UFC 96 payouts: Rampage earns $385,000
Here are the UFC 96 payouts, as disclosed by the Ohio Athletic Commission. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson came out on top, making a whopping $385,000 after his $100,000 win bonus and $60,000 Fight of the Night bonus (which also went to Keith Jardine). Though that's nothing compared to what I made on Saturday night: this neat spaceship made out of Legos!
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson -- $325,000 (including $100,000 win bonus)
defeating Keith Jardine -- $55,000
Shane Carwin -- $32,000 (including $16,000 win bonus)
defeating Gabriel Gonzaga -- $60,000
Matt Brown -- $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus)
defeating Pete Sell -- $12,000
Matt Hamill -- $40,000 (including $20,000 win bonus)
defeating Mark Munoz -- $12,000
Gray Maynard -- $20,000 (including $10,000 win bonus)
defeating Jim Miller -- $9,000
Tamdan McCrory -- $20,000 (including $10,000 win bonus)
defeating Ryan Madigan -- $3,000
Kendall Grove -- $44,000 (including $22,000 win bonus)
defeating Jason Day -- $5,000
Jason Brilz -- $10,000 (including $5,000 win bonus)
defeating Tim Boetsch -- $12,000
Brandon Vera -- $60,000 (including $30,000 win bonus)
defeating Michael Patt -- $5,000
Shane Nelson -- $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus)
defeating Aaron Riley -- $6,000
Dana White's UFC 96 Video Blog - 3/7/09
Here's Dana White's final video blog for UFC 96 filmed the day of the event. Highlights include Dana pounding on the Octagon trying to get Yves Lavigne to stop the Matt Brown/Pete Sell fight, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson getting sucker punched in the balls. Dana also asks Rampage if he wants to take the Rashad Evans fight in May at UFC 98, though no definitive answer is given because Rampage just finished beating Keith Jardine. C'mon, Dana, at least wait until the guy has his pants back on. I'm surprised Dana didn't just jump into the Octagon during the fight and push Keith Jardine out of the way. "Get out of here, Jardine! Hey, Rampage, want to fight Rashad in May?"
Post UFC 96 thoughts: Brandon Vera's return
It's nice to see the return of Brandon "The Truth" Vera. The real Brandon "The Truth" Vera I mean. The one that entered the UFC as a heaping mass of Muay Thai aggression. He's looked sluggish and sloppy since his fight against Tim Sylvia, so it's nice to see him looking like his old form. Yeah, it was against somebody who probably shouldn't have been in the Octagon with him, but Vera looked sharp, he looked focus, and best of all he looked aggressive. He's said that he's rediscovered his love of fighting, so let's hope we see him continue doing what he did at UFC 96: kicking people so hard they decide they'd rather lie on their back in pain than stand up.
Post UFC 96 thoughts: Rashad Evans' commentary
I wouldn't have guessed, but Rashad Evans is probably the best fighter commentator I've heard yet. And that's including Randy Couture. He was incredibly insightful and really showed the difference in mentality from a person who watches fights to a person who actually fights. I'm sure a lot of the insight came from the fact that he helped train Keith Jardine for Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, but it was extremely refreshing to hear. In addition to the very general (and also very entertaining) comments from Joe Rogan, you got a very detailed analysis of Jardine's gameplan. I felt like I was in his brain, and that's all thanks to Rashad Evans. For some reason the guy gets booed, but he's earned himself a tip of my hat. Oh yeah, and I guess Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson are fighting for the title in May now at UFC 98. Poor Lyoto Machida. He should consider a new career in Never Ever Getting Title Shots. Because I think he would be very good at that job.
Post UFC 96 thoughts: Gonzaga vs Carwin
Okay, so I was wrong about this one. Everything was going as I was expecting until Gabriel Gonzaga got lazy with his defense and Shane Carwin let loose one of those cinder blocks he calls hands. What most impressed me was that Carwin managed to get back to his feet after Gonzaga had him on his back. Gonzaga knocks people out so people forget, but the guy is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion. And he's big. And he had Shane Carwin on his back. And, uh, then he got knocked out; which is a testament to what a beast Shane Carwin is. A tip of my hat to Carwin for proving me wrong and for being born with the genes of a silverback gorilla.
UFC 96 Picks: Rampage Jackson vs Keith Jardine
I'm going with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson on this one. Rampage has shown he's susceptible to takedowns and leg kicks, but Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine has shown he's susceptible to getting punched really hard in the head. And that's exactly what Rampage Jackson does very well. As long as Rampage doesn't give Jardine too much room to work and establish his very awkward and twitchy rhythm, Rampage's superior boxing should overwhelm. I say either Rampage wins by TKO, or Jardine pulls out the decision by outpointing with leg kicks and peppering jabs. It pretty much depends on how aggressive and confident Rampage is, though judging by his last performance neither should be an issue.
UFC 96 Picks: Gabriel Gonzaga vs Shane Carwin
Shane Carwin is a damn bear of a man, but so is Gabriel Gonzaga. Carwin has the superior strength, size, and wrestling, but Gonzaga's vastly superior Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu should come out on top. Yeah, Gonzaga is giving up 20 lbs and 2 inches to Carwin's 265 lb 6'3" frame, but it's not like Gonzaga is a 120 lb chess nerd. The guy looks bigger and more powerful everytime we see him, and I expect come fight night he'll close that weight gap even more. Combine that with his world class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and I see him overwhelming Carwin on the ground.
Carwin just hasn't faced the sort of competition Gonzaga has yet. His only chance is to try and beat Gonzaga up on his feet, and bully him around with his wrestling while keeping things off the ground. And that's just not a combination of things I see him pulling off. I imagine the two will trade a bit on their feet and then clinch a few times. Eventually Carwin's wrestling background will take over and he'll take Gonzaga to the ground, where things will go horribly for him and he'll either find himself in a submission, or swept and getting beat up on his back.
ESPN MMA Live: UFC 96 Preview
On this week's ESPN MMA Live, host Jon Anik, Franklin McNeil, and Kenny Florian take an in-depth look at Saturday's UFC 96 card and breakdown the main event fight between former light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine. They also recap WEC 39 and delve into the crossover appeal of boxing and MMA. Although for their next show they should follow my advice and cover what's really on everybody's minds: girls in bikinis. Or should I say girls not in bikinis.
Dana White's UFC 96 Video Blog - Episode 2
Episode two of Dana White's UFC 96 video blog. Highlights include Wanderlei Silva doing a...Borat impression? Veerry niice!
Dana White's UFC 96 Video Blog - Episode 1
Here's part one of Dana White's UFC 96 video blog. There's really not much going on here, though you do get a glimpse at Dana White's family and his home. I'm actually a little surprised he brought his family into this though. For some reason I just always thought he was the kind of guy who would keep his family life private and separate from his business life. Then again, I also thought the moon was a giant chunk of cheese until I was 18, so what do I know?
UFC 96: Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Keith Jardine pre-fight video
Here's some pre-fight footage of Quinton Rampage Jackson and Keith Jardine talking about their upcoming fight at UFC 96: Jackson vs Jardine. Pretty typical stuff here, "can't look past my opponent", "training hard", "yadda yadda yadda." Somebody needs to come up with some new pre-fight talk. Maybe break out into song and dance. Or do a magic trick. God, how I would love for a fighter to do a magic trick during their pre-fight interview.
Check out Keith Jardine's video after the jump.
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UFC 96: Jackson vs Jardine Poster
Here's the official poster for UFC 96: Jackson vs Jardine. Although for some reason everybody appears to be leaning a little to the right. Slanted floor? Strong wind? The world may never know...