UFC 144: The UFC Returns To Japan

There are 7 (SEVEN) fights on the pay-per-view, 4 on the FX prelims and one on Facebook. What did those poor bastards do to get stuck on Facebook?

The UFC returns with another lightweight title fight. This time between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson. Edgar is 3-0-1 in title fights with his most recent title defense finally putting Gray Maynard away after nearly an hour’s worth of epic trilogy-ing. Ben Henderson won three straight UFC decisions to get this fight. This guys are destined for a 5-round affair that leaves the Japanese crowd ready for the UFC’s next return to Japan.

The non-Japanese fighter who should get the biggest reaction is Rampage Jackson. Hopefully, he uses the Pride music and is able to finish a fight for the first time since 2008. It’ll be tough because Ryan Bader has been great in his career, except for a freak loss to Tito Ortiz and a merciless beating at the hands of Jon Jones.

Mark Hunt will be the sentimental favorite tomorrow night. The first 11 fights of Hunt’s career took place in Japan. If he can weather Chieck Kongo’s storm of nut shots, maybe he can ride the crowd to victory. The night should get off to a great start with Joe Lauzon versus Anthony Pettis. These two could and should set the pace for the entire night. Jake Shields has been less than impressive in the UFC, but he’s taking on Yoshihiro Akiyama who has dropped three straight. Who knows what happens here, but I’m going to be rooting for all the hometown favorites.

MAIN CARD (PPV) 10pm
Frankie Edgar (14-1-1, 9-1-1 UFC) vs. Ben Henderson (15-2, 3-0 UFC)
Ryan Bader (13-2, 6-2 UFC) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-9, 7-3 UFC)
Cheick Kongo (17-6-2, 10-4-1 UFC) vs. Mark Hunt (7-7, 2-1 UFC)
Yoshihiro Akiyama  (13-4, 2nc, 1-3 UFC) vs. Jake Shields (26-6-1, 1-2 UFC)
Tim Boetsch (14-4, 5-3 UFC) vs. Yushin Okami (26-6, 10-3 UFC)
Hatsu Hioki (25-4-2, 1-0 UFC) vs. Bart Palaszewski (36-14, 1-0 UFC)
Joe Lauzon (21-6, 8-3 UFC) vs. Anthony Pettis (14-2, 1-1 UFC)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX)
Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto
Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda
Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang