UFC 144 Predictions: Keys to Victory for Rampage Jackson

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson looks to revitalize the buzz he had when his UFC career started in tonight's fight against Ryan Bader.

The fight will take place in Japan as part of the UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson fight card.

Showing up overweight and having to forfeit 20 percent of his purse was not the way Rampage wanted to begin the weekend. 

These are the keys to victory for Rampage as he tries to fight his way back into the title picture.

1. Come out Swinging Early and Often

An "in shape" Rampage has still shown to be fatigued after the first round in his recent fights. He enters tonight's fight five pounds overweight.

Should this fight get past the first round, Bader will most likely control the pace by going for takedowns and trying to smother Rampage on the ground.

Rampage needs to show his vintage self tonight. He needs to start the fight aggressive and go for the knockout punch from the beginning.

Jackson doesn't appear to be in very good shape. His chances of winning will decrease as the fight continues into the second and third rounds.

2. Counter Bader's Takedown Attempts with Knees

Rampage is a much better fighter than he has shown us recently. He still has the talent to be a very diverse fighter and do more than just throw uppercuts and jabs.

Ryan Bader is going to try and grind out a win against Rampage. Bader, while capable, does not want to get into a slugfest against Jackson.

Jackson does have good takedown defense, but instead of just stuffing Bader's attempts, he should counter them with powerful knees.

Doing this will cause Bader to be hesitant in trying to get Jackson to the ground. It will also give Rampage a chance to end the fight early with a KO.

3. Stay off the Ground

The third, and perhaps most important, key to success for Rampage is to stay off the ground.

Not only does Ryan Bader have excellent wrestling skills that he can use to submit Jackson, but being on the ground will exert plenty of stamina that he really can't afford to lose.

The feeling of being submitted is still fresh in Rampage's mind. He went a decade between submission losses (Kazushi Sakuraba in 2001 and Jon Jones in 2011), but he may very well hit the panic button quickly should he get caught in a choke.

This is the defining fight for this stage of Rampage's career. Should he win convincingly, he will thrust himself back into title contention. However, should he lose, this may be the end of the Rampage era.