UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

[ex carrabba fan]

Frankie Edgar and Quinton Jackson are confirmed to be on this card, but with undetermined opponents. Edgar is going to get either Guida or Bendo.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=Am5mm_R_B6Ye1dTRJlB_oAY9Eo14?slug=mmaweekly-75bde09702ade77eb8ba06a5090a2bf6

[aholbert32]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

I like it. Expect Akiyama and Okami on this card. Rampage/Griffin 2?

[redsrule]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

I want Rampage-King Mo tbh.
Save Forrest for maybe the Fox card?

[redsrule]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

http://mmajunkie.com/news/26073/ufc-champ-frankie-edgar-faces-ben-henderson-at-feburarys-ufc-japan-event.mma

[aholbert32]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Akiyama v. Jake Shields signed for this card.

[aholbert32]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Okami v. Tim Boetsch added to the card.

[redsrule]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Winnable fight for Akiyama, and I think Boetsch will be a great test for Okami.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Looks like Kongo vs. Hunt is going to happen on this card

[Pappy Knuckles]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Thank goodness this fight isn't going to be in Denver. Seeing Hunt and Ben Rothwell suck in air all for 15 minutes was pitiful. Kongo is the master gatekeeper and I expect him to keep Hunt on his back and beat on him the whole fight. If we're lucky they'll bang it out a little bit though. I still like Hunt even though his career has been pretty rocky, so I'm interested in seeing this go down.

[Pappy Knuckles]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

It don't look like I'm fighting n Japan which I'm not happy about at all,I think its a big mistake by the UFC... F**k it

I wonder why UFC wouldn't want to put Rampage on the Japan card. Is it a matter of no one being available or something else? I thought Stephan Bonnar would've been a good matchup for both guys.

[The Chef]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

I wonder why UFC wouldn't want to put Rampage on the Japan card. Is it a matter of no one being available or something else? I thought Stephan Bonnar would've been a good matchup for both guys.

Especially considering both Bonnar and Rampage have voiced a desire to fight each other just within the last few days I believe.

[ex carrabba fan]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Rampage v Bader added

http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/7276706/the-ufc-granted-quinton-jackson-request-fight-japan-february

Sort of a random match. I don't know where it would put Rampage if he were to beat Bader, but I guess it's a good level of competition coming off a bad loss to Jones.

[aholbert32]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Rampage v Bader added

http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/7276706/the-ufc-granted-quinton-jackson-request-fight-japan-february

Sort of a random match. I don't know where it would put Rampage if he were to beat Bader, but I guess it's a good level of competition coming off a bad loss to Jones.

Yep, its a placeholder for Rampage. He's not getting another shot as long as Jones is champ and it makes him happy because he wanted to fight in Japan.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

I think this card is pretty solid (I'm really looking forward to the Main Event) but I think it's a slap in the face to all the fans in Japan because the main card starts at around 10am local time. I can't think of any major sporting event that starts at 10am local time.

With this early of a start, I wonder if this will have any sort of impact on the fighters who are use to fighting at night.

[ex carrabba fan]

re: UFC 144 Japan, FEB. 26, 2012

Wth? 10 AM? That's just bizarre.

That's an underrated part about fighting overseas, I don't know how big of an impact it is really, but my impression is that the time change and culture adjustment makes a difference.

I remember Forrest saying some stuff about going to Brazil that raised my eyebrow.

The card is absoultely loaded though

Frankie v Bendo
Rampage v Bader
Sexyama v Shields
Pettis v Lauzon
Okami v Boestch
Kongo v Hunt