UFC 135 Jones vs. Jackson: Bleacher Report MMA Staff Predictions

Dwight WakabayashiJun 7, 2018

The UFC light heavyweight championship of the world is on the line this Saturday night from the place where it all began for the organization back in 1993.

Jon "Bones" Jones will put his title on the line for the first time against former champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and the fireworks are sure to erupt when the cage closes in Denver.

Is it truly the young phenom Jones' time at the top of a division full of veterans, or can "Rampage" show the kid that he is only the "paper" champion that Jackson believes he is?

This card may truly shape up as a changing of the guard as legend Matt Hughes is also in action against a brash, young, lion in late replacement Josh Koscheck. Both men are looking to bounce back off of bad losses in their last bouts.

The card also packs two heavyweight clashes with a striving Ben Rothwell taking on veteran Mark Hunt and top prospect Travis Browne against Brit Rob Broughton. Nate Diaz will return to the lightweight division and take on Japanese star Takanori Gomi.

If you want a team of men who are willing to stick their necks out on the line, you have come to the right place. The Bleacher Report MMA team of John Heinis, Jordy McElroy, Jeff McKinney and yours truly are here to deliver the filthy picks.!

Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt

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Ben Rothwell vs Mark Hunt

Dwight

These two heavyweights are certainly big, but they aren't technical and this one is going to come down to will more than skill.

Rothwell is still a fairly unknown up and comer in the ranks of the division and he should still be reaching for his pinnacle in the game and his career. Mark Hunt has been doing this a long time and at this point in his career, he is what he is and that is a very average UFC fighter.

Both men are coming off of decent wins and will look to continue, but in the end I see the reach and size advantage that Rothwell brings winning the day, both on the feet and in the grappling game.

Rothwell via 3rd Rd KO

John

Rothwell is 2-2 in his past four fights, losing to Andrei Arlovski in
2008 and Cain Velasquez in 2009, while defeating Gilbert Yvel and the
unknown Chris Guillen.

Rothwell has some serious finishing power, stopping his opponents in
28 of his 31 career victories.

Standing 6'5" and rarely weighing in less than the 265 pound limit, Big
Ben is a pretty decent striker and a wrestler with submission prowess
to boot.

Too bad he isn't a more finished product, but he still holds wins over
Krzysztof Siszynski (twice), Rico Rodriguez and Roy Nelson.

Meanwhile, Mark Hunt lost six in a row before knocking out Chris
Tuchsherer at UFC 127.

No one's going to criticize you for losing to the likes of Barnett,
Fedor, Alistair Overeem, Melvin Manhoef and Gegard Mousasi, it's
still pretty rough to get submitted by Sean McCorkle.

Give me Rothwell any day in this matchup.

Ben Rothwell via submission (kimura)

Jordy

In what could be the sleeper for fight of the night, heavyweight sluggers Ben Rothwell and Mark Hunt kick off this anticipated fight card.

Longtime fans remember the glory days for Hunt in Pride, where his world class kickboxing and titanium chin propelled him in victories over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop.

Those days seem like ages ago when considering Hunt’s recent MMA performances. In the past five years, Hunt’s professional record stands at 1-6. He earned a much needed victory in his last outing at UFC 127 against Chris Tuchscherer.

Meanwhile, Rothwell is coming off a forgettable unanimous decision victory over Gilbert Yvel.

If this bout stays standing, it will be a great treat for fans. Hunt and Rothwell are both solid strikers with the ability to absorb a lot of punishment.

Rothwell will likely oblige standup fanatics for the vast majority of the bout, but eventually, he will work for a takedown and expose the everlasting weakness in Hunt’s game––submission defense.

(Rothwell by Round 3 Armbar)

Jeff

In a battle between two big heavyweights, Mark Hunt will meet Ben Rothwell.

Hunt is coming off of a memorable “Knock out of the Night” performance against Chris Tuchscherer.

The win snapped a six-fight losing streak for Hunt.

Before that Hunt was on a role in Pride FC holding wins over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop.

Rothwell is also coming off of a win against Gilbert Yvel at UFC 115.

Rothwell is very experienced and has 28 of his 31 wins by KO or submission.

While both men have power, Rothwell is pretty good on the mat. Hunt, on the other hand, has six of his seven loses by submission.

That could be the deciding factor in the fight.

Ben Rothwell by Decision or Submission

Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi

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Nate Diaz vs Takanori Gomi

Dwight

This fight is the second time a Diaz has gotten a crack at Takanori Gomi and last time, big brother Nick Diaz made good and brought home an impressive win. Of course it was later overturned and deemed a no contest, and this time Nate will get his chance to make it right.

Nate Diaz will be making his return to the lightweight division, a place where he feels and fights more comfortable and Gomi will be looking to punch the youngster out. In true Diaz fashion, look for Nate to use his stick and move boxing and reach to keep Gomi at bay, while he selectively unloads his power shots.

Gomi will look for his bombing right hand to make its mark all night, and let's hope he has a set up plan for the weapon so that he can keep Diaz guessing, as to when the bomb is coming. If Gomi is in shape, and comes to bully Diaz, I like his chances, but if he just comes with the big bomb, Diaz will wear him out.

Diaz via split decision

John

Everyone remembers when Nick Diaz defeated The Fireball Kid with a
gogoplata in their Pride days, and it's also hard to forget that the
decision was overturned when Nick tested positive for marijuana in a
post-fight drug test.

Oh Nick. Point is, both fighters here will be looking to settle a
score. The younger Diaz brother holds a submission victory over The
Young Assassin Melvin Guillard, but otherwise, he has just beaten
middle of the round competition and lost every time the bar has been
raised.

Nick's boxing and BJJ are pretty good...but he's not his brother Nick.

Gomi is 3-2 in his past five fights, with his only notable win being
Tyson Griffin. His losses to Clay Guida and Kenny Florian were pretty
definitive as well.

The former Pride lightweight champion's 1-2 record in the UFC makes
this a potential loser leaves town match.

I can't see either guy being under UFC contract for much longer, but I
think Gomi is still the better fighter. Expect fireworks in this one
though.

Takanori Gomi via unanimous decision (29-28)

Jordy

After suffering back to back decision losses at 170-pounds, Nate Diaz returns to the lightweight division against MMA legend Takanori Gomi.

Once upon a time, Gomi was considered to be the greatest lightweight on the planet. He is now a shell of his former self, but his overall technique and enduring power still makes him a formidable opponent for any lightweight.

Diaz greatly mirrors his older brother Nick, utilizing a high volume of slow and steady strikes to wear out opponents on the feet. On the ground, they are both blessed with excellent guards to make life rough on any top guy hoping to impose his will.

At lightweight, it’s tough to deal with a fighter of Diaz’s stature. He’s incredibly tall for 155-pounds, and his reach seems everlasting in comparison to his peers.

Even if Gomi had the power to end the fight with one punch, he’s going to have a tough time closing the distance and finding his mark.

Conditioning has to also be considered. While Diaz has always demonstrated great endurance in back and forth battles, Gomi’s gas tank tends to fade as the fight drags into deeper waters.

Diaz should be able to paw at Gomi from a distance and avoid getting clipped with a haymaker. It won’t be a cakewalk, but Diaz will wear Gomi down on the feet and pick up the third round submission victory.

(Diaz by Round 3 Rear Naked Choke)

Jeff

Nate Diaz and Takanori Gomi are two fighters who have struggled as of late.

Diaz has flipped between welterweight and lightweight going 3-5 in his last eight fights.

Gomi was once thought of as one of the best lightweights in the world while fighting in Japan.

Gomi fought Nate’s brother Nick back in 2007, and originally lost the fight by submission. Since that fight Gomi has looked past his prime going 5-4.

While both fighters have KO power, Diaz is great on the ground and should be able to get Gomi in position to tap.

Diaz by Submission.

Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton

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Travis Browne vs Rob Broughton

Dwight

Travis Browne opened a lot of eyes when he knocked out Stefan Struve in his last outing in the octagon.

I don't see British fighter Rob Broughton being the man to stop his momentum either and Browne should be able to come out aggressive and knock him out using his strikes early.

Broughton got a win over Vinicius Quiros in England in his debut fight earlier this year, but Browne is riding a confidence and game that may be too much to handle. With these big guys again, it ain't gonna be technical and pretty, but Browne will be the better of the two all night long.

Browne via 2nd Rd KO

John

Browne is 11-0-1 as a pro fighter, with the draw coming against a
controversy filled fight with Cheick Kongo. Browne has 10 finishes in
10 wins, looking impressive in just about each outing.

Meanwhile, I haven't heard of Rob Broughton until about now, but he
won his UFC debut in October of 2010 via rear naked choke.

Considering the fact I've only heard of one guy he's faced in 21
fights, Rico Rodriguez, and he got knee barred in that fight, this
looks like a comfortable win for Browne.

Travis Browne via TKO

Jordy

Heavyweight prospect Travis Browne continues to soak up the main card spotlight against English grappler Rob Broughton.

Undefeated in his professional career, Browne is proving to be a legitimate force in the heavyweight division. Since joining the UFC ranks, he has compiled a record of 2-0-1. The lone draw stems from Browne’s UFC 120 bout against Cheick Kongo.

Browne looked to have the better hands in the open, as Kongo opted to seek out the clinch throughout the bout. Many thought Browne won the fight, but no one should’ve had their hands raised after putting the audience through 15-minutes of atrocious clinch action.

Still, Browne’s technique continues to improve, which has led to some particularly devastating knockout victories over Stefan Struve and James McSweeney.

Broughton, on the other hand, has decent submission skills and a lot of heart. Unfortunately, heart won’t make up for the fact that his skill set pales in comparison to Browne’s.

While this fight won’t improve Browne’s overall position in the heavyweight division, it will give him another notch of experience under his belt as he moves forward into the deeper waters of the division.

Look for Browne to light Broughton up on the feet. Broughton will attempt a few lackadaisical takedowns that will be shrugged off fairly easily. Browne will eventually find an opening to land a big shot that puts the former Cage Rage champion to sleep.

(Browne by Round 1 KO)

Jeff

Travis “Hapa” Browne has looked good thus far in his MMA career.

Browne is undefeated going 11-0-1, with nine of his wins coming by way of knockout.

Rob Broughton is the more well rounded of the two fighters.

The English heavyweight is 15-5-1 with seven wins by knockout and five by submission.

Broughton will be tested by Browne’s power and may look to take the fight to the ground early.

Despite being the less experienced of the two, Browne should remain undefeated when the fight is over.

Browne by Knockout

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Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck

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Matt Hughes vs Josh Koscheck

Dwight

Part of me is really looking forward to this fight, I always tune in to see Josh Koscheck get his ass kicked. The only problem is that in this one I don't think legend Matt Hughes has enough left to do it.

Koscheck is a late step in for the injured Diego Sanchez, so Hughes was going to get a young lion either way in this match up. I see Hughes wanted to get top position and work his ground and pound all night on the youngster. The problem is, Koscheck will bring the exact same game only in a younger frame and should be able to win on that alone.

I see Koscheck having a distinct advantage in both the stand up and the wrestling so Hughes is in tough in this one. When these two lock horns, I believe Koscheck will end up on top in the scramble and one or two of his punches will land down on Hughes ending his night.

Koscheck, 2nd Rd KO

John

Koscheck is a fill for Diego Sanchez after he broke his hand about a
month ago, and it's no secret that Kos is a much tougher matchup for
Hughes than Sanchez is.

Koscheck is one of the few guys in the UFC at the 170 pounds where you
can confidently say his wrestling is better than Hughes.

Striking exchanges can make this a little interesting, but Kos will
just go for the take down, and get it, every time he's in trouble.

Hughes has shown to be a talented all around grappler in the past,
with some pretty nasty ground and pound, but he's on his last legs and
I can't see him eeking out a decision or catching Koscheck with
anything here.

Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision (30-27)

Jordy

Originally set to face Diego Sanchez, UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes drew a tougher matchup in former welterweight title contender Josh Koscheck.

Neither fighter has competed since 2010, coming off lopsided losses. Hughes was trampled on at UFC 123 in merely 21 seconds by nemesis B.J. Penn, and Koscheck took a five round lashing from welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 124.

It’s tough trying to think of a way Hughes takes this fight. At this point of his career, Koscheck is the better striker, superior athlete and more explosive wrestler.

Hughes could hold a slight advantage in the submission department, but his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is more suited for top position, which he probably won’t be able to secure against Koscheck.

Hughes is still a wily veteran with a few tricks up his sleeve, but his time of competing amongst the upper-echelon fighters in the 170-pound division is in the past.

Koscheck will find the mark with that wild right hand in the first round and quite possibly close the book on one of the greatest careers in the history of the sport.

(Koscheck by Round 1 KO)

Jeff

The legend Matt Hughes meets Josh Koscheck in a fight that was originally supposed to feature Diego Sanchez.

Koscheck stepped in for Sanchez after he broke his hand during training. Koscheck is coming off of a lost to Georges St-Pierre where he suffered a broken orbital bone.

Koscheck is known for his wrestling and KO power.

Hughes is coming off of a knockout loss to B.J. Penn in a fight that only lasted 21 seconds.

Hughes is a UFC Hall of Famer who has won the welterweight title twice, defeated every other UFC welterweight champion except one and has the most wins in UFC history.

It’s no secret that Hughes is not the fighter he once was though and Koscheck knows this.

Although Koscheck is taking the fight on short notice, he should still be able to pull off the win on Hughes.

Koscheck by decision

Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson

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Jon Jones vs Quinton Jackson

Dwight

In another classic battle of the changing of the UFC guard, young phenom Jon Jones will show if he truly is the champion in a division stacked with veteran and even legendary fighters.

Quinton Rampage Jackson is one of those legendary former champions, and his peers will be hoping that at 33-years-old he wins one for the veteran guard.

Jackson has held the title and beaten the best in the game to date, and he believes that Jones is an unworthy champion and not ready for the prime time lights of the championship. Jones believes that Rampage is past his prime and that he can no longer take the punches his chin is notorious for taking in his career.

I see Jones staying long and at a distance in this one, and coming in and striking with quickness and precision before Jackson can wind up his clock. This should be the trend for as long as it is standing, and I don't like Jackson's chances on the ground either.

The one thing I do like is Jackson's power, and if he gets in and lands on the button, Jones will be in trouble. I don't see it happening but it is possible.

Jones via unanimous decision

John

While the card is probably just a little above-average overall, this
main event can make up for it.

Both fighters have been talking a ton of trash about each other
building up the fight, and what fan doesn't enjoy that?

Rampage's comments that his KO power will be too much for Bones
untested chin probably leads to the most intrigue.

Either that, or the fact that Rashad Evans predicted Jon Jones to not
only win, but to win the fight because of his stand up skills.

Considering Suga used to train with Jones and beat Rampage, it's hard
not to be enticed by that statement.

Still, picks for Rampage will be few and far between in this one. His
win over Matt Hamill was vanilla as it gets, and the win over Lyoto
Machida was such a robbery I was waiting for the camera to pan to the
getaway car.

Rampage also looked slow and gassed almost immediately in his fight
with Evans back in May of 2010.

Meanwhile, Jones has really been the conductor of a hype train ever
since he decisively beat Stephan Bonnar in January of '09.

Considering the fact that Bones has 11 finishes in 13 wins and that
his one loss is often viewed on the same plane as Fedor's cut TKO,
it's no wonder Jones has such a following.

Rampage will make Jones work in the early rounds, but he will start to
tire in the third, and get finished in the fourth.

Rampage is a tough challenge, but picking him over Bones at this
point? Insanity.

Jon Jones via fourth round TKO

Jordy

This fight is being billed as the future versus the legend, but bare in mind, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson isn’t some washed up geezer hoping to recapture past glory.

While Jon Jones is every bit of as good he’s hyped up to be, Jackson will be the toughest test of his young career.

At UFC 128, the world watched in awe as Jones ripped apart Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and became the new UFC light heavyweight champion. The hype died and reality set in as Jones’ devastating win vaulted him into the pound-for-pound rankings.

Meanwhile, Jackson is coming off two consecutive victories over Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill. The win over Machida was a surprising upset, and it’ll be interesting to see if Jackson has the ability to prove naysayers wrong once again.

On the feet, there are few fighters in the sport that exemplify the devastating knockout power of Jackson. The amount of torque he gets in his hips makes his hooks the most lethal in all of MMA. Jones needs to stay on the outside with his striking and use his length to pick Jackson apart with jabs and kicks, a strategy that worked wonders for Forrest Griffin.

With that said, the main question mark of this bout will be whether or not Jackson can defend the takedown. People tend to forget that Jackson’s base for MMA is wrestling, and he has proven his ability to outwork world class grapplers in the past.

Still, Jones is a multi-headed monster that will be tough to deal with for the former champion.

There are a few question marks surrounding Jones’ chin and cardio, and Jackson has a legit shot of exposing any one of those potential weaknesses. Unfortunately for Jackson, Jones is just too well-rounded and talented at this point in his career to be denied.

(Jones by Round 2 TKO)

Jeff

Here’s the fight that everyone is waiting to see.

Jon Jones will make his first title defense against former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Jones and Jackson have gone back and forth over the past few months after Jackson accused Jones’ camp of sending a spy to watch him train.

Spygate aside, there’s no secret what Jackson will be looking to do. Jackson’s bread and butter are boxing and good defense.

The only problem is Jackson has not had a Knockout in over three years, and has become predictable.

Jones on the other hand is one of the most unpredictable fighters in the UFC.

Jones’ combination of unorthodox striking, great wrestling and good grappling have made him one of the most dominant young fighters in the UFC.

Although there’s no denying Jackson’s power, he could be underestimating Jones.

This fight may go deeper than people expect, but should end with Jones on top.

Jones by TKO or decision