Many people consider Japan the birthplace of martial arts, as well as one of the most important locales in combat sports. The UFC will be making its much awaited return to the “Land of the Rising Sun” when UFC 144 kicks off on February 25th. Though a number of Japanese stars are due to fight during the event, one American star in particular is garnering a lot of excitement, as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is set to face off against Ryan Bader.
With a record of 32-9, “Rampage” has become one of the more interesting fighters in the world of mixed martial arts. Known for his trademark howl and prefight grimace, his following has continued to grow alongside that of the sport. Many UFC fans were introduced to Jackson when he knocked out Chuck Liddell in 2007, but he had been a star in Japan for years beforehand.
From 2001 through 2006, Jackson fought the biggest names available in the sport at that time. With 17 bouts in PRIDE’s ring, Jackson forged a 12-5 record, facing opponents such as Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Ricardo Arona, Murilo Bustamante, Kevin Randleman, and Kazushi Sakuraba. His look and fighting style made him extremely popular with Japanese fans, and at UFC 144 he will return to the land where he built his career.
But standing across the Octagon from him will be Ryan Bader. Bader needs a win in this fight. A year ago he was a highly-touted prospect, but then he ran into Jon Jones, who was starting the run that led to the 205-pound title. In his next fight, Bader was shocked in what was then considered the upset of the year, when Tito Ortiz caught him with a punch and choked him out with a guillotine choke. At UFC 139, however, he was able to get back into the win column by knocking out Jason Brilz in less than two minutes.
The former Arizona wrestler has proven that he has some of the best wrestling in the division, but he hasn’t been able to follow up and get the big wins his resume needs. Although he has been able to defeat Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, since the Jones loss he hasn’t been able to pull out a win that would catapult him back into title contention. This fight against Jackson is a true test for Bader, and an opportunity to improve where he stands in a division that is not lacking in star power or tough opponents.
In this contest the main question is whether Bader will stick to his wrestling to try to win the bout, or attempt to stand in the pocket and try to outstrike Jackson. Jackson is a potent counter striker who can make opponents pay for trying to trade punches with him. Jackson also has stout defensive wrestling, and can stuff a takedown to keep the fight standing. Bader will have to attempt multiple takedowns early in hopes of placing Jackson on the canvas. But if he tries to go blow for blow with the former champion he will have a long evening ahead of him. Unfortunately for Bader, he has been lured into striking battles before, and I expect him to do the same at UFC 144, allowing Jackson to counter with his own strikes until he brings about a TKO finish in the second round.
