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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
After a fairly one-sided decision win over Brandon Vera at UFC 125, Thiago Silva is going to get a crack at a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. MMAJunkie.com reports that Silva will now meet Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 130 in May in a fight that could have definite implications in the title picture.
Silva's bout with Vera was his first in a year after injuries sidelined him for the almost all of 2010. His last bout prior to the injury layoff was a decision loss to another former Champion in Rashad Evans. It was only Silva's second career loss, as he had also suffered a knockout loss to future Champion Lyoto Machida in early 2009.
Jackson bounced back from his own loss to Evans with a split decision victory over Machida in November. That headlining victory was Jackson's first since a March 2009 win over Keith Jardine.
UFC 130 is expected to take place from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada as the UFC's annual Memorial Day Weekend show.
Penick's Analysis: This is an awesome fight in the light heavyweight division. The amount of parity amongst the fighters at the top of this division might be unequaled in any other, as it seems everyone is on a fairly level playing field in their skill sets. That leads to the crazy lines of who has beaten who, with Jackson beating Machida who beat Evans who beat Jackson, etc. There are tons of examples like that in the division, and it makes plenty of fighters viable contenders for the title. If Silva can follow up on his win over Silva, he'll shoot himself way up. If Jackson can pick up a second straight win, he'll be close to another shot at the belt himself. This is a great fight, and this 130 card is starting to shape up really well.
[Quinton "Rampage" Jackson art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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