They're a bad idea. Here's why.
If the rumor mill at MMA Weekly is reliable, it appears the previously scheduled fight between Rampage Jackson and Chuck Liddell at UFC 71 in late May is off. Good. Short of death there's no way these two won't fight. Both the storyline and the actual need for a contender in the 205lbs division makes this fight a certainty in 2007.
But the UFC is trying to rush the rematch. In fact, the UFC is trying to rush a lot of rematches of former champions seeking to regain their belts. Both Franklin and Hughes have expressed a desire to get an immediate rematch and I'm guessing the UFC isn't too hesitant about setting those fights up. The problem is that this strategy is flawed.
First, I am in no position to tell any former UFC champion when he is and isn't ready to fight. That's something they have to decide for themselves. But will successful and hyper-competitive athletes drive themselves to challenges they may not be ready for? Absolutely. Be it money, a desire to prove a point about their loss or status, or even because they're overestimating their own ability, fighters of this type of caliber have such a strong potential to lead themselves astray. That can lead them into troubled water very quickly.
Hughes has claimed he's ready for GSP, but I saw nothing in his last fight that leads me to believe he has what it takes to overcome the red hot French Canadian. And there are serious consequences if he losses, thereby making the need for a well-timed rematch all the more imperative. If he takes the fight and losses again, he makes it virtually impossible to ever get the belt back. Hughes has expressed a desire to jump to 185lbs, but if he jumps post a GSP-loss, he'll look like he's changing weight classes because he can no longer compete. And if Franklin gets his title back, I seriously doubt Hughes will ever challenge him for the gold. He'll be locked in non-championship limbo in a weight class he really doesn't belong in.
Second, let's talk about Franklin. He seemed much more ready and rejuvenated on Saturday than Hughes. He overcame his jitters and a very game MacDonald to place himself firmly in the Middle Weight hunt. Keyword: hunt. The other problem with immediate rematches is it robs other contenders of their rightful title shot. If Marquardt gets another win, there's absolutely no reason why Franklin should fight before him. In fact, those two should fight. When divisions are handled appropriately, there should at least be some semblance of a hierarchy for fighters in line for a title shot. When a champ losses he needs to earn his way back up. Some will do it quicker than others, but its very unfair to let contenders fight one another - thereby damaging their records and marketability - while champs and former champs rematch ad infinitum. There is a waiting list for the title and status as a former champ is not a get out of jail free card.
Third, the stated reasons by the UFC are just bogus. Dana White claims Rampage has fought the best fighters in the world and that while his performance against Eastman was not his best (but certainly very good), Rampage has a tendency to fight to the level of his competition. Those are both true statements, however, they have nothing to do with this situation. The 205lbs division doesn't have any clear challenger to Liddell. You could throw Rashad Evans in there, but if the UFC waits and gives him a few fights, the match will be more competitive and won't ruin any future title hopes of a very promising contender. You could offer Chuck Jardine, but that's not a fight a lot of people want to see and there's a disparity in talent level. Babalu and Tito are out of the question. I doubt Randy wants to jump back down after winning heavyweight gold. Lambert needs more wins. And worse, Chuck's 37, so he's not exactly a spring chicken anymore. So who do you give him? Rampage! It would sell PPVs by the butt load and since Jackson has a win over the Iceman, the rematch status to decide who's number 1 gives the fight real gravity in terms of matchmaking.
But Rampage has always seemed hesitant about a rush to rematch since signing with the UFC. He knows Liddell's on a high and he's still on a comeback of sorts, particularly as it relates to regaining edge. Rampage suffered some devastating KO losses to the Chute Boxe boys and any good sports psychologist will tell you it takes good timing, smart matchmaking, and exercises (physical and mental) to re-establish the self-confidence required to perform optimally in a sport. The Lindland fight helped and the Eastman rematch was a good first bout in the UFC. But he needs someone else before fighting Chuck. Any of the names I've listed above would be good, particularly Jardine or Evans. But rushing a fight to make money or get mainstream exposure at the expense of Rampage's title hopes and really, future in fighting is dubious at best.
