Issue 029

September 2007

By Andrew Garvey

The Ultimate Fighting Championships will return to the UK in September, bringing with them a landmark unification title fight and the return of the most feared striker in MMA.  

With ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Mirko ‘Cro Cop’, Mike Bisping and more ready to rock a crowd of close to 20,000 in the O2 Dome, Fighters Only brings you this exclusive preview ahead of the September 8^th event. 

The main event sees UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson face off against his Pride counterpart Dan Henderson in what looks to be a bruising battle of heavy-handed wrestlers. Not only that, but UFC president Dana White has said that this will be the first major title unification in the history of MMA, meaning the winner walks away with both belts. Jackson and Henderson have much in common – both are Americans who starred in Japan’s top MMA event for several years. Both are coming off knockout title wins over two of the sport’s most destructive strikers (Jackson over Chuck Liddell and Henderson over Jackson’s former nemesis Wanderlei Silva). Both also went through difficult periods where they were hampered by injuries and put in some very sub-par performances, but Jackson and Henderson on top form are two of the sport’s very best and this looks to be a superb fight. At 29, Jackson is seven years younger and he’s also the bigger man. Henderson’s wrestling background is stronger, but he’s less spectacular than the slam-happy ‘Rampage’. In a fight like this, with two such evenly matched, concussive punchers, almost anything can happen.      

Heavyweights Mirko Cro Cop and Cheick Kongo were both in action at UFC 70 in Manchester. Where Kongo earned a decision win over Assuerio Silva, Cro Cop was stunningly KO’ed by a high kick from Gabriel Gonzaga in one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. Cro Cop has never lost two MMA fights in a row and despite his inexperience in the Octagon after fighting in a ring for so many years, he will be expected to win this fight in style. Kongo may be a tall, skilled kickboxer but as a K-1 superstar, Cro Cop was one of that sport’s elite. He’s also faced much tougher competition in his MMA career, beating some of the sport’s very best fighters and pushing the likes of Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Noguiera and Fedor Emelianenko to the limit. Kongo will have real advantages in height and reach and Cro Cop may not be the force most expected after a gruelling, hectic six-year MMA career but he should still show off some of his viciously precise striking against an opponent unlikely to take this one to the mat.

Their rivalry during the Ultimate Fighter 3 may provide a good and marketable reason for Michael Bisping to face Matt Hamill but it still seems an odd choice for Bisping’s second UFC fight on home soil. Still inexperienced and painfully one-dimensional, Hamill is something of step back for Bisping but even worse, may be one of the few men on the planet who can drag the ultra-exciting Englishman into a dull fight. Bisping is by far the better striker but Hamill’s excellent takedowns and smothering, suffocating pressure could make this uncomfortable viewing for Bisping’s army of fans. But as he showed when escaping Elvis Sinosic’s perfect Kimura armlock in Manchester, Bisping can get himself out of some very tight situations and smash his way to a resounding victory. Whoever wins, and the odds should favour Bisping, somebody will be losing their unbeaten record.

Fresh off his shockingly destructive UFC debut in May, Houston Alexander faces another dynamic light heavyweight in Italian Alessio Sakara. Alexander shocked everyone with his furious 48-second mauling of overwhelming favourite Keith Jardine, exploding onto the big stage. Showing real power and almost animalistic aggression, Alexander absorbed some heavy shots and just tore Jardine apart. Sakara used his boxing skills to dismantle Victor Valimaki in Manchester and this fight promises action from explosive start to concussive finish.

 Paul Taylor impressed in his UFC debut in April, picking apart and stopping Brazil’s Edilberto Crocota, but faces a difficult challenge from American Marcus Davis. Both are vicious strikers but 33-year-old ex-boxer Davis has dramatically improved his grappling and become a dangerous all-around fighter. Expect plenty of neat, technical, but aggressive striking early from both men and a genuinely rousing fight that’s unlikely to go the distance.

Slick, experienced London-based Frenchman Jess Liaudin finally realised his UFC dream in April and looked great in the process, neatly armbarring Dennis Siver in 81 seconds. His opponent Anthony Johnson is also coming off a quick win, 13 seconds in fact. That was all it took for him to blast out his opponent in June during an untelevised UFC Fight Night preliminary bout. This may not be over that quickly but it should see some real skill on display, particularly from the gifted Liaudin.

Popular young Scouser Terry Etim faces the biggest test of his short, action-filled career against Brazil’s Gleison Tibau. Both are coming off impressive UFC wins and both have picked up plenty of submission wins. Tibau is the more classically trained BJJ stylist but the unbeaten Etim uses his height and athleticism beautifully. He’s also a very dangerous striker. Look for a great, competitive match between two of the sport’s brighter young stars who both started fighting as teenagers.