The Backstory

Forrest Griffin first gained national exposure when he won the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter. His fight in the final against Stephan Bonnar cemented not only the show but the UFC as a new force on the American sports’ scene. Since that time, Griffin has improved his game as much as any fighter in the sport. Griffin has gone 6-2 in the UFC, including a win over the widely-considered number one light-heavyweight fighter in the world, Mauricio Rua.

Rampage Jackson is coming off of back-to-back championship wins over two of the best fighters ever. He won the UFC Light-heavyweight title from Chuck Liddell last May, and he followed that up by beating Dan Henderson in September for the PRIDE Middleweight title. Jackson is wildly popular and his interviews in PRIDE are some of the funniest things you’ll ever see anywhere.

The Fighters

As I said earlier, there is no fighter that has improved as much in the last few years as Forrest Griffin. He has improved his all-around game so much that he is comfortable either standing with his opponent or taking the fight to the ground. Griffin doesn’t possess great knockout power, but it is an area that he is getting better with. He has good jiu-jitsu and should be able to find room on the ground to work against Jackson. Forrest’s biggest attributes are his heart and his ability to take a great deal of punishment and still bounce back. That will definitely be tested against Jackson.

Rampage is as strong and powerful of a light-heavyweight as any in the world. He has tremendous power in his hands, is a great wrestler and loves to use various slams on his opponents. Jackson has the advantage over Griffin in almost every measurable fighting category and will come into the match as a big favorite.

The Fight

With each fighter having a very good to great all-around game, this should make for a very entertaining fight. Jackson will be throwing bombs from the start and Griffin will need to pick his spots had have great movement to avoid an early KO. Rampage may get frustrated if he can’t knock out Forrest and then try and take the fight to the ground. Griffin’s takedown defense will be vital. Jackson should eventually get Forrest off his feet and if he can get past Griffin’s guard, Jackson could end the fight with his striking while Griffin is on his back. Should Griffin be able to withstand the punishment, he could start to work his ground game and possibly work in a submission or two. Conditioning might come into play. Jackson can easily go five rounds as he did in his fight with Henderson, so Griffin may struggle in the later rounds if his conditioning isn’t up to par.

The Result

I expect this to be a great fight. Styles make fights and the styles in this fight could make it one of the best fights of the year. Although he has the power to, I don’t think Rampage will KO Griffin. I think the amount of punishment that Griffin can take borders on ridiculous, so I don’t see that as the outcome. The longer the fight goes, the more I think it favors Jackson and I could see Jackson winning a decision. As of this writing, Jackson is a huge favorite not only in Vegas but on this site. 88% of the people that voted in the poll think that Rampage will beat Griffin. I have a feeling that Griffin has the heart to stick with Rampage and somehow pull out a submission victory. Look for Griffin to win in the third or fourth round with a submission to become the UFC’s new Light-heavyweight Champion.

Alves is coming off the biggest win in his career, a second round TKO victory over Matt Hughes at UFC 85. Before that, Alves became the first fighter to ever knock out Karo Parisyan. He is proving himself to be one of the best strikers in the welterweight division.

Sanchez just fought in June and won against Luigi Fioravanti. Sanchez showed an improved stand-up game to go along with his great ground skills. He is still fighting his way back from back-to-back losses against Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch last year.

This should be a very entertaining fight with two of the most talented and well-rounded fighters in the welterweight division. Although Diego has improved his striking immensely since starting in the UFC, I don’t know if it will be enough to beat Alves. The “Pitbull” seems destined to make it to the top of the division no matter who the UFC puts in his way. I’ll be cheering for Sanchez, but I think Alves will walk away with the victory and continue on to his title shot.

Rich Franklin is moving up to light-heavyweight to face Matt Hamill although Franklin may still be the best middleweight in the world other than Anderson Silva. Franklin has fought at light-heavyweight in the past and, at least on the surface, it seems like a smart move for him. He has several new fights ahead of him that would be great for him and MMA fans. However, I think staying at middleweight would be best for his career. There are still many good fights for him at 185, and anything is possible if Silva would lose the belt.

Dan Henderson is making his second fight at middleweight and will face Rousimar Palhares, who submitted Ivan Salaverry at UFC 84. Henderson is coming off back-to-back losses, although both were against current champions, Rampage Jackson and Anderson Silva. Henderson was actually winning the fight against Silva before being submitted in the second round. Henderson is the type of fighter that could eventually knock Silva off his throne. If Henderson picks up a dominant win over Palhares, it might be enough for a re-match with Silva. Although a match with Franklin to determine a true number one contender would be an outstanding fight.

A Franklin-Henderson match up would be a classic bout between the striker and the grappler, although both men possess all-around games that could take the fight almost anywhere. Dana White and Joe Silva need to give serious thought on making this fight. It’s a fight that could main event any pay-per-view and both fighters would have something to fight for. I think this fight will take place eventually, but it should be taking place this September.

Just because I got on Fedor about his lack of stiff competition the last three and a half years, doesn’t mean I don’t want him to beat Tim Sylvia or see him succeed. Someone with his credentials can only be a positive for the sport, even if his recent resume isn’t that impressive. I want Fedor to win. I think Fedor winning and being dominant is only positive for the sport. I am just sick of seeing him fight against inferior competition. No, it’s not all Fedor’s fault. Much of the blame goes to Dana White for not signing him but there is blame to put on Fedor. There is no doubt that the UFC is the premiere MMA organization in the world. If Fedor had signed with the UFC for perhaps less than the open market had set for him, he still could have made all that money back. Fedor featured on pay-per-view under the UFC banner would bring him to a lot more fans that will him fighting under the Affliction banner.

As far of you that said that Randy Couture proclaimed Fedor as the number one fighter in the world therefore I should, I have one question for you. What is Couture going to say? Of course he’s going to hype up Fedor. Couture is looking to cash in on a Couture-Emelianenko Super Fight on pay-per-view. Couture bashing Fedor or putting down his skills only hurts Couture’s pockets in the long-term.

And for those of you calling for me to be around when Fedor destroys Sylvia, I will be. I’ve admitted on here when I’ve been wrong in the past and I’ll do it in the future. I have no problem at all swallowing my pride and admitting my mistakes. But if Sylvia beats Fedor, how many of you will be around saying I was right?

There are no MMA fighters that I don’t like or have respect for. I’ve seen up close the time, effort and sacrifice it takes to be a MMA fighter. I want nothing more for the mainstream in this country and around the world to see that as well. I think Fedor is and will continue to be a great ambassador for the sport. I hope he does beat Sylvia and goes on to face Josh Barnett and beat him as well. That way there will be no question with anyone, me included, that Fedor Emelianenko is the greatest fighter in the world.

One of the best things about MMA is that you can have a horrible night but you’re able to come back again to prove yourself to the world and work your way back up the ladder. Joe Daddy gets the chance to work his way up that ladder again this Saturday when he faces Gleison Tibau at UFC 86.

Stevenson burst on the scene in 2005, when he won Season Two of The Ultimate Fighter. Stevenson followed that up with a disappointing decision loss to Josh Neer. After that fight, Stevenson made the decision to drop down to lightweight and went on a hot streak. Victories over Yves Edwards, Mishima, Melvin Guillard and Kurt Pellegrino helped Joe Daddy get in line for a title shot.

Since his loss to Penn, Stevenson has been able to step back a bit and gain some perspective on live and fighting. He opened a gym in his home town and became a ‘daddy’ for the fourth time with the birth of his son, Maximus. It’s been a busy six months for Stevenson since the Penn fight, but you can bet he’ll come back a better fighter from the loss.

The lightweight division has quickly become one of the most competitive weight classes in the UFC. Stevenson is definitely in the upper echelon of that division and will prove as much with a win over Tibau this Saturday. Look for a fight with either Sean Sherk or the loser of the Kenny Florian-Roger Huerta fight to possibly get Stevenson another title shot.

Since beating Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at PRIDE Shockwave 2004, on December 31st of that year, Fedor has fought seven times. Yes, only seven fights in three and a half years. Not exactly a taxing training or fighting schedule.

Fedor scored a TKO win over Tsuyoshi Kohsaka due to a doctor’s stoppage. His next win was a unanimous decision win over Mirko Cro Cop in August 2005. After that came a submission win over a fat Brazilian named Zuluzinho. Zuluzinho also lost to “Butterbean” so that’s all you need to know about him. Fedor submitted Mark Coleman with an armbar in October 2006, but Coleman was far past the prime of his career. Fedor’s next victim was Mark Hunt. Hunt hasn’t fought an MMA match since and was primarily known as a kickboxer. Matt Lindland was Fedor’s next opponent in April of 2007. Although Lindland is a great fighter, he was outweighed by Fedor by nearly 50 pounds. That kind of brings you back to UFC’s early days. Fedor’s last fight was against Choi Hong-man last New Year’s Eve. The fight was only the South Korean’s second MMA fight and Fedor easily submitted him with an armbar at 1:58 of the first round.

Be objective now Fedor fans, that’s not a very impressive list of victories. Yes, he has beaten Nogueira twice along with Heath Herring, Ricardo Arona and Renato Sorbal but all of those wins came several years ago. Fedor is by no means a bad fighter. In fact, I’d love it if Dana White could somehow bring him into the UFC, but in all likelihood, that will never happen.

Fedor will definitely be tested by Tim Sylvia at the Affliction pay-per-view on July 19th. Fedor will no doubt have his work cut out for him. A win over Sylvia and a regular fighting schedule would do wonders for people like me that thing Fedor is nothing more than a hype machine that has gotten out of control. Yeah, hate away Fedor lovers.

Dana White threw a ton of money at Brock Lesnar after just one professional fight only to have Lesnar tap out to Frank Mir in less than 2 minutes. Lesnar showed great strength and explosive quickness but his lack of experience is what killed him in the end. Brock still has a chance to be great in the sport but a second consecutive loss in the UFC could doom his future in the company.

Kimbo Slice was an internet sensation street-fighter that parlayed that into a contract with EliteXC. After wins over Bo Cantrell and Tank Abbott, Slice was nearly upstaged by James Thompson. Slice was shown that he is still years away from being called a great fighter.

While Lesnar and Slice may have the ’sizzle’ for a top fighter, Shane Carwin back up the ’sizzle’ with the steak. Carwin has only been fighting professionally since 2005, but in that time he has amassed a 9-0 record with 4 knockouts and never having a fight go into the second round.

Carwin has a great athletic background. He is a former two-time NCAA Division 2 All-American in football. Carwin, a native of Colorado, is all a very accomplished collegiate wrestler. He was national runner up twice in the heavyweight division in 1996 and 1997. He won the national title in his weight class in 1999. At 6′4″, 265 pounds, Carwin is a huge man with muscles sprouting out all over his body. He may be every bit as powerful and quick as Brock Lesnar but with a better all-around game.

Carwin last fought in the Octagon in May, against Christian Wellisch. He knocked out Wellisch at 44 seconds of the first round with a huge punch. Although his next match has not been announced, you can bet it will be against a top contender in the heavyweight division to give Carwin the chance to prove he belongs. You can also bet that he will take the opportunity and run with it and then maybe he’ll start to get some hype and recognition by MMA fans, fighters and management.

Kos made his debut in the UFC on The Ultimate Fighter: Season One. The show would share the very best and worst of Koscheck. He was shown as a dedicated friend and teammate in helping Bobby Southworth cut weight for a fight. Along with Southworth, Koscheck also showed his immaturity when the two ran a water hose on a sleeping Chris Leben that escalated into Leben busting up his hand and most of the house.

Since being on the show, Koscheck has amassed an 8-2 record in the Octagon. He holds wins over Diego Sanchez and Dustin Hazelett. The biggest fight of his career came last August when he faced Georges St-Pierre. GSP dominated Koscheck all three rounds. It was thought that GSP would have difficulty taking Koscheck to the ground due to Koscheck’s background as a four-time All-American wrestler. St-Pierre had no such problems and Koscheck realized just how far away he is from being the best.

With the exception of GSP, Koscheck is still probably the best wrestler in the division. His striking has improved in each fight as evident by his TKO win over Hazelett at UFC 82. Kos caught Hazelett with a big head kick and then finished the fight off with punches.

Koscheck is still young enough, 30, to be a force in the division for the better part of the next decade. He’ll need a big win over Chris Lytle and likely a win over a top contender to receive a title shot against the champion. Koscheck and teammate Jon Fitch refuse to fight each other unless it is for the title so Koscheck will likely face someone like Matt Serra, Thiago Alves or maybe even a rematch with Diego Sanchez.

Kos is the total package of what Dana White envisions as an Ultimate Fighter. He has the physical looks, personality and game to be not only a force in the UFC but a star that can be used worldwide to expand the sport. Koscheck is a legitimate threat to anyone in the division with his improved striking. He is a phenomenal athlete and the only question about him may be his heart and desire to be the best in the world. Those doubts can start to be erased with an impressive outing next Saturday against Lytle.

Silva looked completely different against Jardine then he did when he fought Chuck Liddell back in December. Silva looked tentative and overwhelmed by the moment when he battled Liddell. He looked like the beast that beat Rampage Jackson twice in Pride.

For Silva to be successful in the Octagon he needs to keep his aggression and let his hands fly. His style is such that his fights will almost always produce a knockout, whether he’s knocking out his opponent or getting knocked out. This style will keep him among the most popular fighters in the world as well.

So what’s next for The Axe Murderer? Well, he turns 32 next week, so he’s still got several years left despite the high amount of world-class battles he’s been in. His loss to Liddell hurt his chances of getting an immediate title shot, but if he can get another impressive win in his next fight he could be in line for a title shot in 2009.

The latest rumors have Silva fighting Silva in October. No, not Wanderlei versus Anderson but Thiago Silva. Other possible opponents are Lyoto Machida and Sokoudjou. Silva has also said he wants rematches with Liddell, Jackson and Dan Henderson. UFC President Dana White was ecstatic when Silva signed with the company and it now looks like the investment is starting to pay off. That’s bad news for the fighters in the light-heavyweight division.

Leben will be the first legitimate contender that Bisping will face since his debut in the middleweight division in April. Bisping has looked like a different fighter since dropping weight classes. He looks more fit and has great quickness. He already had a very good stand-up game and his hands are so much quicker now that he seems destined for the top of the division. As is the case with most of Bisping’s fights, he will be the huge crowd favorite since the event will be in London.

Chris Leben will be returning to the cage for the first time since his exciting win over Alessio Sakara in March. Since this fight isn’t until October, Leben will have plenty of time to get into great shape which he’ll have to be if he is going to beat Bisping. Leben has a great chin and can definitely take a punch. Bisping will surely test that chin in what should be a great stand-up war. Leben has shown great knockout power in the past and has the capability to knock out Bisping. The question will be: Can Leben catch Bisping to hit him with a knockout shot?

I’m glad Dana White and Joe Silva set the match back up. It should serve as a measuring stick for Bisping to see where he is at against top flight middleweights. It’s also a chance for Chris Leben to show that he’s turned his life around and is still a threat in the division. It’s obvious from the outside that the UFC is pushing Bisping to the top of the division with having most of his fights in England, but Chris Leben is dangerous enough to halt those plans with one big fist.