UFC 135 is days away, and looking at the card reveals a number of interesting storylines woven into its fabric. From the continued development of young champions, to fighters trying to stay employed, it’s obvious that the executives pulling the locker room strings know how to put together a fight card. Here are a few subplots that I will surely keep my eye on this weekend:
Jones vs. Jackson: Will It Be Worth It?
On paper this looks like a type of matchup that will go down in nearly the same fashion as Jon Jones‘ last fight, when he took the title from Mauricio Rua. With youth and reach on the champion’s side, many people wonder how Jackson could possibly win this bout. Yes, Rampage has the power to put anyone to sleep with a clean shot to the chin, but how is he going to reach the chin of Jones, who will most likely keep him at bay with stiff jabs and a variety of leg kicks. While it has been nice to watch Jackson fluster Jones with his words and state that he’s in the best shape ever, I truly wonder if that will be enough come Saturday. Hopefully, this fight will not be a one-sided drubbing from start to finish. Jones needs a test to quiet many of the naysayers, and Jackson has the abilities and experience to do so. The question is: Will he?
Who’s The Better Wrestler?
Josh Koscheck has once again stepped up for the UFC, jumping into a short notice bout against a tough competitor in UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. Both fighters are coming off long stints away from the cage after suffering one-sided defeats. However I believe that the ring rust factor will be more dangerous for Hughes, who is reaching the twilight of his career. Koscheck is a formidable challenge for anyone, and he should be able to fend off takedown attempts while scoring a few of his own. If they were both matched against each other in the “prime” of their careers, the question of who would be the better wrestler would be tougher to answer. But at this point, youth and better overall abilities will fare better for Koscheck, who will likely earn a unanimous decision victory.
Is Nate Diaz in Danger?
Does anyone remember when Nate Diaz was considered a viable contender to the UFC lightweight title? With his length, improving striking and formidable grappling skills, many people expected him to do well in the division. But how the times have changed. Since his win against Josh Neer, which capped a five-fight winning streak, Diaz has gone a meager 3-5. While moving to welterweight was a factor, numbers never lie. A loss to Takanori Gomi will have him on the cusp of losing his job. While I do not think he will lose this bout to the Japanese fighter, I do worry that he will never return to the contender status he had once reached.
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage will be going down on Saturday, September 24 from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. With a number of interesting storylines present, I’m very interested to see what comes out of the fights.
