Rashad Evans’ greatest nightmare may just have come true after Rampage Jackson booked a crack at the light-heavyweight title by beating Keith Jardine.
Taking a unanimous 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 decision, Rampage relied on his heavy hands to outpoint Jardine – setting up a title date at UFC 98 courtesy of the postponement of Lesnar/Mir due to an injury to Frank Mir’s knee.
Once the awe-inspiring freak of nature in the light-heavyweight division, Rampage (30-7-0) has been climbing his way back to the top since losing his title to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86.
10 supercards later, at UFC 96, Jackson guaranteed himself a chance to regain the gold by out-pointing the game Keith Jardine – who earned plenty of respect for taking the best Rampage had to offer.
Only in the final four seconds of the fight did Jardine (14-6-1) succumb to Jackson’s superior power, collapsing under an umpteenth left hook – the type of which destroyed Wanderlei Silva in much shorter time.
The bell came to Jardine’s rescue, but the hook had served its purpose. It had rubber-stamped a message direct to Evans’ ringside-seat – Rampage is coming and his belt is in jeopardy.
“I didn’t think the pressure would get to me but Keith is tough - I didn’t expect him to be that tough,” said a victorious Jackson.
“I never stuck to my game-plan from the beginning. I was supposed to rush him - sink him like a dog.
“I planned on putting him to sleep – but I’ve got a new-found respect for Jardine.
“Now, I WANT MY BELT BACK!”
From Evans’ point of view, the fight with Jardine will have given him a fascinating insight into how to beat Rampage.
Forrest Griffin beat Jackson with leg kicks. Jardine employed the same tactics – Rampage still did not check them.
Jardine looked for takedowns but failed every time. Rampage lands over 80 percent of takedown attempts and got “The Dean of Mean” to the deck on nearly every attempt – Evans will be best advised to forget wrestling.
Undoubtedly the Jackson hook is among the best in the business. In rounds two and particularly three he rocked Jardine at will off both sides, sending The Dean to the mat on more than one occasion.
Jackson did not emerge unscathed himself. Towards the end of round two he refused a time-out after a Jardine low blow, allowing The Dean to come at him with a series of punches – rocking Jackson with an uppercut.
Round three re-established the order though, Rampage landing three big hooks and a takedown to force Jardine to chase it, where he ran onto one more big left hook that would have forced a stoppage had time not have run out.
Evans v Rampage it is then. UFC 98.
Lyoto Machida will have to play the waiting game again.
