posted March 2, 2009 at 12:00 EST in UFC / MMA Betting Trends
UFC 96 Action: Jackson vs. Jardine
by Robby Maddux
UFC 96 Action: Jackson vs. Jardine
While UFC 95 took place across the pond for a bloody good time at the O2 Arena in London, England, the online MMA betting action returns to the states for UFC 96 - JACKSON vs. JARDINE at Nation Wide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The action begins at 7:00pm EST (please check your local listings for live pay-per-view start times) and it includes a powerful main card highlighted by a main event featuring two of the hardest hitting players in the 205-pound class, who's true warriors that can bang with the best. And, the under card bouts promise to deliver equal excitement to Octagon fans betting UFC online.
The light heavyweight main event between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Keith ''The Dean of Mean'' Jardine brings intrigue to Buckeye Nation, as UFC betting fans wonder how Jackson will respond after his devastating first-round knockout of Wanderlei Silva in a highly anticipated grudge match which came shortly after legal problems outside the Octagon.
Jackson's title loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 on July 5, 2008, led to the split with long-time trainer Juanito Ibarra. Ten day's after the Griffin-Ibarra loss, Costa Mesa police were involved in a brief car chase of Jackson on the 55 Freeway. The former champion was booked into the Orange County jail on suspicion of felony evading, hit and run and reckless driving. Jackson said a combination of personal problems, and a lack of sleeping and eating, led to the incident culminating in his arrest.
Shortly after the rampage, Jackson was cleared to fight his nemesis Silva at UFC 92 in a bout dubbed Jackson-Silva III. With Silva having put two previous ass whoopings on him, Jackson was determined to prevent the three-peat. Despite his prior issues away from the cage, the former champion stepped into the Octagon in top physical and mental condition, which was a testament to his vigorous training for a fight against an opponent he shared equal hatred with.
It didn't take long for Jackson to show the UFC betting world no distraction was too big to prevent him from winning and he was back to form. At 3:21 of Round 1 Jackson put Silva to sleep at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with a vicious right hand that found its mark, improving him to 29-7-0 as the slight sports betting underdog.
The win for Jackson was one of the most important of his career, because these two guys had legitimate hate for the other and Jackson had a lot on the table. A third loss to Silva, combined with his legal problems, would have left a big question mark about his future. As well, he was hungry to silence the nay sayers who crawled from the woodwork after his Highway 55 incident.
And what fighter wants his ass kicked three straight times by the same guy he despises? Through it all, Jackson trained relentlessly and all the blood, sweat and tears paid off. However, if you bet on UFC it's hard to discount the possibility of a Jackson hangover following such a colossal emotional rollercoaster ride victory.
As Jackson enters his fight versus Jardine, he's one win away from a championship fight against Rashad ''Sugar'' Evans. Certainly motivation enough for him to bring his A-Game to the Octagon at UFC 96, but if he doesn't and looks past Jardine there will be an upset. BetUS UFC odds are giving Jackson healthy respect as the favorite priced at -350, while Jardine holds sports wagering value of +250.
Jardine has been well respected in MMA for years. While fighting under the UFC banner he has beaten some of the biggest names in the organization, including former champions Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin en route to an overall record of 14-5-1 (6-3 in UFC). Jardine is a pure brawler that's well-rounded and has good kicks. His style is a bit unorthodox and can't be compared to any other fighter in the light heavyweight division.
Jardine's 14 victories have been composed of 6 KO's, 6 decisions and 2 submissions. Throughout his career it's been all or nothing, as four of his five losses have been via KO with the other being a decision loss. Expect Jardine to come into the Octagon and battle as the aggressor, looking to get the job done anyway he can. He's a brawler who doesn't care about style points which could pose a problem for Jackson, because Jardine will throw anything at anyone. That makes him unpredictable and difficult to defend.
The 33 year-old's style makes him a dangerous and very lively underdog. It's likely the outcome of this one will be a result of KO, because both fighters won't mind keeping this bout standing. With 14 of Jackson's 29 wins scored by KO (7 submission and 8 decision), combined with Jardine's ''go for broke'' fighting style, this contest has all the makings to become brutal so prepare for a Buckeye beat down.
UFC 96 online betting under card with BetUS MMA odds:
- Shane Carwin +150 vs. Gabriel Gonzaga -180 (heavyweight)
- Matt Brown EV vs. Pete Sell -130 (welterweight)
- Matt Hamill -170 vs. Mark Munoz +140 (light heavyweight)
- Gray Maynard -200 vs. Jim Miller +160 (lightweight)
