Safe money is on Jackson ... right?
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is a -295 favorite heading into his UFC 96 fight with Keith Jardine. I haven’t felt this strongly about Jackson winning a fight since he fought Forrest Griffin. What does that mean? It means Griffin had a huge upset, which has no bearing on this fight. Griffin was underrated. So is Jardine, but not nearly as much as Griffin was. Jardine can fight, he’s got some good people behind him, which makes him a threat, but not a strong one to Jackson. If he loses to Jardine, he doesn’t deserve a title fight. Jardine has some nice wins, most notably over Chuck Liddell and Griffin, but can he take down Jackson?
The most intriguing part of this fight, to me, is gauging how strong Jackson looks. He’s lost only once in the UFC, to Griffin, in a close decision many think was flawed. That’s not a very convincing hiccup, so you could still argue that Jackson is the top light heavyweight in the world.
Is there anyone out there that thinks Jardine can take down Jackson? Or is this just a chance for the Rashad Evans camp to get a closer look at Jackson? In this tough economy, people need a sure thing. A safe bet. Throw your money on Rampage.
Editor's note: The above post is for entertainment purposes only and should not be viewed as a guide for wagering or an endorsement of gambling.
Kevin Richardson has been a fan of mixed martial arts competition ever since UFC 3, when 600-pound sumo wrestler Emmanuel Yarborough was beaten by Keith Hackney. Kevin will cover the world of MMA — in Baltimore, nationally and internationally. He plans to take readers into the locker rooms and MMA schools, where they'll hear from local fighters and trainers. If you have a news tip or suggestions for the blog, please 
Comments
I think some people are a little too quick to count Jardine out in this one. He's upset people before and he could do it again here. How? By using his kicks effectively. That was a big part of Forrest Griffin's strategy when he fought Rampage. Jackson had absolutely no answer for leg kicks in that fight; he didn't even check most of them. That being said Forrest Griffin doesn't even kick particularly hard; Jardine does. If he keeps his distance with Jackson, keeps careful and uses his kicks well he could win this fight.
Posted by: Andrew Barr | March 4, 2009 4:42 PM