Fight News

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

UFC 75 Champion Vs Champion

This weekend is a prime example of why the UFC and mixed martial arts in general, have surpassed boxing in popularity for fight fans. Despite building an immense and loyal fan base that consistently pays to view their fight cards, Dana White and the UFC crew will put on a huge event this Saturday that will be broadcast for FREE on Spike TV.

Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 9:00 p.m. EST free on Spike TV
from London, England
Main Event:
UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
vs.
Dan Henderson

Undercard:

Matt Hamill Vs. Michael Bisping

Mirko Cro Cop Vs. Cheick Kongo

Marcus Davis Vs. Paul Taylor

Houston Alexander Vs. Alessio Sakara

Gleison Tibau Vs. Terry Etim

Tomasz Drwal Vs. Thiago Silva

Naoyuki Kotani Vs. Dennis Siver

Anthony Torres Vs. Jess Liaudin

It has been nine years since Dan Henderson has fought for the UFC. This coming Saturday at UFC 75, he returns to the company to face light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in a unique title vs. title bout.

After winning the UFC 17 tournament in 1998, Henderson left the company in search of more lucrative fights and eventually ended up with the PRIDE Fighting Championships group in Japan, which he was a part of for seven years.

In December 2005, Henderson defeated Murilo Bustamante to become the PRIDE welterweight champion, which was the 185-pound division for that promotion. Then in February 2007, Henderson moved up to the 205-pound division and defeated Wanderlei Silva in what he calls "the most satisfying win of his career" to become the Pride light heavyweight champion.

In the process, he made history as he is the only mixed martial arts fighter to hold two major titles in different weight divisions at the same time.

"It's a nice feeling to have accomplished something that no one else has," says Henderson. "In the same notion, I set my sights on something new with the UFC title. I think I will realize it right away when I beat Quinton that I've done something that no one else has ever done."

He would be doing something that no one else ever has accomplished if he is able to beat Jackson as both the UFC and PRIDE championships will be on the line in this unification fight.

Henderson was hoping to make his return to the UFC at an event in front of his home country here in the United States. Instead, he will head to London, for this contest.

"Yeah, I was a little surprised with that, especially since Quinton and I both live in Southern California," says Henderson. "They (UFC management) could have kept it someplace on the west coast, like Las Vegas or in California."

Henderson will enter the fight as an underdog to Jackson, who in May had a spectacular technical knockout win against Chuck Liddell. But it's a role that "Hollywood" has become accustomed to.

"I think a lot of it is a popularity contest. He's (Jackson) fought twice now in the UFC so he's a little more popular in the United States than I am. That has a lot to do with it and the fact that he's a bigger guy."

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