UFC Announces Main Event for UFC 96
UFC announced the headline fight of their UFC 96 event during the UFC 93 broadcast. Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, will face off against Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine on March 7 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Jackson is coming off of a huge win over longtime rival, Wanderlei Silva, whom Jackson knocked out at UFC 92. Jardine last defeated Brandon Vera at UFC 90. Jardine also has career wins over Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin, both former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions.
The bout is a somewhat controversial choice as many expected the main event taking place at UFC 96 would be Quinton Jackson against the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Rashad Evans, for the UFC light heavyweight belt. Jackson, following his win over Silva, expressed interest in a rematch with Forrest Griffin, the man to whom Jackson lost his light heavyweight title. Then later on, Jackson retracted his statement, with Jackson saying he wanted another shot at the UFC title.
Jardine, while he owns some wins over impressive competition, has never been successful in putting a string of wins together that would give him a legitimate claim to a title shot. A win over the former champion in Jackson would most definitely help Jardine in making a good argument for himself in getting a title shot, despite his brutal knockout loss to Wanderlei Silva at UFC 84 in May, 2008.
Also to go down at UFC 96 will be a heavyweight battle between Shane Carwin and Gabriel Gonzaga. Carwin's a rising heavyweight in the UFC, and this will be the biggest, highest profile fight of his career. For the welterweight division, Ben Saunders will face Dustin "McLovin'" Hazelett. Saunders and Hazelett are both on winning streaks, and Hazelett has put down his competition with impressive submission victories.
The next UFC event will be UFC 94, which will air on Pay-Per-View from Las Vegas, Nevada on January 31. The event will be headlined by BJ Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre for Pierre's UFC Welterweight Title belt.