The Weekly Wrap: June 27 - July 3

Jack EncarnacaoJul 04, 2009
Jeff Sherwood/Sherdog.com

Rampage will take on Evans.
Miscellaneous Matchmaking

• With World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight champion Jamie Varner on the shelf indefinitely with a hand injury, Donald Cerrone and Benson Henderson will meet for an interim title at WEC 43 on Sept. 2 in Youngstown, Ohio.

Mike Swick and Martin Kampmann have agreed to a fight that could determine the next contender for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 103 on Sept. 19, according to MMAJunkie.com. Marc Ratner, the UFC’s vice president of regulatory affairs, told the Web site the event will emanate from the American Airlines Arena in Dallas.

• In a video posted on YouTube, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson revealed he will face Rashad Evans in December. The two opposing “The Ultimate Fighter 10” coaches are set to clash shortly after the reality show season wraps with a live finale on Dec. 5. Jackson indicated the fight will take place in his hometown of Memphis, Tenn. Ratner told MMAJunkie.com the UFC planned to run the FedEx Forum in Memphis in early December but did not confirm the Jackson vs. Evans match.

Kyle Kingsbury and Razak Al-Hassan have agreed to a bout at UFC 104 on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles, MMAJunkie.com reported. The light heavyweight tilt was originally expected to take place at UFC 102.

• Featherweights Rafael Dias and Diego Nunes will clash in the final addition to the WEC 42 card, which takes place Aug. 9 in Las Vegas.

• The middleweight fight between Kazuo Misaki and Kazuhiro Nakamura will move forward Aug. 2 as part of Sengoku “Ninth Battle.” Misaki recently pleaded guilty to an obstruction of justice charge for speeding away from a Tokyo police officer who had pulled him over for talking on a cell phone. As a penalty, Misaki will not be paid for the fight. Rather, his purse will be donated to charity. Misaki will then face an indefinite suspension from Sengoku competition.

• Pride Fighting Championships and UFC veteran Akihiro Gono will face Midwestern product Dan Hornbuckle in a welterweight bout at Sengoku “Ninth Battle,” the promotion announced.

• Deep 145-pound champion Dokonjonosuke Mishima will defend against Takafumi Otsuka, and 137-pound titleholder Masakazu Imanari will defend against Tomohiko Hori at Deep “43 Impact” on Aug. 23 in Tokyo.