UFC 123 Reaction: Rampage Jackson and Ten Questions After the Event
UFC 123 was a night full of surprises and awesome fights. It was an evening one did not want to miss. The highly anticipated fight between Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machido did not disappoint, except for the decision, but more on that later.
As at every UFC event, there are questions that come out of the fights. Here are ten questions caused by UFC 123.
Rampage Vs Machida 2?
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Rampage Jackson won the main event against Machida in what was a controversial split decision. Although the fight was somewhat even, and it was close, many believe that Machida won.
At the local sports bar where I was watching it, the crowd was upset with the decision.
Jackson fought a good fight, but so did Machida. Many people believe that Rampage won round 1, and Machida won the second two, but unlike American Idol, this is not a democratic decision. What counts is what the judges' score cards say.
It seems as if even Rampage was confused by the decision. According to MMAMania, Lyoto said, “After the fight, Quinton came up to me and said ‘no, you won the fight’, I thanked him and told him he’s a great champion too."
It seems as though we have a bit of controversy on our hands. Both fighters seem to be somewhat keen on a re-match, but will it happen? Well that depends on Dana White and if it could benefit his pocket-book or not.
Does Rampage Deserve a Title Shot?
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If Mauricio Ruo gets by Rampage's nemesis Rashad Evans at UFC 128 to remain the light-heavyweight champion, does Rampage get a shot at that title after beating Machida?
Rampage showed us that he is still the powerful and dominant fighter that he was when he began his MMA career. Although he is older, he still has the power to knock out opponents.
After his defeat of Machida, does Jackson deserve another shot at his former title, or should it be given to someone else? Either way, Rampage is back, and don't be surprised to see him on top once again sooner or later.
Does Phil Davis Deserve a Title Shot?
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Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis is one of the UFC's rising stars. The former Penn State wrestler is a freak of nature. Davis won his fight against Tim Boetsch to put his professional record at 8-0.
Davis is considered one of the best wrestlers in the UFC, but lacks a great stand-up game. If he can figure out how to get that under his belt, and train with some good boxers, he will be one of the most successful fighters of his generation.
In his four fights in the UFC, Davis has won two by submission and two by unanimous decision.
After his dominant performance against Boetsch, Davis deserves a title shot, but might not get it until he proves himself against a legitimate title contender. Maybe a Rampage vs Davis fight? That would be a good one.
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Was This the Last Time We Will See UFC Legend Matt Hughes?
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Matt Hughes is a former welterweight champion and will go down as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. His ability to go on win streaks and hold the title is matched by almost no one, but at UFC 123, he was beaten like a rag-doll by BJ Penn.
Penn knocked out Hughes in 21 seconds, in what was expected by many to be a war.
A lot of UFC fans were expecting this to be the fight of the night, but were thoroughly disappointed because it seemed that Matt Hughes didn't even get out the car.
Was that the last stand for the legend?
Is B.J. Penn Back?
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After losing two consecutive fights, B.J. Penn was looking to get back on top of the division as he faced UFC legend Matt Hughes. Penn did just that, knocking out Hughes in a mere 21 seconds.
Penn looks like he has got it back as of now, but there is still a lot more to be determined if he is going to receive a title shot in the future.
If Penn can keep winning in the way he beat Hughes, look for him to be on top once again.
Does George Sotiropoulos Deserve a Title Shot?
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George Sotiropoulos won his fight in amazing fashion with a submission hold. Sotiropoulos is currently undefeated within the UFC with a record of 8-0.
If he can continue winning, it will be inevitable to give him a title shot.
This is not the case for his next fight however, as Dana White has already announced that George Sotiropoulos will face Dennis Silver at UFC 127.
Was The Jackson Vs Machida Decision The Right One?
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According to UFC president Dana White, yes it was. According to a lot of media, and the public, the decision was the wrong one.
It's not something that we need to dwell on as fans of the sport, but if I was Jackson, I would be very thankful that I got away with one.
Whether it was the right call or not, a decision is a decision and cannot be changed. The only thing we can hope for now is a rematch of these two brilliant fighters.
What's Next For Machida?
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Machida was once of the most dominant light heavyweight fighters in the UFC, and was feared by opponents for his vicious fighting. But that is in the past and he must rebuild a name for himself.
After his loss to Jackson, he will be looking for either a rematch with Jackson, or a fight against an up and coming star to prove that he still has what it takes to put on a good show and win a fight.
I believe Machida will come back and rise to the top once more, but how long will that take?
When Is The Next UFC Event?
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December 11 is the date for the next UFC event. It is highly anticipated and will surely draw a large crowd, so make sure to either PPV it or get to the bar early.
It will feature the long awaited return of Georges St-Pierre in what should be a heck of a fight against Josh Koscheck, which will be a rematch for the welterweight title.
This should be a heck of a battle as the first fight was a war. Make sure to mark your calenders or risk missing what could turn out to be a classic event.
What Will People Remember About UFC 123?
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UFC 123 will be remembered by two things in particular.
The controversial decision in the Jackson vs Machida fight is the first thing.
The B.J. Penn knockout will be remembered as one of the quickest and most unexpected knock-outs of all time.
It was a great event and had many great moments making me wonder, what's in store for UFC 124?
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