check this out...this is news to me.......



Another Night of Champions Coming, Champ vs. Champ
Story posted by Steve Carrier on July 16, 2007
****eTV issues the following:

UFC 75: CHAMPION VS. CHAMPION ON ****E TV!


Reigning UFC® Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Takes On PRIDE Champion Dan Henderson in

Historic Unification Bout in London

UFC 75 Also Features Top Heavyweight Contenders Mirko “Cro Cop” vs. Cheick Kongo and The Ultimate Fighter® 3 Alums Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill


New York, NY, July 16, 2007 -- ****e TV will telecast “UFC 75: Champion vs. Champion,” its most star-studded fight card ever, including the network’s first-ever UFC® title fight, a unification bout between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and PRIDE’s 205-pound Champion Dan “Hollywood” Henderson, on Saturday, September 8 at 9:00 PM ET/PT (same day tape) from The O2 Arena in London, England. UFC 75 also features a major heavyweight battle with international superstar Mirko “Cro Cop” when he takes on France’s Cheick Kongo. As a special feature, England’s own and “The Ultimate Fighter® 3” Light Heavyweight Champion Michael “The Count” Bisping takes on fellow “The Ultimate Fighter 3” cast member Matt “The Hammer” Hamill.

“We are pleased that ****e TV will bring UFC 75 live from London to millions of UFC fans in the U.S. and Canada,” said Dana White, UFC President. “UFC 75 will be the UFC and PRIDE’s first ever unification match – this fight between Rampage Jackson and Dan Henderson will decide who is the best 205-pound fighter in the two organizations. This is the mega-fight that sports fans have always wanted, and after waiting almost a decade not only do they finally get it, they get to watch it for free on ****e TV.”

“****e TV is thrilled to present such a monumental bout between these two great champions, said Kevin Kay, General Manager, ****e TV. “Not only will this be the first ever unification bout but it is ****e TV’s first ever UFC title fight.”



UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is coming off a thrilling victory over Chuck Liddell. Knocking out “The Iceman” less than two minutes into the first round of their fight at UFC 71 in May to capture the light heavyweight crown, Jackson stopped a streak of four consecutive title defenses by Liddell. The 29-year-old has been a rising star in mixed martial arts since his 2001 debut with the PRIDE Fighting organization (recently acquired by UFC ownership) he defeated many of the world’s best fighters, including a previous victory over Liddell in 2003. Jackson will put his new UFC title on the line against Henderson, the pound-for-pound superstar who holds two titles in PRIDE.



Henderson currently holds PRIDE’s 205 pound and 185 pound title. He is the only the only fighter in MMA history to hold two titles in two weight classes concurrently in a major fight organization. He enters his fight with Jackson after a stunning knockout victory over Wanderlei Silva last February, which was compelling since Silva had beaten Jackson twice before. Having represented the United States in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling, Henderson will look to impose his wrestling ability during his bout with Jackson in an attempt to make history again, this time by becoming the first fighter ever to hold both the UFC and PRIDE titles.



Mirko “Cro Cop” returns to the Octagon™ following his first UFC loss to Brazil’s Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 70 in Manchester, England. The fearsome kickboxer turned mixed martial artist was the 2006 PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix Champion and was expected by many to defeat Gonzaga en route to a mega-fight with Randy Couture for the heavyweight title at UFC 74 in August. Instead, Gonzaga turned the tables on “Cro Cop” and caught him with a right leg kick to the head, sending him to the canvas in a stunning upset nine seconds before the end of the first round. “Cro Cop” now goes back to England in an attempt to defeat Kongo and start a new reign of terror in the heavyweight division.



Kongo, like Cro Cop, is a kickboxer turned mixed martial artist. Not much was known of the 6’4” 240-pound Parisian when he made his UFC 61 debut in July of 2006 against Gilbert Aldana. He had an impressive record and a stellar reputation as a kickboxer, but many wondered if he could compete in the MMA arena. He answered that question quickly as he halted the rugged Aldana in the first round. Kongo then jumped back and scored another first round stoppage at UFC 62, this one over Christian Wellisch. At UFC 70, Kongo triumphed with a majority decision over popular Brazilian heavyweight Assuerio Silva, scoring his third win in the UFC.

In other undercard action, light heavyweights Michael Bisping and Matt Hamill will each be putting their undefeated records on the line in a match-up that most expected to see on “The Ultimate Fighter 3” before Hamill was forced to withdraw from the competition due to injury. Fighting out of Widnes, England, Bisping, winner of The Ultimate Fighter 3 in the light heavyweight division, comes into the bout off wins over Eric Schafer and Elvis Sinosic at UFC 66 and UFC 70 respectively.

“The Hammer” trains with Tito Ortiz and Team Punishment in Southern California, and most recently defeated Rex Holman at UFC 68. Hamill is a 2004 inductee in the Division III Wrestling Hall of Fame was the first U.S. wrestler to win gold medals in freestyle and Greco Roman competition in the 1997 World Games for the Deaf. The three-time NCAA National Champion attended the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester.

More details on the event to be announced shortly.

****e TV is available in 91.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms

Good stuff.

My predictions: Mirko comes back in full effect, stopping Kongo early on strikes.

Jackson and Hendo will beat each other up in what will be an exciting fight until both of them gas, and I think Hendo will win the decision. You can make the case for both guys having the knockout power but keep in mind they're both iron chinned, and this might be more of a battle of strength.

Bisping is going to make terrible short work of Hamill and if that fight ends in anything but a knockout for Bisping I'd be ****ing shocked.

So now it is for both titles?

There was a post where Dana was quoted as saying both men would still walk out with their belts.

Is this a belt consolidation or two separate belts? Is PRIDE being consumed or will it still exist on its own?

Who knows these answers?

And this is the same night as the Mayorga-Vargas PPV so I'll have to watch a tape delay...

I think Hamill will definetly take bisping, probably by decision,

Dude this is sick. I think Hamill is going to lay and pray Bisping and take a decision. I like Bisping, he is a cool guy and good for the sport but he is not as talented as hamill, IMO.

Awesome. I'll probably get the Mayorga/Vargas fight that night, but I'll sneak in and watch this bad ass matchup. I like both guys and they both seem even, but right now I'll take Rampage by decision in a very good fight.

If it's true, its damn awesome!

That sucks its the same night as Mayorga-Vargas. I dont want to see it happen but i think Rampage KOs Henderson.

Bisping TKO first round. Hamill is horrible. I will be taking bets on this fight. Hamill will be embarrassed and never asked to come back.

Bisping TKO first round. Hamill is horrible. I will be taking bets on this fight. Hamill will be embarrassed and never asked to come back.

Ima Hamill fan and I will take this bet..If Im still here that is. I'm never counting out Hamill, ever...Just name the price and your on.

Rampage KOs Henderson.

Hendo cannot be KO'd.

E

i think Rampage KOs Henderson.

Is that a joke? lol.

Will Rampage KO Henderson? Their is a frist time for everything. Maybe, maybe not. Will Rampage win the Decision, Yes. I just dont see rampage losing. I think he will ware the smaller Henderson down.

Nah, Henderson is the better MMA fighter then Rampage. He is one of the top p4p guys in the sport. He was 3rd on my list to Shogun and Gomi.

Yeah but this isnt 185, I always thought his time at 205 was running out. I will put 20k on rampage. Anyone?

im going with rampage by majority......

Yeah but this isnt 185, I always thought his time at 205 was running out. I will put 20k on rampage. Anyone?

Why would you think his time at 205 is running out? There hasn't been a single fight at 205 where he looked like he might not be able to really compete among the very best at 205 (first fight with Wandy) and that was long ago, towards the start of his career. When he fought Yvle, Nogueira, Arona (a fight I think he should've got the victory), Wandy (2nd time), among others he had a impressive fight and hung with them and beat them all except Arona.

Henderson will beat Rampage, I've got him stopping him in the 4th rd.

I'll match that 20k with whatever I have at the time.

So now it is for both titles?

There was a post where Dana was quoted as saying both men would still walk out with their belts.

Is this a belt consolidation or two separate belts? Is PRIDE being consumed or will it still exist on its own?

Who knows these answers?

And this is the same night as the Mayorga-Vargas PPV so I'll have to watch a tape delay...It's to unify the titles at 205. They decided to make it a unifacation match about a week after White said that.

I got Hendo over Rampage too.

Yeah and Hendo's last loss against Misaki was just the case of him being terribly out of shape or something. He never tried to shoot and just followed him around while Misaki was kicking him in the thigh over, and over and over.

But testament to Hendo's toughness he just walked through all that punishment like a robot and lost the decision. Weird fight.

Hendo at 185 was ass, did **** all in his fights and got many decisions he didn’t deserve. However, bar the loss to lil Nog, he was pretty awesome at 205 (surprising how e lost as he has like one of the best anti-subs game going), but that was while back now.

I do think Rampage is the better fighter, but he’s like the Zab Judah of MMA, moment he’s hurt, he’s mentally ****ed. If Hendo hurts him, he’ll club Ramapage until Page quits.

[QUOTE=Army of One;2526248]Why would you think his time at 205 is running out? There hasn't been a single fight at 205 where he looked like he might not be able to really compete among the very best at 205 (first fight with Wandy) and that was long ago, towards the start of his career. When he fought Yvle, Nogueira, Arona (a fight I think he should've got the victory), Wandy (2nd time), among others he had a impressive fight and hung with them and beat them all except Arona.

Henderson will beat Rampage, I've got him stopping him in the 4th rd.

I'll match that 20k with whatever I have at the time.

Looks like when got some die hard Henderson fans here. I dont care what you have at the time but lets put 20K on it now. 20k for a rampage win.

I'll match that 20k with whatever I have at the time.

Looks like when got some die hard Henderson fans here. I dont care what you have at the time but lets put 20K on it now. 20k for a rampage win.
Done.......

rampage is bigger an stronger add 2 the fact that he has a new camp trainin him harder than he's ever trained i'll give the nod 2 jackson over henderson,
should b a great fight though can't wait 2 see it.
peace.

I wanna pick Henderson in this one but my gut is telling me Rampage. Should be a good fight and I can't wait for Mirko to bounce back and put on a good show.

Yeah all I know is I want to see my boy back in action.

That loss to Gonzaga hurt pretty bad, Kongo is going down. Thanks.

I love how we get a LHW title fight for free. Hendo is coming off a huge win over Wanderlei in Febuary and Rampage is coming off a win over Chuck. Rampage will need his strength and Hendo needs his stamina, I think Rampage will win though because it is Hendo's first UFC fight in years and Page just seems to get to the level of fighting where he use to be in Pride.

Rampage by 3rd round TKO.