UFC 135 Results: Will Lack of KOs Doom Rampage Jackson?

Combat sports are always hard to predict. Even the most dominant fighters are vulnerable to getting caught by one punch that can change the entire direction of the fight.

So, how does that relate to tonight's fight between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Jon "Bones" Jones. Jones is the favorite in the fight and the reigning Light Heavyweight Champion. So, doesn't Jackson at least have a puncher's chance?

Well, anyone does, but Jackson doesn't have much of one.

In MMA, there are two ways to win a fight before the decision (other than via disqualification). You can knock your opponent out or you can force him to submit.

Jackson is 3-1 in his last four fights, but all of them have gone to a decision. At 33 years old, it's quite possible that he's just a little past his prime.

That indicates that he's lost the advantage that frequently comes. He hasn't been able to turn fights with one punch. Even though Jackson has a strong record, he's now going against an opponent that's got a strong history of winning well before the decision.

I don't like Jackson's chances to outfight Jones. It may happen, but Jones will eventually turn the fight around with that one punch and win via knockout or submission. With 11 of 13 wins coming before the decision, that's not exactly going out on a limb.

It's not that Jackson can't win. His resume speaks for itself, but on paper, this doesn't look good.

Jackson gives up more than nine years to Jones, and Jones is clearly the fighter more capable of winning the fight early.

Obviously, upsets are possible in any sport. That's certainly true in combat sports. So no, it wouldn't surprise me to see Jackson win this fight and the belt.

But the fact of the matter is that Jones has just about everything going in his favor here. Don't look for the underdog to pull this one off.