UFC 135 related articles & news:-
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage – Preview-
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage – Main Event Guest Panel Picks-
Junior Assuncao “Ready for UFC Return this Weekend”JON JONES READY TO DEFEAT ANOTHER ICON: Defending champ Jones became the youngest UFC title holder ever by defeating „Shogun‟ Rua in March, and now he takes on another icon in „Rampage‟ Jackson. The mercurially talented „Bones‟ believe he has prepared the perfect game plan for facing arguably the hardest puncher in the division, saying: “I‟ve simplified my playbook a little. I‟m still working on a 1,000 different kicks but I‟ve also tried to work one kick a thousand times. You beat Rampage Jackson in the gym; you beat him because you want it more in the gym for months. That‟s why I feel the fight has already been won.”
JONES LAUGHS OFF „SPYGATE‟ ACCUSATIONS: Much of the pre-fight talk between the two camps has focused on Team Rampage‟s claim that Jones‟s camp were getting inside information. Jones, though, dismisses the story as a publicity stunt. “Why would I need to hear second-hand reports about Rampage‟s camp? I‟ve got 16 of his fights on my laptop right now, and another 16 at home. I‟ve seen all his fights and he‟s not changed a thing since 2004. He‟s very dangerous at what he does, but he‟s added nothing at all as he goes through his career. I am not a cheat. Maybe it was a ploy to get inside my head and (upset me) but if it was he should have done it closer to the fight. I just used it to train harder.”
Meanwhile, Rampage said: “I know what I know. Someone in his camp was spying on my camp. I don‟t care. He could have a live feed to my gym 24-7 for all I give a damn.”
THE $MILLION FIGHT CAMP: Rampage‟s pronounced dislike of hard training has, he admits, affected some of his performances in the Octagon. But the Memphis born puncher says he has been „fully motivated‟ by the chance to finally win back the UFC 205lbs belt he feels he should never have lost (to Forrest Griffin) over three years ago. Rampage said: “For recent fights, it has been hard to work 100% and I am a person if I am not motivated I am „unmotivatable’. But no-one has needed to try to motivate me for this fight. I want my belt back. Between me, my Wolf‟s Lair team and the guys at the MusclePharm gym here in Denver, we‟ve spent over $1million on this camp. You‟ll see the best Rampage since I fought Wanderlei Silva (December 2008).”
THE "PRIDE‟ OF A CHAMPION: Rampage became the first ever unified UFC and PRIDE champion when he beat Chuck Liddell (UFC champion) and Dan Henderson (PRIDE champion) in back-to-back bouts in 2007. He said he didn‟t appreciate the belt when he had it and vowed to enjoy being champion should he win this weekend. He said: “Beating Chuck and then getting a chance to fight for the PRIDE belt was huge to me. Anderson Silva is an amazing fighter, but I unified the UFC and PRIDE belts before he did and I am very proud of that. I didn‟t appreciate what I had accomplished until after I lost the belt, which is why I am taking this fight so seriously.”
EVANS AN INTERESTED OBSERVER: Light heavyweight stand-out „Suga’ Rashad Evans will be ringside at UFC 135 and will be hoping that, whomever wins, the victor of the title fight emerges injury free. Evans has history with both men, he and Rampage had an angry feud which cumulated in a May 2010 bout which „Suga‟ won on points and Evans‟s bitter split with former friend and teammate Jones is well-documented. Having shared the Octagon and practice mats with Rampage and Jones respectively, Evans has some insight into what will happen at UFC 135.
He said: “Rampage can win if he hurts Jones early. Jones is mentally breakable, but if he gets confident he can pick Rampage apart. I wouldn‟t be sad to see Rampage win, at least he‟s real, but I have something to prove to Jones while I always beat Rampage.”
HUGHES TO SET BAR EVEN HIGHER: Hall of Famer Matt Hughes currently leads the UFC in all-time wins with 18, and looks to add to that record with a win over dangerous contender Josh Koscheck at UFC 135.
BROUGHTON A BORN FIGHTER: While British heavyweight Rob Broughton‟s main card clash with 6ft 9inch Travis Browne is certainly the biggest fight of his MMA career, it is far from the biggest of his life. The 6ft 3inch „Bear‟ was born with a condition called congenital talipes equinovarus – meaning his feet were twisted and did not point forward – and endured dozens of corrective surgeries as a child. At age 12, he took up sports including swimming and martial arts, ignoring doctors who warned he would cripple himself. “Sport has improved my condition,” he said. “It has given me confidence and channeled my frustration at missing out so much of my childhood.”
