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Does Rampage Jackson have a real chance against Lyoto Machida at UFC 123?
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
A week ago I thought he had a 40% chance. But now, every time he opens his mouth, my hopes for a competitive fight diminish. He has a puncher's chance, but no more. He's no longer a fighter, despite his protestations to the contrary. He's a sports entertainer (I say spitefully). Maybe he can job to Mark Henry.
ERIC LEE, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Rampage has just as good a chance as anyone else at beating Lyoto. He will need to be much more aggressive than he has been recently, but as we all saw from the second Shogun fight Machida is vulnerable on his fight. Rampage has great power and if he can be a smart boxer in this fight, I could definitely see him winning via KO or TKO.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Absolutely. Someone with the power that Rampage has always has a chance, it's the proverbial puncher's chance. If Rampage catches Machida clean with a right hook or something, the fight is over. Machida will certainly do his best to ensure that such a thing doesn't happen, but the threat looms. Rampage will have to be careful of a Machida counter, but if he can lure him in, Machida will get knocked out. Machida won't stand and trade with Rampage. I think this will be a patented borefest from Machida, but Rampage definitely has a legitimate chance to win in this one.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH SPECIALIST
Rampage Jackson always has the striker's chance to defeat any person he is in the Octagon with. That said, his recent statements in the press really tell me that he is done. When he talked about being defeated before stepping in against Rashad Evans, that told me that he was done fighting at an elite level. I think he should concentrate on the movies and his business affairs. He was one of the best light-heavyweights in the history of MMA. His legacy is secure with his dominance in Pride and his run in the UFC. By winning the UFC title and beating Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva he goes down as one of the best and most loved fighters in the history of the sport. But he does not have the desire or skills today to make another title run. He does have something most fighters in his position do not, though, and that is the talent and ability in another area to make huge sums of money and take care of himself and his family.
ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Everyone has a real chance against Lyoto Machida. The problem is that most people can't "figure" the guy out. Rampage Jackson actually has two things that can help him tame "The Dragon." First, no one has tried to really wrestle with Machida. Sure, you'd have a hard time getting to him to take him down, but Rampage can get him down and use his wrestling as a good, solid base against him. Also, Rampage, when he wants to, can walk an opponent down and bring the fight to them. Most fighters have been afraid of Machida's skill set, but if you look at the fighter that did take the fight to him, and not be afraid, that guy went on to beat Machida and become the new light-heavyweight champion. So, yes, Rampage has a real good chance of beating Machida.
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