UFC 96: Rampage Jackson vs. Keith Jardine - Saturday, March 7th

[mogo]

UFC 96: Rampage Jackson vs. Keith Jardine

Date: Mar 07, 2009
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Venue: Nationwide Arena
Broadcast: Pay Per View

• Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine
• Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
• Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz
• Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller
• Mike Patt vs. Brandon Vera
• Ryan Madigan vs. Tamdan McCrory
• Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz
• Jason Day vs. Kendall Grove
• Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell
• Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley

 

[mogo]

Quinton Jackson to determine Lyoto Machida's championship fate

Count Lyoto Machida among the many who will watch closely the UFC 96 main event between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Keith Jardine.

After all, Machida's potential title shot rests solely on how Jackson fares at the March 7 pay-per-view event in Columbus, Ohio.

Following Machida's stunning first-round TKO of previously undefeated Thiago Silva at Saturday's UFC 94 event, UFC President Dana White said the Jackson vs. Jardine fight will determine who gets the next light-heavyweight title shot.

If Jackson wins, he get an immediate chance to reclaim his belt, which he lost to Forrest Griffin in 2008. If Jardine wins, though, Machida will get the first shot at recently crowned champion Rashad Evans' belt. Evans won the belt with a third-round TKO of Griffin at UFC 92. (Jackson knocked out Wanderlei Silva at the same event to climb back into the title picture.)

"We don't have [Machida] scheduled to fight Rashad next," White said in the post-UFC 94 press conference. "But he's in the mix. He'll probably have a title shot before the end of the year."

Machida, long dogged for his propensity to take fights to decision, scored his most meaningful knockout in UFC 94's co-main event. Not only did the TKO prove his ability to finish fights (against a quality opponent), but he also picked up a $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus in the process.

White said the fight was a turning point in Machida's career -- and that it mimics the paths many of the UFC's other top fighters have taken.

"The thing I said about this kid since the first time I ever saw him is if when you think back to Matt Hughes, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell and any of the guys who have been the big stars here the past 10 years, they weren't barn-burners when they first came into the UFC," White said. "It wasn't like highlight reels and excitement. What happens is guys get in the UFC. It takes them a little while. They have to feel like this is their home. They have to start to get the feel for it, get some fights under their belt, and I said when Lyoto gets that, he's going to be very dangerous.

"I think he's going to be one of the greatest fighters in MMA, and every time he comes out to fight, he proves it more and more. ... He looks better every time he fights."

Machida, who moves to 14-0 with the victory, has now posted six consecutive UFC wins. However, he hasn't posted back-to-back stoppages since the second and third fights of his career, when he defeated former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin and "The Ultimate Fighter 1" runner-up Stephan Bonnar early in their careers.

Additionally, from 2004 to 2007, he posted six decision victories in a seven-fight span. Despite the wins, Machida's elusive fighting style often drew the ire of fight fans.

UFC 94 marked a new chapter in the Brazilian's career. Soon after sending Silva to the mat, Machida dropped a huge right to knock Silva out cold with just a second remaining in the first round. The TKO victory earned Machida a thunderous round of applause from the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

"I'm just real happy because every time I come out I try to get better and better and try to improve and finish fights," Machida said through his manager and translator Ed Soares. "It just makes me feel good when I go out there and do the job that I did and the fans are cheering for me.

"That's my goal: to please my fans."

 

[Sammy Meatballs]

is this card some kind of a JOKE????

AM i to pay to see JARDINE in a main event and some no namer fighting gonzagao--

wtf is dana thinking? this card is complete shit, i would not watch for free

 

[ahitspat]

hopefully jackson will learn how to check leg kicks as that will be jardine's game plan probably... and carwin will be an exciting fight to watch. We shall see if he is as good as the hype... by the way carwin and velazquez are supposed to be big up and comers in the HW division guys that will be able to challenge brock physically

 

[hile75]

card isn't THAT bad. Might be some more KOs and whatnot that last time

 

[Avarice]

This looks more like a Fight Night card than a pay-per-view event.

 

[mcdrewcarey187]

I really wanna see that Matt Brown Pete Sell fight. 2 contrasting styles

 

[mogo]

opcorn:

 

[guaranteeed]

If i saw this card without the Rampage and Jardine fight I would think it was a weak card for a fight night card or a TUF finale.

 

[Avarice]

I think I'd rather see Machida/Evans than Rampage/Evans.

 

[mogo]

updated card:

MAIN CARD

• Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine
• Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz
• Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell
• Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
• Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Ryan Madigan vs. Tamdan McCrory
• Jason Day vs. Kendall Grove
• Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz
• Mike Patt vs. Brandon Vera
• Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley

 

[kushBsmokin]

brandon vera on the undercard, lol

 

[mogo]

brandon vera on the undercard, lol

yup... Grove too....

looks like some of these TUF fighters aren't growing into superstars as expected...

 

[mogo]

This looks more like a Fight Night card than a pay-per-view event.

yeah none of the fights where really jump out at me and say "i'm worth spending $45 on"..... this might be one i wait to watch and d/l on sunday...

 

[Avarice]

updated card:

MAIN CARD

• Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine
• Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz
• Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell
• Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
• Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Ryan Madigan vs. Tamdan McCrory
• Jason Day vs. Kendall Grove
• Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz
• Mike Patt vs. Brandon Vera
• Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley

I like-

Munoz
Sell
Carwin
Maynard

 

[mogo]

<table bordercolor="#cccccc" cellpadding="1" width="95%"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#000000" width="30%">

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]UFC 96 Odds[/FONT]​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="14%">

​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="14%">

​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="13%">

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</td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="14%">

​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000" width="15%">

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</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Keith Jardine</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+255​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+260​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+250​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+260​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+235​

</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Quinton Jackson</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-310​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-320​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-350​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-320​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-295​

</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Gabe Gonzaga</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-170​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-165​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-185​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-165​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-170​

</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Shane Carwin</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+150​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+135​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+145​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+135​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+140​

</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Mark Munoz</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+140​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+145​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+140​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+145​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Matt Hamill</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-160​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-175​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-170​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-175​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Michael Patt</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+410​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+400​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Brandon Vera</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-620​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-550​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Jason Day
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+145​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+160​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Kendall Grove</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-180​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-200​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]UFC 96 Odds[/FONT]​

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</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

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</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

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</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

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</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

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</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Matt Brown</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+115​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+110​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Pete Sell</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-145​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-140​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Jim Miller</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+150​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

+145​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Gray Maynard</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-180​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">

-185​

</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Ryan Madigan</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Tamden McCrory</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Jason Brilz</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Tim Boetsch</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Aaron Riley </td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000">Shane Nelson</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td> <td bgcolor="#000000">
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[Avarice]

I like-

Munoz
Sell
Carwin
Maynard

Don't think I'm going to be on Maynard after all. I haven't seen Miller fight but he's got a fairly long, successful resume.

Sell seems a bit risky too. Only his second fight back after a long layoff.

Really liking Munoz.

 

[Sammy Meatballs]

QUestion????????

WHAT IF JARDINE WINS and fights Rashad EVANS?

because they are both Greg jackson fighters, who does Greg Jackson train? WHo does GSP train with? WHo does the camp help in tihs fight?

Would this even be possible to fight vs each other, because they all train together and have the same head coach, Greg jackson?

 

[ahitspat]

QUestion????????

WHAT IF JARDINE WINS and fights Rashad EVANS?

because they are both Greg jackson fighters, who does Greg Jackson train? WHo does GSP train with? WHo does the camp help in tihs fight?

Would this even be possible to fight vs each other, because they all train together and have the same head coach, Greg jackson?

if jardine wins, machida gets a shot at rashad

 

[mogo]

<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr class="data_title"><td colspan="7">Quinton Jackson Vs. Keith Jardine </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Quinton Jackson</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 1" (185 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>29-7-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"Rampage"​

</td> <td width="95">

​

</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Keith Jardine </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 2" (188 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>14-5-1</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

"The Dean of Mean"​

</td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" bgcolor="silver">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Gabriel Gonzaga Vs. Shane Carwin </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Gabriel Gonzaga</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 1" (185 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>242 (110 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>10-3-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"Napao"​

</td> <td width="95">

​

</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Shane Carwin </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 3" (191 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>262 (119 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>10-0-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

​

</td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" bgcolor="silver">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Pete Sell Vs. Matt Brown </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Pete Sell</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>5' 11" (180 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>170 (77 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>8-5-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"Drago"​

</td> <td width="95">

​

</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Matt Brown </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 0" (183 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>170 (77 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>11-7-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

"The Immortal"​

</td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" bgcolor="silver">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Matt Hamill Vs. Mark Munoz </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Matt Hamill</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 1" (185 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>7-2-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"The Hammer"​

</td> <td width="95">

​

</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Mark Munoz </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 0" (183 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>5-0-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

"The Filipino Wrecking Machine"​

</td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" bgcolor="silver">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Gray Maynard Vs. Jim Miller </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Gray Maynard</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>5' 8" (173 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>155 (70 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>7-0-1</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"The Bully"​

</td> <td width="95">

​

</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Jim Miller </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>5' 8" (173 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>155 (70 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>13-1-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

​

</td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" bgcolor="silver">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Tamdan McCrory Vs. Ryan Madigan </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Tamdan McCrory</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 4" (193 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>170 (77 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>11-2-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"The Barn Cat"​

</td> <td width="95">

​

</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Ryan Madigan </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 0" (183 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>170 (77 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>5-0-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

"The Lion"​

</td> <td width="15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="7" bgcolor="silver">

May not be broadcast. Click for details.​

</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Kendall Grove Vs. Jason Day </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Kendall Grove</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 6" (198 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>185 (84 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>11-5-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"Da Spyder"​

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</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Jason Day </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 1" (185 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>185 (84 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>17-6-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

"Dooms"​

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<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Tim Boetsch Vs. Jason Brilz </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Tim Boetsch</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 0" (183 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>8-2-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"The Barbarian"​

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</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Jason Brilz </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>5' 11" (180 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>16-1-1</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

"Hitman"​

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<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Brandon Vera Vs. Michael Patt </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Brandon Vera</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 2" (188 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>9-3-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

"The Truth"​

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</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Michael Patt </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>6' 0" (183 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>205 (93 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>15-3-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

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<table class="data_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr class="data_title"> <td colspan="7"> Aaron Riley Vs. Shane Nelson </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td width="15"> </td> <td valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Aaron Riley</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>5' 8" (173 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>155 (70 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record:</td> <td>27-10-1</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="185">

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</td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="150"> <table class="data_table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</td> <td>Shane Nelson </td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Height:</td> <td>5' 9" (175 cm)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Weight:</td> <td>155 (70 kg)</td> </tr> <tr class="data_row"> <td style="font-weight: bold;">Record: </td> <td>12-3-0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="185">

"Sugar"​

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[Pincher]

at first glance I like a few dogs on this card...some lesser known "names" up against more "known" names can make for a nice Dog payday...

Again first glance only leans - Miller, Munoz, Day are worth a look. I also like Boetsch.

 

[laffit]

QUestion????????

WHAT IF JARDINE WINS and fights Rashad EVANS?

because they are both Greg jackson fighters, who does Greg Jackson train? WHo does GSP train with? WHo does the camp help in tihs fight?

Would this even be possible to fight vs each other, because they all train together and have the same head coach, Greg jackson?

ive seen interviews, in the past, where both guys talk about possibly fighting each other. i cant quote them or anything, but i remember thinking that they would never fight each other. it was pretty clear.

 

[laffit]

Don't think I'm going to be on Maynard after all. I haven't seen Miller fight but he's got a fairly long, successful resume.

Sell seems a bit risky too. Only his second fight back after a long layoff.

Really liking Munoz.

ive seen miller fight several times. he's a more complete fighter than maynard. miller is a good wrestler/scrambler and i think his ability to compete with maynard's wrestling is the key to the fight. if miller can hold his own and sweep him two or three times i think he wins. its a big question though, maynard is beast. it could go either way. right now, i dont care for the price on either guy. i would like miller at +200, or maynard at -115.

give me your thoughts on munoz.

 

[CrimsonK]

I like Carwin +150 and someone previously mentioned..

Gonzaga's past two wins really don't impress me that much to be honest. I think that Couture showed a good wrestler with ground and pound can beat Gonzaga. Carwin is just so strong and quick that he think he presents serious problems for Gonzaga when they are standing. Carwin training in altitude is always something that i like in a fighter. I think this is a perfect platform for carwin to set up a shot against lesnar with two beasts going at it for the belt. I think name recognition/perception sets this line where it is as i don't necessarily agree that carwin should be dogged at all. Carwin's wrestling should suffice to counter some of Gonzaga's BJJ skills.. I don't imagine we will see many Carwin prices at + money in the future..

 

[mcdrewcarey187]

I will have 4 units on Carwin mainly cause I don't respect Gonzaga. I think he wins cause he's bigger than people. But Carwin outweighs him by 20 lbs in this fight.

yes Avarice. Tell me what you know about Munoz cause Hammill was going to be another large bet for me. Spill it

 

[CrimsonK]

I will have 4 units on Carwin mainly cause I don't respect Gonzaga. I think he wins cause he's bigger than people. But Carwin outweighs him by 20 lbs in this fight.

yes Avarice. Tell me what you know about Munoz cause Hammill was going to be another large bet for me. Spill it

I feel the same way about Hamill as you do about Gonzaga, i just don't respect him as a fighter. Gonna be munoz or nada for me on that one

 

[Avarice]

I'll admit I don't know a whole lot about Munoz. I've only seen his last fight against Ricardo Barros in the WEC but h. I wouldn't go so far as to say I don't respect Hamill but I'm not particularly impressed with him either. He's done well against brutes like Reese Andy and Tim Boetsch but his two losses are against more athletic guys, Rich Franklin and Michael Bisping. I'm not saying Munoz is as good as either of those guys in terms of skill but is similar in terms of conditioning and athleticism. I think Munoz will be able to hold his own on the ground and avoid the big shots standing. Munoz by ground and pound late or decision.

 

[Avarice]

I'll admit I don't know a whole lot about Munoz. I've only seen his last fight against Ricardo Barros in the WEC but have done a fair amount of research.

Not sure what happened there.

 

[walktheline]

I will have 4 units on Carwin mainly cause I don't respect Gonzaga. I think he wins cause he's bigger than people. But Carwin outweighs him by 20 lbs in this fight.

yes Avarice. Tell me what you know about Munoz cause Hammill was going to be another large bet for me. Spill it

I like Carwin, but not crazy like. I like Hamill too, big time. Welcome to the UFC Mark. One has faced elite talent, one has not.

 

[laffit]

I'll admit I don't know a whole lot about Munoz. I've only seen his last fight against Ricardo Barros in the WEC but h. I wouldn't go so far as to say I don't respect Hamill but I'm not particularly impressed with him either. He's done well against brutes like Reese Andy and Tim Boetsch but his two losses are against more athletic guys, Rich Franklin and Michael Bisping. I'm not saying Munoz is as good as either of those guys in terms of skill but is similar in terms of conditioning and athleticism. I think Munoz will be able to hold his own on the ground and avoid the big shots standing. Munoz by ground and pound late or decision.

fwiw- bisping did not beat hamill, he was given a win by hometown judging.

hamill is tough guy to like from a technical standpoint and he's not real impressive. but... he's simply tougher and grittier than everyone else, franklin had enough talent to legitimately beat him. i see the talent in munoz but hes done it against much easier/softer competition, this fight will tell us if he's for real or not.

i can see betting either side, im taking a pass though. unless there is some crazy line move. i lean towards hamill (straight up), due to his experience and physical strength.

 

[mogo]

Performify's Picks for UFC 96: Plays on Jackson, Carwin and underdogs

After a perfect outing last time, I think this event is going to present a lot more variance.

I'm taking a shot on more than one underdog and definitely don't expect all of them to come through. For those who are exceptionally risk adverse gamblers (an oxymoron, perhaps), consider laying off or reducing the plays on some of the underdogs if you're concerned.

But as usual, handicapping MMA is all about finding value in lines, and I believe there's value in several underdog plays on this card.

Results of 4-0 for +5.2 units on UFC 95 brings the running total for my public predictions since UFC 75 to 74-54 for +28.625 units.

As usual, except where otherwise indicated, all lines are current market lines from MMAjunkie.com's recommended sportsbook, Bodog. It's easy to open an account at Bodog; you can fund your Bodog account with as little as $25 and bet as little as $1 on fights. Until you've experienced the added excitement of betting on MMA, you really haven't watched MMA. Having your heart race when "your" fighter steps into the cage -- even if you've only got a few dollars in play -- is a feeling like none other. (But you should only wager you'd feel comfortable losing. Keep it fun.)

If you're interested in learning more about betting on MMA, be sure to check out our MMAjunkie.com MMA Wagering Guide series, which allows even the most novice bettor to be a long-term winner wagering on MMA. You can also stay up to date with the latest MMA and UFC odds directly via our new UFC Odds page.

Quinton Jackson (-325) vs. Keith Jardine (+250)

The UFC 96 main event presents a classic clash of contrasting striking styles. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (29-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has evolved over a storied MMA career into a highly technical boxer, possessing strong countering skills, great hand speed and one-punch knockout power.

Keith "Techno Viking” Jardine (14-4-1 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is generally the exact opposite of Jackson in striking approach: where Jackson's blows are quick, short and technical, Jardine's punches are slower, looping, unorthodox. Where Jackson depends almost exclusively on boxing and wrestling, Jardine generally prefers to utilize his kicks and work outside.

Another difference between these two veteran fighters is perhaps the most important in breaking down this fight: where Jackson has traditionally required a lot of punishment to finish (he absorbed tremendous punishment from Wanderlei Silva and "Shogun" Rua before getting stopped in their past fights), Jardine has been stopped three times in under a minute in his career, including in two of his past four fights.

Many pundits point to Jackson's struggles against Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 for a roadmap to success here for Jardine. Yes, Jackson ate several leg kicks from Forrest, including one specific kick in the opening seconds of the second round that did a ton of damage. And yes, Jardine has great leg kicks and utilizes them very effectively. However, too many people are applying too much weight to that past outcome from a handicapping perspective.

First, almost everyone at every level of MMA fandom is well aware of the leg kick roadmap from the Griffin fight, and Rampage's camp has to be very much expecting that game plan this time out. So, he will be much better prepared to check the kicks. Second, Griffin did most of his damage with one single kick, which opened the second round. While Griffin used a lot of leg kicks in the fight, the kicks did not generally stop Jackson from working inside and landing power shots (except the single shot that dramatically affected the outcome of the fight). The single kick, which did so much damage, has to be looked at more of anomaly (statistically speaking) than a massive weakness in Jackson's overall game; he's never had the type of trouble with leg kicks as he did against Griffin, and I really think the overall perception of vulnerability to leg kicks was due to the results of the single shot that opened the second.

I believe Jardine's chin and his predisposition to trading with his opponents will be his downfall. I have no doubt that Jardine's coach Greg Jackson will have a masterful strategy, and I won't be surprised to see an unorthodox game plan for the "Dean of Mean" (meaning something much less obvious than "leg kick, rinse, repeat"). Still, I believe Jackson's hand speed and punching power combined with Jardine's predilection for quick one-minute knockouts will result in a quick KO win for "Rampage" and will set up future "black on black crime" (to use an infamous Rampage quote) against current 205-pound champion Rashad Evans in the near future.

Gabriel Gonzaga (-170) vs. Shane Carwin (+140)

Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) jumped to the top of a short list of heavyweight title contenders with his devastating knockout of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at UFC 70. Gonzaga then fell short in his title bid against Randy Couture at UFC 74 and dropped his next fight in a disappointing loss to Fabricio Werdum. "Napao" has rebounded from those consecutive losses with consecutive wins, first-round stoppages of Justin McCully at UFC 86 and Josh Hendricks at UFC 91. Now he looks to make it three in a row against formidable opponent Shane Carwin.

Carwin (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is a tremendous physical specimen with strong athletic credentials (an NCAA Division II championship and two national runner-up trophies in wrestling, a two-time All-American in football). Carwin's elite athleticism has translated well to MMA so far, giving him a dominant wrestling ability and brutal ground and pound. The 34-year-old Colorado native has never been outside the first round in a fight and has finished his opponents in an average of a little more than one minute. Carwin is now training with Greg Jackson's elite camp in New Mexico alongside elite standouts such as Georges St. Pierre, Rashad Evans and Nate Marquardt.

Gonzaga is an elite grappler and holds a BJJ black belt under Wander Braga. He's won numerous grappling contests including ADCC and the Mundials. He has strong Muay Thai skills to complement his grappling, but he has below-average wrestling and takedowns, especially for a heavyweight.

I believe Carwin's edge in wrestling, strength and size (he cuts down from 275 to make the heavyweight cap of 265) will prove too much for Gonzaga in this fight. Gonzaga certainly has the skills to pull a submission from his back, but Carwin's dominant edge in wrestling should not only allow him to dictate where and when the fight hits the ground, but it should protect him significantly when the fight hits the ground.

Look for coach Greg Jackson to roll out a slightly similar game plan as last displayed by St. Pierre (another dominant wrestler with a size advantage facing a smaller submission specialist). Gonzaga tends to get frustrated and gas when he can't find early success, so don't be surprised if Carwin attempts to push Gonzaga around the cage in the clinch early, wearing his opponent out before taking him down and pounding him out later in the fight.

Carwin carries a lot of muscle on his frame, so combined with his lack of experience beyond the first round, a scenario based on the fight going long would traditionally present a concern. However, Carwin is used to training at altitude in Colorado, and with his wrestling pedigree (and 10 MMA fights under his belt), he should out-condition Gonzaga in the later rounds of the fight, assuming it gets there.

If presented the opportunity, Gonzaga definitely has the tools to capitalize on any mistake and end the fight in his favor via submission. Still, I think Carwin is worth a small play as the slight underdog. Carwin by TKO in the second round.

Pete Sell (-155) vs. Matt Brown (+125)

It took three takes before I could actually accept that this fight held third billing on the main card. Not sure what sort of dirt these two managed to dig up on UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to blackmail their way to main-card billing, but it must be good.

Pete Sell (8-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC) recently broke a four-fight losing streak in the organization with an upset victory over Josh Burkman at UFC 90 (Silva vs. Cote). Sell is a Serra jiu-jitsu student with solid submission skills (albeit very rarely utilized in his MMA career) and a tendency to stand and bang with opponents.

Ohio native Matt Brown (8-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) trained with Team Jorge Gurgel and recently relocated to Las Vegas. He has a good stiff jab and decent standup skills from a distance, and he has shown improved grappling skills, most recently in a second round submission victory over Ryan Thomas at UFC 91.

Despite Sell's mediocre record in the UFC, I believe he will be victorious here. Sell is a former middleweight, and by cutting down to 170, he should have a rather significant strength advantage over Brown. Brown's grappling skills should be edged by Sell's theoretical (but rarely displayed, as is typical for Team Serra) jiu-jitsu prowess if the fight hits the ground. Sell's power and toughness should win him the standup war, unless Brown fights extremely defensively and keeps the fight at range exclusively, working his jab and backing away from any serious exchanges.

Hopefully these two will deliver a dynamic performance worthy of their high billing. "Drago" tends to take most of his victories to decision, and I expect to see more of the same here. Pete Sell by unanimous decision.

Matt Hamill (-170) vs. Mark Munoz (+140)

Deaf wrestling standout and former "The Ultimate Fighter" cast member Matt Hamill (5-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) primarily trains under Bruno Tostes at Team Renzo Gracie in Latham, N.Y. Hamill was a three-time NCAA Division III wrestling champion at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Despite Hamill's impressive wrestling pedigree, for the first time in his MMA career, he's actually significantly eclipsed in wrestling credentials by his opponent, Mark Munoz.

Munoz was the 2001 NCAA Division I national champion and was a two-time NCAA All-American for powerhouse wrestling school Oklahoma State in the wrestling-heavy Big 12, a significant step up in competition from what Hamill faced in Division III at RIT. Munoz was also a three-year member of the FILA Junior World Wrestling Team, earning the silver medal in 1998. After graduation, Munoz served as assistant wrestling coach at Oklahoma State, where he helped guide OSU to its 31st NCAA wrestling championship. Munoz then left the Aggies to coach for UC Davis in California. He is 5-0 in professional MMA and is making his UFC debut.

Munoz competed twice in the WEC, at WEC 34 and 37, winning both fights by TKO in the first round. Munoz turned pro just 17 months ago -- largely at the urging of friend and former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber. He has trained at camps throughout California, including Team Punishment and recently Renato "Babalu" Sobral's new facility in Cerritos.

If this were a straight wrestling match, Munoz would be a significant favorite. As it stands, most bettors have been heavily backing Munoz so far; Hamill opened as a -250 favorite on most books and has been bet down heavily. While I can't necessarily explain all the reasons people are betting so heavily on Munoz, one of the major reasons is that this is the first time in his career that Hamill has a strong chance of being out-wrestled.

Traditionally, wrestlers who make the transition to MMA do very poorly against stronger wrestlers who can put them on their back and out of their comfort area. If Munoz's collegiate wrestling skills do give him the edge in MMA wrestling (which isn't always the case), I can definitely see where Hamill will have a lot of trouble in this fight. Despite training at a Renzo Gracie gym, Hamill hasn't shown anything in his previous fights for submission skills from the top, which would lead me to believe that his submission skills off his back must be equally undeveloped.

While I'm certainly impressed by Hamill's ability to overcome adversity and find success despite his disability, I've yet to be impressed by his performance in the octagon. His sloppy standup technique and undisciplined fighting style has beaten a lot of low-tier opponents, but he's struggled against the only top-tier opponents he's faced (Michael Bisping and Rich Franklin).

Munoz isn't the type of crisp boxer who should be able to take advantage of Hamill's sloppy standup. Instead, this fight should play out rather predictably; Munoz is going to spend the entire time trying to put Hamill on the mat, changing levels and shooting. Hamill is going to try to avoid ending up on his back and spend his time working his edge on the feet, and he may even try to put Munoz on his back instead.

If Munoz can get top position, he does not typically display the type of stifling control that you usually expect from top-tier wrestlers (think early Koscheck or John Fitch). Instead, Munoz typically deploys loose top control and prefers to posture out and throw brutal long-distance strikes while posturing up. It's possible Munoz's past behavior is just an example of adjusting his top game to the skill level of his previous opponents, and he might be more cautious and blanketing against Hamill, but I don't expect his M.O. to change that much.

In the event Munoz can get top position and unload a couple of his big bombs, Hamill is at special disadvantage for an early stoppage due to his inability to hear the referee's instructions to "fight back" when a stoppage is imminent. (It's not a significant factor, but it is a small additional point to consider.)

On the flip side, if Hamill's wrestling is good enough to keep the fight standing, his edge in experience and striking should easily win the fight. Munoz has shown extremely heavy hands in his past ground and pound, but he hasn't shown the sort of well-rounded Muay Thai skills necessary to stand with Hamill.

Unless someone gets blasted early, or unless Munoz's wrestling advantage is so significant that he can put Hamill on his back early and often, expect this to be an ugly fight headed for a close decision. UFC judges' have a traditional tendency to overvalue takedowns (even those with little offense afterward), which could easily result in Munoz edging any close decision outcome, even if Hamill does more damage in the fight overall and wins the standup exchanges. Mark Munoz by unanimous decision in his UFC debut.

Suffice to say that I loved this bet when it opened with Munoz as a +200 underdog. At the current line, Munoz has lost almost all value, and it is not far from the point where I'd flip my pick and start to see value on Hamill at -150 (or 60% win percentage). At the current odds, only a small play is warranted on Munoz, and I can't argue with staying away from the fight entirely at the current odds due to the thin value.

Gray Maynard (-200) vs. Jim Miller (+160)

Gray Maynard (6-0-1 MMA, 4-0-1 UFC) looks to extend his unbeaten streak here against Jim Miller (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who is the younger brother of UFC middleweight Dan Miller.

Former "TUF5" cast member Maynard is primarily a wrestler known for his ground-and-pound skills, and he trains with Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Miller has solid wrestling skills and good jiu-jitsu skills, and he holds a brown belt in BJJ.

Both fighters have excellent conditioning and usually set a solid pace. If the two push each other here, Miller could be looking at his second consecutive Fight of the Night award (he previously won for his contest against Matt Wiman at the UFC Fight Night 16 in December).

Miller is at his best when he can use his grappling skills to get top position, and he gets most of his submissions from there as opposed to off his back. Against a dominant wrestler such as Maynard, Miller probably doesn't have the wrestling credentials to score a straight takedown or wrestle his way on top. His best chance is to try to use his submission skills to set up a sweep or scramble. Maynard will look to counter with his traditional approach of takedowns, stifling top control, and ground and pound to neutralize his opponent's submission skills.

Miller is an exciting fighter with solid grappling skills and a very good top game, but I believe Maynard's wrestling and top control will be too strong and too stifling to allow himself to be submitted or swept here with any great probability. And if Miller can't get on top, I don't think he can win this fight. Look for Maynard to take Miller down early and grind out either a late TKO or a grueling unanimous decision.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Tamdan McCrory (-325) vs. Ryan Madigan (+265)

Scrawny scrapper Tamdan McCrory (10-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) puts opponents off balance with his 6-foot-4 frame and well-rounded skills. His UFC record includes submission losses (both via armbar) to Akihiro Gono and Dustin Hazelett, and he has wins over Luke Cummo and Pete Spratt.

His opponent, Ryan "the Lion" Madigan, has a 5-0 MMA record and is making his UFC debut. The Ohio native is a veteran kickboxer and is ranked fourth in the world through ISKA, one of the leading governing bodies for amateur and professional kickboxing. He's also strongly well rounded in MMA, training grappling under Chris Chard at OhioBJJC and boxing under Lorenzo Scott. His grappling has already evolved to the point that he's won his past two fights by triangle choke.

I feel Madigan is being undervalued here. His standup is strong -- strong enough to help overcome McCrory's reach advantage. He's more well-rounded than people will expect, and McCrory hasn't had the best luck defending his long limbs against opponents with solid submission skills. Madigan has more fight experience than his record indicates thanks to his kickboxing background, and that experience, combined with the support of the hometown crowd, should help to offset the typical first-time octagon jitters.

It's worth noting that originally this spot in the card was supposed to house Dustin Hazelett vs. Ben Saunders. Hazelett was forced to bow out in late January due to an undisclosed injury, and Madigan stepped up after signing a four-fight deal with the organization. Saunders then withdrew due to a foot injury in early February, which resulted in "The Barn Cat” stepping up to face Madigan.

Ryan Madigan by TKO in the first round. A great underdog play for value, as Madigan has a much better chance of upsetting McCrory than the 28% chance afforded by the current betting line.

Madigan line via Bookmaker.

Kendall Grove (-200) vs. Jason Day (+160)

Kendall Grove (9-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has been on the sidelines for almost nine months, and he most recently won a close split decision victory over Evan Tanner at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale. The victory broke a two-fight losing streak for the former "TUF" winner. The lanky Hawaiian will look to shake off the ring rust and demonstrate his Muay Thai skills against Canadian Jason "Dooms" Day (17-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC). Day is a primarily a grappler and is an active practitioner of Eddie Bravo's rubber guard system.

Grove has only one submission loss on his record, which came almost four years ago. Day has just as many TKO victories as he does submissions, but a vast majority are from ground and pound as opposed to striking on the feet.

Grove has been too inconsistent in his past fights for me to want to bet on him, and Day's odds aren't long enough to attract me either. I'm staying away, but I will predict Grove by unanimous decision.

Tim Boetsch (-140) vs. Jason Brilz (+110)

Tim Boetsch (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) was a NCAA Division I wrestler and a four-time high school All-American. He delivered a shockingly brutal upset victory over David Heath in his debut at UFC 81, but he was stopped by Matt Hamill in his second visit to the UFC. Most recently, he rebounded by stopping Michael Patt in the first round at UFC 88.

Omaha's Jason Brilz (16-1-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is a very similar fighter. Brilz, 33, is likewise a former high school state wrestling champion and was a four-year letterman at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He's undefeated in his past 12 fights, and he has earned previous MMA victories over the likes of Jason MacDonald, Alex Schoenauer, Michael Patt and Rob Wince while fighting in a variety of Midwest-based organizations.

Stylistically both fighters are very similar, and this fight should be as close as the line indicates. There's too much variance in this outcome without any meaningful edge for me to bet; instead Ill just hope that we get to see what could be a very entertaining fight during the broadcast.

Brandon Vera (-550) vs. Michael Patt (+450)

After a promising 4-0 start to his UFC career, Brandon Vera (9-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has now lost three of his past four fights after dropping his most recent, a close split decision to Keith Jardine at UFC 89. He's taking a step backward in competition but still faces a real test in local fighter Michael Patt (12-3 MMA 0-1 UFC). Patt holds a BJJ black belt under Jorge Gurgel and is skilled in Muay Thai, having won the National Amateur Kickboxing Championship twice as an amateur.

The betting line would indicate that Vera is being given a bit of a "gimme" fight to get his career back on track. I'm not entirely sold on Vera after his disappointing string of recent performances. Despite his initial loss to Tim Boetsch, I think Patt may surprise here since he's decently well-rounded and has the Muay Thai skills to remain competitive on the feet.

The betting line assigns Vera almost an 85% win percentage, and I think that's a bit high. I think Patt has slightly less than a 25% chance of an upset, so there's a slight bit of value for a small, sneaky play on him as the heavy underdog. However understand this is a longshot bet on a heavy underdog for value, and it's not likely to pay off frequently.

Patt line via Bookmaker.

Aaron Riley (-215) vs. Shane Nelson (+175)

Formerly a competitor on "TUF8," Shane Nelson (11-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) trains under B.J. Penn. He comes into the fight off a split decision victory over fellow cast member George Roop at The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale. The win continues a seven fight streak for the Hawaiian. Opponent Aaron Riley (27-10-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC) is a veteran of numerous organizations, including PRIDE, BodogFIGHT and the IFL. This is his third stint in the UFC; he first fought for the organization back at UFC 37 in 2002, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Robbie Lawler. Riley returned to face Spencer Fisher at UFC Fight Night 3 and suffered a first round TKO. He returned yet again at UFC 91, where he defeated Jorge Gurgel by unanimous decision and won the "Fight of the Night" bonus for his efforts.

I think this line is accurate. Nelson may be riding a decent winning streak, but Riley has a huge edge in experience and should be able to grind out a unanimous decision victory.

Performify's Picks for UFC 96:

• Quinton Jackson -325: 6.5 units to win 2 units
• Shane Carwin +140: .4 units to win .56 units
• Mark Munoz +140: .4 units to win .56 units
• Ryan Madigan +265: .4 units to win 1.06 units
• Michael Patt +450: .1 units to win .45 units

 

[mogo]

But as usual, handicapping MMA is all about finding value in lines, and I believe there's value in several underdog plays on this card.


when i looked at the lines for this card on my locals site i also thought there was alot of value to be had in a number of the underdogs... you guys all seem to be thinking the same too...

i'll be playing carwin and possibly jardine.... going to look over munoz/hamill a bit more later but i never really thought hamill was much more than a glorified wrestler who doesn't have what it takes to finish a fight standing or on the ground... he just wrestles the shit out of you to get a decision but cant beat better overal MMA fighters he's faced...

 

[madshooter]

why would you pay to see the card when you can watch it for free on numerous sites?

 

[Avarice]

why would you pay to see the card when you can watch it for free on numerous sites?

What sites do you use? Channelsurfing used to be reliable but I've had some problems with them the past few months.

 

[mogo]

why would you pay to see the card when you can watch it for free on numerous sites?

well because i'm a fan of the sport and have no problem keeping them around longer by supporting them and buying the PPV... :shake:

 

[mogo]

What sites do you use? Channelsurfing used to be reliable but I've had some problems with them the past few months.

yup, this too....


madshooter - you got a better site than channelsurfing to watch for free on?

 

[mogo]

UFC 96 official weigh-in results

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A battle some have deemed unnecessary earned a little bit of character today as Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Keith Jardine stood toe-to-toe after officially making weight for Saturday night's UFC 96 main event.

Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, which is the same venue that hosts Saturday's pay-per-view event, held today's weigh-ins.

Jackson, Jardine and the 18 other fighters competing at UFC 96 all made weight without incident.

"It's going to be a great fight," Jardine told event emcee Joe Rogan after weighing in. "Two guys are going to go out there and try and claim the center of the octagon. One guy is going to last. One guy's not."

Jackson said he would be sacrificing everything in order to put on a great show.

"I'm putting everything on the line," Jackson said with an intense scowl. "I'm going to do my thing. I'm going to put it down. I'm going to get wild in that cage tomorrow. That's for real."

UFC 96 features a main event between former UFC light heavyweight champion Jackson and Jardine, and the night's co-feature pits fan favorite Matt Hamill against UFC newcomer and former Division I national wrestling champion Mark Munoz.

Full weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD

• Quinton Jackson (205) vs. Keith Jardine (204)
• Shane Carwin (259.5) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (257.5)
• Matt Brown (170.5) vs. Pete Sell (170)
• Matt Hamill (205) vs. Mark Munoz (204.5)
• Gray Maynard (155) vs. Jim Miller (154.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Ryan Madigan (169) vs. Tamdan McCrory (170)
• Jason Day (184.5) vs. Kendall Grove (185)
• Tim Boetsch (205) vs. Jason Brilz (204)
• Michael Patt (204.5) vs. Brandon Vera (205)
• Shane Nelson (155) vs. Aaron Riley (155)

 

[madshooter]

yup, this too....


madshooter - you got a better site than channelsurfing to watch for free on?

have been using livewrestlingtv dot com and on some occasions justin tv

usually use the 1st one, most of the time, there is one more I have saved to my laptop, not sure of the name right now, but usually never have any problems with video at all.

 

[tee*dub]

have been using livewrestlingtv dot com and on some occasions justin tv

usually use the 1st one, most of the time, there is one more I have saved to my laptop, not sure of the name right now, but usually never have any problems with video at all.

until they make laptops with a 69 inch Hi def screen, I'll pay the half a hundred..:shake:

 

[tee*dub]

Rampage by KO seems almost certain to me... Looking at the entire card closer tommorow

 

[Jumpsinn]

TeeDub,
If you have an updated 69 inch Hi-Def. Tv (plasma or LCD), than you can get a computer-tv connector and watch it for free, in Hi Def, from that website (if that website offers hi-def). Just an FYI if you didnt feel like dropping the $50. bones!

 

[laffit]

have been using livewrestlingtv dot com and on some occasions justin tv

usually use the 1st one, most of the time, there is one more I have saved to my laptop, not sure of the name right now, but usually never have any problems with video at all.

justin no longer allows ufc ppvs, but that livewrestlingtv usually has it.

 

[Pincher]

laffit - really watched the last ufc and wec on Justin...is it that new that they dont show it? that sucks...dont you need a membership or have to register at livewrestlingtv??

Thanks

 

[Pincher]

I'll be on Ryan Madigan for this one and I'll play around with an all M's underdog parlay special - Madigan, Miller, Munoz!!

 

[mogo]

until they make laptops with a 69 inch Hi def screen, I'll pay the half a hundred..:shake:

haha well i would hope YOU wouldn't have any qualms with paying $45 for a fight when your wagering dimes on games....


you going to be playing anybody today?

i can't imagine your laying the odds and taking rampage even if you feel he wins it.....

 

[ahitspat]

i played carwin, munoz, and madigan 3u each will prolly add to munoz and will add jardine if it hits 300

 

[mogo]

carwin +145 ($75/109)
munoz +155 ($75/116)


dogs look pretty good for all the fights except the main event - rampage should destroy mr mean ....

 

[mcdrewcarey187]

Kendall grove risk 8 to win 4
Maynard -185 to win 4 units
Pete Sell -155 to win 2 units
Ryan Madigan risk 2 unit to win +230
Mark Munoz risk 1 unit to win +125
Shane Carwin risk 4 units to win 5

 

[mcdrewcarey187]

looks like everybody on Carwin Munoz and Madigan. Lets hope they do it

 

[tee*dub]

haha well i would hope YOU wouldn't have any qualms with paying $45 for a fight when your wagering dimes on games....


you going to be playing anybody today?

i can't imagine your laying the odds and taking rampage even if you feel he wins it.....

Going to ML parlay Rampage with some CBB this afternoon.. A few combos I am looking at.. want "to Win" 4 units on it..:shake:

Looking at a few others but CBB has my full attn. most of the day..