Rampage, Hamill on Target for UFC 130

Their matchup may lack the box office punch of Frankie Edgar-Gray Maynard 3, but Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt Hamill have nevertheless been charged with carrying the torch for the UFC’s latest pay-per-view offering.

His menacing scowl not far behind, Jackson (Pictured, File Photo) tipped the scales at 205 pounds for his showdown with Hamill (205) in the UFC 130 main event on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The eight other men booked for gladiatorial duty on the main card -- including co-headliners Frank Mir (260) and Roy Nelson (260) -- also met their contracted weight requirements at Friday’s official weigh-in.

Jackson last competed at UFC 123 in November, when he took a controversial and widely debated split decision from Lyoto Machida at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich. One of MMA’s most charismatic figures, the 32-year-old Memphis, Tenn., native has delivered more than half (21) of his 31 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Wins over Brazilian brawler Wanderlei Silva, former two-division Pride Fighting Championships titleholder Dan Henderson, UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell (twice), 2000 Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland and two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships winner Ricardo Arona anchor Jackson’s stellar resume. He holds a 6-2 mark inside the Octagon.

A semifinalist on Season 3 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, Hamill will carry a five-fight winning streak into the most significant match of his career; the streak includes his December 2009 disqualification victory against current 205-pound champion Jon Jones. The 34-year-old Loveland, Ohio, native has not competed since he outpointed former mentor and one-time light heavyweight king Tito Ortiz at UFC 121 in October. Hamill has been finished only once -- by former middleweight champion Rich Franklin -- in 12 professional appearances. He was a three-time Div. III national wrestling champion at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

UFC 130 -- which airs live on pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT -- also features a heavyweight bout pitting the 6-foot-11 Stefan Struve (255) against Travis Browne (247), a welterweight tilt pairing former title contender Thiago Alves (170) with the surging Rick Story (170) and a middleweight battle matching Brian Stann (186) with Jorge Santiago (185). An hour prior, Spike TV will carry a pair of preliminary fights, as former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (135.5) meets Demetrious Johnson (135.5) and “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner Kendall Grove (185) collides with Tim Boetsch (186).

Meanwhile, the UFC will stream the remaining three matchups on its Facebook page at 6:45 p.m. ET/3:45 p.m. PT: Gleison Tibau (155) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (155), Michael McDonald (136) vs. Chris Cariaso (135) and Renan “Barao” (135) vs. Cole Escovedo (135).

UFC 130 “Jackson vs. Hamill”
Saturday, May 28
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (205) vs. Matt Hamill (205)
Frank Mir (260) vs. Roy Nelson (260)
Stefan Struve (255) vs. Travis Browne (247)
Thiago Alves (170) vs. Rick Story (170)
Brian Stann (186) vs. Jorge Santiago (185)
Miguel Torres (135.5) vs. Demetrious Johnson (135.5)
Kendall Grove (185) vs. Tim Boetsch (186)
Gleison Tibau (155) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (155)
Michael McDonald (136) vs. Chris Cariaso (135)
Renan “Barao” (135) vs. Cole Escovedo (135)