Detroit is going through some rough times. The struggling economy has killed the city. Housing values are at an all-time low and unemployment has skyrocketed. It might be why the Detroit-area fans are fired up to see Quinton Jackson. He escaped the rough streets of Memphis to become one of mixed martial arts' biggest stars.
Jackson faces Lyoto Machida tonight in the Octagon in the main event at UFC 123. The 32-year-old told the Detroit Free Press that fighting has saved him from a life behind bars.
"Wrestling and the UFC have changed my life. The toughest people in the world -- the street punks who think they're tough, anyway -- are dead or in prison," Jackson said. "If you are in prison, that's the same as being dead, I think. This sport saved me. I could have been dead. I've been shot at a few times."
At 32 years old, Jackson (30-8, 5-2 UFC) is still a young guy but the fight marks a crossroad for his career. Plenty of critics are questioning Jackson's ability to get back to the well-rounded ways of his PRIDE days. The powerful brawler has fallen in love with his hands. If you only approach him from one angle, Machida (16-1, 8-1 UFC) is a tough assignment. He needs to mix things up, but in the end, it will be Rampage's power punching that can win him the fight. It's what has fans scurrying for tickets.
According to SeatGeek, even with the money struggles in the Motor City, fans are hot and heavy over UFC 123.
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