broughton will be the favorite the moment the fight hits the ground. The problem with being the favorite in the grappling aspect of a fight is that the fighter must get the fight to the ground in order to gain the upper hand. With these preferred methods of fighting, the game plans are simple enough to come up with. Browne will look to refrain from going to the ground with Broughton and look to strike, while Broughton will look to get the fight to the ground where the lesser experienced Browne can be exploited. Although Broughton is not favored in the stand up, being a Heavyweight alone gives him the natural knockout power that is common for competitors in this division. Even then Broughton must look to land if the fight stays standing. The favorite overall in this bout will undoubtedly be Browne.
Diaz vs Gomi (LW)
The second bout on the card should prove to be an entertaining match up when TUF5 winner and dangerous Cesar Gracie protege Nate Diaz makes his return to the 155lb division when he takes on the only and final PrideFC Lightweight champion Takanori Gomi. Diaz comes into this bout following a two fight losing streak while competing at Welterweight with a Unanimous Decision loss to then undefeated Dong Hyun Kim and a Unanimous Decision to well rounded Rory MacDonald at UFC 129: St. Pierre vs Shields. Gomi comes into this bout after going 1-2 in the UFC coming in off a Rnd2 Submission loss to contender Clay Guida at UFC 125: Resolution. While some analysts would see this as a striker (Gomi) vs grappler (Diaz) match up, many fans expect this to stay standing for much of the fight. Looking at the stand up advantage, it could be difficult to point out who is the favorite. Possessing a 76" reach, Diaz is mostly seen to have the reach advantage against other Lightweights, especially in this bout seeing that Gomi has a 72" reach. Comparing styles, Diaz tends to resemble his brother Nick and utilize his superior reach combining it with a technical boxing game, though unlike his brother he will add in some kickboxing for a more diverse game. Looking at Gomi's style, he is more of a power puncher known for his powerful strikes and that tends to work against him sometimes either wearing himself out or closing the distance too much against strong grapplers. With twelve knockouts to his record, Gomi has shown in some of the most memorable fights in PrideFC history that his power is not to be underestimated, and that any Lightweight who believes they are resilient to his strikes can be mistaken as former contender Tyson Griffin learned when he was knocked out with a single punch. If Diaz plays to his advantage utilizing his reach as he usually does, he can pick at Gomi and keep him at bay as well as back him to the cage. If Gomi can get past the reach of Diaz, he can look to land some powerful shots, and would be wise to aim for the body like MacDonald did. When it comes to the advantage on the ground, the favorite is Diaz. Diaz is a Brown belt in BJJ under Cesar Gracie, and like his brother Nick his style of BJJ is fast paced. When in the process of being taken down, Diaz is usually prepared to pull guard and a lot of the times is already working on a submission attempt. Seen to have one of the most active guards in the Lightweight division, taking Diaz down has proven to be a gamble for some. For Gomi, he may not be that much of an underdog on the ground. Having a background in competing in freestyle and catch wrestling tournaments, Gomi is comparable to fellow PrideFC star Mauricio Rua and others who prefer to showcase their power rather than utilize their grappling experience. For Gomi to have a chance at winning if the fight hits the ground, he must be on top and control Diaz keeping tight so to not leave himself open for submission attempts. Training at AKA with tough wrestlers like Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, and Daniel Cormier, Gomi will need to have learned how to control his opponent. Looking at these factors, the favorite to many analysts and fans will be Diaz. With a technical boxing game combined with his reach and a dangerous BJJ skill set, Diaz has the tools to control this fight.
As an added factor, Diaz could also come in with a revenge mentality. As mentioned, Nate is the younger brother to Nick Diaz, who had fought Gomi before. Nick picked at Gomi with his strikes and when the fight went to the ground he locked on a Gogoplata submission that won him the fight, but the win was then overturned after Nick tested positive for Marijuana which had the result turned to a No Contest. Many fans feel Nate will look to avenge his brother's No Contest and may even be looking to pull off the same submission.
Rothwell vs Hunt (HW)
The opening bout on the card is expected by many die hard MMA fans to be a heavy hitting slug-fest when IFL veteran Ben Rothwell takes on K-1 and PrideFC veteran Mark Hunt. Rothwell comes into this bout off a comeback win with a Unanimous Decision over PrideFC veteran Gilbert Yvel at UFC 115: Liddell vs Franklin. Hunt comes into this bout off a comeback win of his own with a devastating Rnd2 KO over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127: Penn vs Fitch which earned him KO of the Night. Looking at both fighters, this fight is expected to stay standing most or all of the time. Comparing the two fighters, neither really have a technical game to speak of. Both Rothwell and Hunt are known for swinging with the intent to knock out their opponents with almost every punch. Looking at credentials, Hunt would be the favorite in the stand up winning four K-1 Grand Prix championships. For the advantage on the ground, Rothwell will be considered the favorite. Tending to use wrestling at times and with eleven submissions to his record, Rothwell has the ability to exploit the clearly visible weakness of Hunt, which works well with six of Hunt's seven losses coming by way of submission. With this advantage, not many fans will be surprised if Rothwell were to take this fight to the ground for a more simpler fight. With this, the overall favorite will be Rothwell with the ability to end the fight both standing and on the ground. Even with the advantage going the way of Rothwell, many die hard fans will be favoring Hunt simply for his intention to entertain fans always looking for the knockout, and should the fight hit the ground, some will actually be rooting for him even more remembering the moment when he almost handed Fedor Emelianenko his first major loss with a Kimura that unfortunately failed. With this bout set to open up the PPV card, die hards are expecting to an entertaining Heavyweight bout.
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