Jackson; title shot?

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson did not score any style points, but he won a war of attrition with a man who has made a living off of them. The former light heavyweight champion knocked down Keith Jardine twice with left hooks and notched a unanimous decision against the gangly veteran in the featured bout at UFC 96 “Jackson vs. Jardine” on Saturday at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Scores were 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Jackson (30-7) will face champion Rashad Evans for the light heavyweight crown at UFC 98 on May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “I want my belt back,” Jackson said. “I’m getting my belt back.”Jackson struggled to acclimate to Jardine’s awkward style and ate his share of leg kicks, but the thunder he carried in his hands proved the difference. Jardine (14-5-1) attacked effectively in the first round, as he popped Jackson with punches and kicks before circling away from his power. The tide turned in round two, however, as Jackson dropped Jardine with the same left hook that finished Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92. The Memphis, Tenn., native tried to end it with ground-and-pound, but Jardine regained his footing, clinched against the cage and regained his composure.


Quinton Jackson slugged his way to victory.The battle spilled into a third round, where Jardine fired away with his feared leg kicks and the occasional straight right hand. Late in the period, Jackson softened him with three left hooks to the head and then planted him on the canvas with a right hand-left hook combination in the final 10 seconds of the fight. The knockdown sealed the victory for Jackson, who won for the eighth time in nine bouts. “I feel good,” Jackson said. “There was a lot of pressure on me coming into this fight. Keith’s tough. I didn’t expect him to be that tough. I won’t call him ‘Sardine’ no more.”