No Rematch? Injured Rampage Out Until January

by Kid Nate on Jul 8, 2008 3:09 PM EDT

Looks like Dana could still get that New Year's Chuck Liddell vs Forrest Griffin dream match he's lusting after. From MMA Junkie:

Quinton Jackson, who lost his title and suffered a unanimous-decision defeat to Forrest Griffin in the night's main event, is suspended until Jan. 2 for possible leg injuries, though he can be cleared early by a doctor.

Jackson was hobbled in the second round by back-to-back leg kicks from Griffin, though he had shaken off most of the effects from the blows by the third round. Jackson doesn't expect the leg to keep him sidelined, MMAjunkie.com is told.

As Robert Joyner wrote at MMA Payout:

While a re-match certainly would be well received, the belt being off of Rampage re-introduces The Iceman Chuck Liddel to the UFC title picture. With Chuck having two losses to Jackson and Rampage firmly ensconced at the top of the 205 picture Chuck was essentially frozen out of the light heavyweight title picture. The Forrest Griffin win gives the UFC brass a chance to re-insert the only true box office rainmaker they have back into contention. The smart money would have Zuffa praying for a Chuck win over Rashad in September and then book a Griffin vs Liddel title match for the New Years Eve show. A match-up between the UFC's favorite sons on that date could probably do in the 750k buy range.

UPDATE: More information on Jackson's injured leg from MMA Junkie:

"After the fight, he had a knot the size of a cantaloupe on his shin," Jackson's trainer, Juanito Ibarra, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I've never seen anything like it in all the years I've been in the fight game. It was ugly. The next day it went down. Today, there's no bump at all. The doctor said he's fine. It's a deep bone bruise now. He's totally fine. There's no damage. All we're waiting for now is the rematch."

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I think Rampage will be able to compete on the end of the year show…question is…what does Dana want?

Kelvin Hunt

I'm like those boyz on the sidelines...cause I ain't playing...

by Tha Realness on Jul 8, 2008 3:19 PM EDT 0 recs

Not a rematch

by MGMMMA on Jul 8, 2008 5:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

He will be cleared to fight wayyyyy before Jan 1. This is just a precautionary suspension, they have no medical results. Dana may still want this fight though.

by Michael Rome on Jul 8, 2008 3:22 PM EDT 0 recs

I guess the question is, how badly does Dana want Chuck back as the champ?

by pud333 on Jul 8, 2008 3:23 PM EDT 0 recs

I don’t think that’s really it. Chuck/Forrest is the biggest match they can do. They are the two most popular stars in the company, and either outcome is fantastic: Chuck is champion again, or the torch is passed to Forrest. A lot depends on momentum, but if they can catch fire this card could do 800,000+ buys if promoted well. They should really consider running a four part half hour hype program for a fight like this on Spike at Midnight after TUF.

by Michael Rome on Jul 8, 2008 3:49 PM EDT 0 recs

They should really consider running a four part half hour hype program for a fight like this

I hope UFC is smart enough to do it. The 24/7 countdown series made De La Hoya/Mayweather the biggest PPV ever, and it was on premium cable.

by steak_knife on Jul 8, 2008 5:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

I guess Chuck being champ again is the only way to legitimize Rampage/Liddell 3.

Kelvin Hunt

I'm like those boyz on the sidelines...cause I ain't playing...

by Tha Realness on Jul 8, 2008 3:51 PM EDT 0 recs

Do we really need that?

What good could Liddell/Rampage 3 do? Of course a ton of fans will watch it and Dana White’s pockets will get fatter but honestly, do we really need that?

by MGMMMA on Jul 8, 2008 5:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

We’d need it if Liddell is holding the belt. Otherwise, I don’t see the point.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard on Jul 8, 2008 6:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

That’s the only way true, otherwise it’s pointless.

by MGMMMA on Jul 8, 2008 6:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

Absolutely agree on that.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard on Jul 8, 2008 6:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not really, they were going to do it anyway. The vast majority of UFC fans would see it as completely legitimate while online fans clamor for Machida’s shot.

by Michael Rome on Jul 8, 2008 3:53 PM EDT 0 recs

Liddell/Rampage isn’t legit IMO…unless Chuck were to beat Griffin.

Kelvin Hunt

I'm like those boyz on the sidelines...cause I ain't playing...

by Tha Realness on Jul 8, 2008 3:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

I agree. Who was going to do it anyway? I wouldn’t be surprised if that fans would watch it but to actually think it was warranted is another thing.

From what I’ve seen, from fans who have watched both fights, they don’t think it’s a legitimate fight. It’s like Ortiz/Shamrock 9… Pointless

by MGMMMA on Jul 8, 2008 7:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Where did the banner pic come from?

by smoogy on Jul 8, 2008 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs

Spike

I added a link, thanks for catching.

by Kid Nate on Jul 8, 2008 4:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

I was wondering after the fight how many fights Tito would need to get to Forrest, then I remembered that Tito isn’t re-signing with them, but I wonder how good Tito/Forrest 2 would do.

by The Legend on Jul 8, 2008 4:06 PM EDT 0 recs

Well

I wouldn’t be surprised if all of a sudden in a few days we hear that Tito has been resigned and he has it in his contract to avenge all his losses.

by lovingmma25 on Jul 8, 2008 5:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

People have a very odd version of legitimacy. You’re taking the biggest legend in MMA history that just beat Wanderlei Silva, the guy Quinton couldn’t beat. It’s not about mmath, it’s just the fact that it was the biggest money match UFC had until last Saturday, and Chuck would have been no more of a betting underdog than Forrest.

At the top end of things, most of these guys can beat each other on any given night. Quinton will win most of his fights with Chuck, but he could absolutely get knocked out too. For some reason people create this legitimacy standard for MMA that has never existed in any fight organization before.

by Michael Rome on Jul 8, 2008 4:07 PM EDT 0 recs

I’m just saying…if a dude kicks another dude’s ass twice…I don’t care to see a 3rd…no matter who the two fighter’s are.

Kelvin Hunt

I'm like those boyz on the sidelines...cause I ain't playing...

by Tha Realness on Jul 8, 2008 4:09 PM EDT 0 recs

If they get the belt back on chuck, then they would keep rampage busy with other fights…..he would be kept far from the iceman….....he would do rematches with wandy, shogun, forrest,....and if he won all those would probably get stuck with the human rain delay Lyoto Machida to derail his title shot…

by robnashville on Jul 8, 2008 4:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

Just think of how they could remake the Ortiz/Shamrock drama with Jackson/Liddell. You know that if Liddell take the title from Griffin, Jackson is going to smack talk his way to a rematch.

by lovingmma25 on Jul 8, 2008 5:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

I dunno about all that. He is going to be a draw after his last fight, and Chuck could lose to anyone. Better it Rampage than Keith Jardine or Thiago Silva. Quinton will get a shot if he wins one big fight.

by Michael Rome on Jul 8, 2008 4:48 PM EDT 0 recs

Correct

by Luke Thomas on Jul 8, 2008 4:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

The next person in line with out a doubt should be Machida. He is 13-0, he has paid his dues and it would be interesting to watch a brawler like Forrest against Machida. Machida did Dana White a favor and sent Tito out of the UFC with a loss and its time White paid him back with title shot.
But besides that IF thats a big IF Forrest does beat Machida then give Chuck his shot at the title regardless who wins Machida Vs. Forrest in order to legitimise the 205lb title.

by SouthEast619 on Jul 8, 2008 5:19 PM EDT 0 recs

You may not have noticed, but Forrest isn’t much of a brawler anymore. He’s actually closer to Machida’s style of quick strike-disengage, but with much more willingness to use JJ and grappling, and less precision in his strikes. That fight has the potential to be terribly boring, and I’m a fan of Machida’s fight against Ortiz. I’d be terrified that they’d simply rotate in a circle throwing leg kicks for five rounds.

Not to say Machida doesn’t deserve a shot, but jesus, there’s a lot of potential downside there.

by AJB on Jul 8, 2008 6:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

Machida should probably have to beat a top 5 guy to get a shot.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard on Jul 8, 2008 6:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

Tito announced he was leaving the UFC before he fought Machida so I’m pretty sure Machida had nothing to do with that.

The other points/matchups you make are interesting to think about but I don’t see them happening, but you never know with the UFC. I don’t see them throwing a curveball at Griffin. He won’t be fighting Dan Henderson as his first title defense.

Or maybe they will….

by MGMMMA on Jul 8, 2008 6:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

Machida has to prove he can try to fight peoplel
Rampage doesn’t deserve an immediate title shot.
Winner of Chuck vs Rashad gets the call.
Wand vs Rampage after that gets the call.

by MrNiceGuyMMA on Jul 8, 2008 11:43 PM EDT 0 recs

Why doesn’t Rampage deserve an immediate title shot?

by MGMMMA on Jul 9, 2008 11:29 AM EDT up 0 recs