UFC 130 Rampage vs Hamill Preview: Battle of the Uppercuts

When former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson faces Matt "The Hammer" Hamill this Saturday in the main event for UFC 130, he will be facing a fighter very similar to himself.

Both are strong wrestlers with powerful striking and durable chins.

They even share what is arguably their trademark strike: the uppercut.

The uppercut is oft under-utilized by other fighters, but this technique is never lost on these two.

Although they both use the uppercut to great effect, they use it in distinctly different ways.

Rampage's uppercut is short and used in close range. He loves to knock opponents out with his devastating hooks, but as soon as they step in too close, he is there to great them with his trademark uppercut.

Hamill's trademark uppercut is a lunging strike utilized at range. When fighters are used to their opponents coming in with overhands and straight punches, Hamill comes in with an unexpected uppercut.

Which strike will play a bigger role this Saturday?

Rampage's might be quicker and more ferocious, but Hamill's might be more versatile and possibly used more frequently.

Of course considering their wrestling abilities, we could see the match play out mostly as a grappling battle. However, my intuition tells me that their wrestling is going neutralize each others'.

When these two powerful men step into the octagon, somebody is going to get hit very very hard and I have the distinct feeling that we are going to see some of the best uppercuts in the sport at work.

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