There is a headline currently adorning the SpikeTV Web site that pretty much sums up the banality of the Spike Video Game Awards (VGA).
It reads: Steve-O drunk at the VGAs!
If anyone feels compelled to zoom on over for all the gory details then I say to you: Godspeed my friend. For those readers over the age of 14, let us continue with the surprise announcement that nobody saw coming.
It appears that the "Big Plans" UFC President Dana White had in store for Quinton "Rampage" Jackson do indeed include a stint as coach on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).
White made the "major announcement" during tonight's VGA broadcast on SpikeTV.
"Top contender" Forrest Griffin was first confirmed as coach following the Clay Guida/Roger Huerta war at last night's The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 6 Finale. White refrained from announcing the addition of Rampage presumably to entice viewers to tune into the VGA's.
I don't think announcing Couture/Fedor could entice people to sit through that dreck.
White previously mentioned that the two coaches will fight one another sometime after the conclusion of the show. TUF 7, which begins to shoot in January and will debut on SpikeTV sometime in April 2008, will feature 16 up-and-coming middleweight (185 pounds) fighters.
Here's a snip from UFC.com:
"Jackson, fresh from becoming the first fighter in history to unify the light heavyweight title when he defeated PRIDE champion Dan Henderson in September, will be making his first appearance on The Ultimate Fighter. On the other hand, Griffin - who stunned the MMA world with his decisive submission victory over the last man to beat ‘Rampage', Mauricio ‘Shogun' Rua, also in September – will be returning to the place that helped make him a superstar back in 2005, when he won the first season of the show by defeating Stephan Bonnar in one of the sport's classic battles."
It should not matter that Jackson and Griffin are in the 205-pound class — there's not a pool of bankable stars at that weight to carry a program that has been struggling in the ratings.
Jackson and Griffin should provide the spark (and personality) necessary to get the mixed martial arts reality series back on track.
Both fighters are currently recovering from injuries in their most recent bouts. Rampage hurt his hand training for Dan Henderson and Griffin underwent shoulder surgery after his sensational upset win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
It's fair to say that both should be fit at the conclusion of the show next year and be prepared to put on an exciting fight.
But we won't hold our breath. See Matt Serra, TUF 6.
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