“I think [the UFC] is probably expecting me to lose”: Keith Jardine

Published on: 22nd January, 2009

"I think [the UFC] is probably expecting me to lose": Keith Jardine | read this item

Jardine Won't fight Rashad.

UFC Light Heavyweight Keith Jardine has defeated two former champions in Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell while attempting to gain his own title shot. Now Jardine faces his toughest task when he faces off against another former Light Heavyweight champion in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 96, in the main event. Now Jardine says he thinks that the UFC expects him to lose his big bouts.

SportsIllustrated.com caught up with Jardine and spoke to him about his match up at UFC 96 against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

“I think [the UFC] is probably expecting me to lose,” Jardine said. “I think they’ve put me in other fights where they expected me to lose, but that didn’t happen. I guess I’m the guy they get to step in whenever they need somebody.”

Even if Jardine wins at UFC 96 and retains the right to face off against his Greg Jackson trained teammate and current UFC Light Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, he says he will not accept the bout.

“Rashad and I won’t fight,” Jardine replied. “No way.”

We know that Jardine has said that he would never fight Rashad because he would have to leave Greg Jackson’s camp. The reason is because Rashad was the one who brought Jardine over to train at the camp after their stint on The Ultimate Fighter season 2.

Jardine faces an obstacle with that decision because he now faces a fighter’s biggest opponent ”An open window of opportunity”. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua faced a similar decision when he fought in Pride and his teammate Wanderlei Silva was the Middleweight champion. Rua did not want to face off against him cause they were almost like brothers, the decision may have cost him his shot at a title. Especially when you consider his last two poor performances in the UFC he may have never be the same cause of his knee injury.

Jardine now faces the same choice: face off against Rashad Evans or risk never getting another title shot.

Narcisist is the Co-owner of UR Dirt and is the designer, editor and author. URDirt.com is a MMA blog that covers the UFC, WEC, StrikeForce, DREAM and several other Mixed Martial Art promotions. Read more from this author

Readers Comments

LHK22 says:

January 22, 2009 at 4:14 pm LHK22(Quote)

I expect him to lose and to see him out cold

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Magic says:

January 22, 2009 at 5:45 pm Magic(Quote)

Jardine has a tendency to stand toe to toe & scrap & that’s bad for him because he alwaaaaaayysss get’s KTFO!!!! Expect him to have the same type of game plan he did for chuck..But it still won’t work, He’s gonna get KTFO in the first round.. Rampage will check those kicks & counter strong & Knock him out.

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Larry McGlade says:

January 22, 2009 at 5:53 pm Larry McGlade(Quote)

TECHNO VIKING will DESTROY Rampage!

The reason he’s fighting Rampage first, they want to put some more time and distance, on the whole REAL LIFE rampage of Jackson’s.

Since he came to the UFC he’s done nothing but make excuses for his losses in Pride, then when he lost to Griffin and took defeat with grace, he later recanted and said the decision was bullshit. Then we all know what happened, he thought he was god, went on a rampage, put pedestrians, drivers, and cops lives in danger and resulted in the death of a woman’s unborn baby.

That is the REAL reason he is not fighting Rashad sooner than later. If it was just about records and skills, of course he’d be fighting right now, but as the UFC tries to get sanctioned in states like New York, having a murderer as a light-heavyweight champ doesn’t scream endorsements and mainstream acceptance.

Rashad may be an immature assclown, but as far as we know he’s no Rampage Jackson, O.J. Simpson, or Ray Lewis.

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- Rider917 says:
  
  January 22, 2009 at 6:20 pm Rider917(Quote)
  
  @Larry McGlade, The UFC wants him to lose so he can have a PPV dance off against Pat Barry…… Techno Viking vs Tehcno Viking
  
  Reply to this Comment
  - MMA BK1 says:
    
    January 23, 2009 at 3:34 am MMA BK1(Quote)
    
    @Rider917, Barry will beat the Techno Viking by leg kicks and glow sticks
    
    Reply to this Comment
keets kizzle says:

January 23, 2009 at 7:27 am keets kizzle(Quote)

the dean of methanphetamine (i call him that because he looks like one of the people in the faces of meth pics if you haven’t seen them google faces of meth you’ll see)will probably get knocked out, but i hope he beats the shit out of rampage.

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Rick Johnson says:

January 23, 2009 at 9:33 am Rick Johnson(Quote)

The way Jardine bounces around, i wouldn’t be surprised about meth…he looks like Richard fucking Simmons. If Richard Simmons were in ZZ Top. AND did meth. Rampage looked good against Wandy…and Liddell…I got Rampage vs Jardine.

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