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| Nogueira, Griffin Are Scheduled To Defend Their Titles at UFC 92 in December |
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Written by Doug Jeffrey |
LAS VEGAS — The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will have three classic bouts on the final card of the year – UFC 92: THE ULTIMATE 2008.
The card, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 27, will feature UFC light heavyweight champion and the original Ultimate Fighter Forrest Griffin as he defends his belt against The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 heavyweight winner Rashad Evans.
“We are ending 2008 with a fight card like no other,” said UFC President Dana White. “One for every fight fan out there.”
The card also features former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, as he continues his pursuit to regain the belt when he meets interim UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira in a showdown between the two coaches of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter.
Also on tap is a grudge match between two former champions, as MMA legend Wanderlei Silva takes on former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
GRIFFIN, EVANS
Who is the greatest champion to ever come out of The Ultimate Fighter? That question could very well be answered as Forrest Griffin (16-4) meets the red-hot Rashad Evans (17-0-1) for the 205-pound crown.
Las Vegas, Nevada’s Griffin has won three in a row, including a submission victory against former PRIDE champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and a stirring decision win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Niagara Falls, NY native and former national junior college champion wrestler Evans is starting to compile quite a highlight reel with knockout wins over Jason Lambert, Sean Salmon and most recently UFC legend Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell.
“I’m happy that the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 gets to fight the winner of Season 2,” Griffin said. “I think that’s great for a couple of reality show guys. Rashad has a great wrestling background, he has a lot of power and explosiveness, and he doesn’t just knock guys out, he knocks them out for quite a while. But I know a lot of people will be watching this fight. This is a great fight card, I’m honored to be on it, and I’m definitely not going to let anything slide.”
MIR AND NOGUEIRA
Las Vegas’ Frank Mir (11-3) will meet the only man ever to hold the PRIDE and UFC heavyweight titles, Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira (31-4-1). The matchup features two Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts.
SILVA VS. JACKSON
In what has “fight of the night” written all over it, former PRIDE champion Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva faces a man who he has beaten twice before in Memphis, Tennessee, native Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Both of these fighters have dynamite in their fists, and Rampage (28-7) is looking to prove that he is a different and greatly improved fighter. — Courtesy of the UFC PR Department |
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