UFC 86
Jackson vs. Griffin July 5th in Vegas
Jun 30, 2008 Joshua Ryan Crawford
On July 5th, two of the best fighters in the fiercest weightclass in MMA will do combat inside the octagon when the original “Ultimate Fighter” Forrest Griffin challenges for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson's 205 lb. Crown. Rampage appears at the peak of his career, while Forrest is still working his way up the UFC Ladder, and is challenging for his first UFC Title.
Griffin earned that right with a hugely impressive stoppage of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, who was widely considered the favorite to take the champ down, considering he had previously defeated Jackson in a Pride bout. Griffin has accumulated an up-and-down UFC career that includes great victories and heart-breaking defeats. He battled Tito Ortiz to a controversial split decision loss before being viciously knocked out by Keith Jardine.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, “Rampage” Jackson has accumulated an impressive streak of victories in the UFC and hasn't been defeated since a 2005 loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Since his two disappointing losses to Wanderlei Silva and his most recent defeat at the hands of “Shogun” Rua, Jackson has been on the path to MMA Immortality. Jackson's victories over top opposition include wins over former long-running UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Kevin Randleman, and Murilo “Ninja” Rua.
Next, he faces the ever evolving and improving Forrest Griffin, who has proven to be a worthy adversary to the 205lb throne. Griffin entered the fight game as a brawler with unlimited heart, but lacked ability and conditioning. Now, just over three years removed from his unforgettable, stand-up slugfest with Stephan Bonnar, Griffin enters the cage with a much-improved repertoire. Under the tutilidge of UFC Legend Randy Couture, Griffin has become a superbly accurate and dangerous striker, as well as a force on the ground.
In addition, his conditioning has reached unparalled levels. He displayed his vast improvements in a thoroughly dominating performance against “Shogun” Rua and shockingly finished the man many considered the best in the business with under 20 seconds remaining in the fight. Quinton Jackson should certainly be concerned and here are three reasons this is a CAN'T-MISS fight.
- Both men prefer to stand and bang, which will result in a crowd-roaring fight, and more than likely, a hightlight reel knockout.
- Forrest Griffin defeated the last man to beat “Rampage” in “Shogun.”
- The two likeable gladiators actually built up some animosity during their stint as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, making this fight “personal.”
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