Joshuaa
15-06-2011, 22:40
As expected, champ Jon Jones and challenger "Rampage" Jackson headline UFC 135 (http://mmajunkie.com/news/24004/as-expected-champ-jones-and-challenger-rampage-headline-ufc-135.mma)
by Dann Stupp on Jun 15, 2011 at 1:05 pm ET
http://mmajunkie.com/dyn/images/fighters/quinton-jackson-18.jpgAs expected UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will attempt to make his first title defense when he meets Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-8 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at UFC 135.
MMAjunkie.com (http://mmajunkie.com/) (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com
(http://www.mmajunkie.com)) first reported the expected booking (http://mmajunkie.com/news/23853/ufc-champ-jon-jones-im-fighting-quinton-rampage-jackson-next.mma) earlier this month and said Jones simply needed a doctor to clear his injured hand.
With that clearance received, UFC officials today announced that verbal agreements are in place for the September fight.
Although not officially announced, UFC 135 takes place Sept. 24 at Pepsi Center in Denver. The night's main card, including Jones vs. Jackson, airs on pay-per-view.
Jones, who won the title from Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in March, was expected to undergo surgery on a long-bothersome hand ligament, which scratched a potential fight with Rashad Evans at UFC 133. The promotion instead booked Evans to meet standout Phil Davis in the headliner of 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.
Instead, they targeted Jones for his meeting with Jackson.
Jones now has won four straight fights, and his only career loss came via questionable disqualification to Matt Hamill. The junior-college wrestling champion joined the UFC in 2008 after just a 6-0 pro record and has quickly become one of the organization's biggest stars.
Jackson, a former UFC titleholder, recently picked up his fourth win in five fights with a lopsided unanimous-decision victory over Hamill at UFC 130. His lone defeat during the stretch came to Evans in a No. 1 contender's bout. If victorious, Jackson could reclaim the belt he took from Chuck Liddell and ultimately lost to Forrest Griffin in 2008
by Dann Stupp on Jun 15, 2011 at 1:05 pm ET
http://mmajunkie.com/dyn/images/fighters/quinton-jackson-18.jpgAs expected UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will attempt to make his first title defense when he meets Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-8 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at UFC 135.
MMAjunkie.com (http://mmajunkie.com/) (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com
(http://www.mmajunkie.com)) first reported the expected booking (http://mmajunkie.com/news/23853/ufc-champ-jon-jones-im-fighting-quinton-rampage-jackson-next.mma) earlier this month and said Jones simply needed a doctor to clear his injured hand.
With that clearance received, UFC officials today announced that verbal agreements are in place for the September fight.
Although not officially announced, UFC 135 takes place Sept. 24 at Pepsi Center in Denver. The night's main card, including Jones vs. Jackson, airs on pay-per-view.
Jones, who won the title from Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in March, was expected to undergo surgery on a long-bothersome hand ligament, which scratched a potential fight with Rashad Evans at UFC 133. The promotion instead booked Evans to meet standout Phil Davis in the headliner of 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.
Instead, they targeted Jones for his meeting with Jackson.
Jones now has won four straight fights, and his only career loss came via questionable disqualification to Matt Hamill. The junior-college wrestling champion joined the UFC in 2008 after just a 6-0 pro record and has quickly become one of the organization's biggest stars.
Jackson, a former UFC titleholder, recently picked up his fourth win in five fights with a lopsided unanimous-decision victory over Hamill at UFC 130. His lone defeat during the stretch came to Evans in a No. 1 contender's bout. If victorious, Jackson could reclaim the belt he took from Chuck Liddell and ultimately lost to Forrest Griffin in 2008