UFC 68 “The Uprising” Undercard Preview
Varner vs. Gilliam
Mar 1, 2007
Jamie
Varner (Pictures) vs. Jason Gilliam
Jamie "The Worm" Varner fights as part of the Arizona Combat Sports camp with UFC veteran Drew Fickett (Pictures). The NCAA ranked wrestler was a NSCAA national runner-up in wrestling and a NCBA national boxing champion.
Varner (11-2-0) began fighting in 2003 and returns to the Octagon
six months after a loss to Hermes Franca (Pictures) in UFC 62. "The Worm" surprised
many in attendance, including Franca. He scored numerous takedowns
and some felt he won the first two rounds. Franca's striking
eventually turned the tide and he submitted Varner via armbar in
the third period.
Jamie's game is submission good, having won six in a row by choke between 2003 and 2004. Franca was a big step up in competition for Varner and he performed well even in defeat. His punching is good and he can out-strike less experienced opponents, but Franca took it to "The Worm" on the feet and hurt him with knees.
Jason "The Gizzard" Gilliam is a wrestler from Lincoln Community College, where he was beaten up on a regular basis by former UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes (Pictures). The reigning Extreme Combat Challenge welterweight champion has studied martial arts in one form or another for the past 30 years. He is part of Gary Myer's Team Wolfpack in Muncie Indiana and trains with Jason Dent (Pictures) and Jason Rhinehart. His pro record is 9-0, and he sports an 8-0 amateur record.
Gilliam's strength is unquestionably his wrestling and takedowns but more than half of his wins have come from strikes.
Both of these guys really belong here and this could be a main event on a local show. Varner hasn't gone the distance in a fight since early in his career and Gilliam has only seen the final bell once. Even thought they're both wrestlers, with the assumed boring ground-and-pound tactics taken into account, I think this could be a great fight and feel Gilliam will win with strikes.
Jamie "The Worm" Varner fights as part of the Arizona Combat Sports camp with UFC veteran Drew Fickett (Pictures). The NCAA ranked wrestler was a NSCAA national runner-up in wrestling and a NCBA national boxing champion.
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Jamie's game is submission good, having won six in a row by choke between 2003 and 2004. Franca was a big step up in competition for Varner and he performed well even in defeat. His punching is good and he can out-strike less experienced opponents, but Franca took it to "The Worm" on the feet and hurt him with knees.
Jason "The Gizzard" Gilliam is a wrestler from Lincoln Community College, where he was beaten up on a regular basis by former UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes (Pictures). The reigning Extreme Combat Challenge welterweight champion has studied martial arts in one form or another for the past 30 years. He is part of Gary Myer's Team Wolfpack in Muncie Indiana and trains with Jason Dent (Pictures) and Jason Rhinehart. His pro record is 9-0, and he sports an 8-0 amateur record.
Gilliam's strength is unquestionably his wrestling and takedowns but more than half of his wins have come from strikes.
Both of these guys really belong here and this could be a main event on a local show. Varner hasn't gone the distance in a fight since early in his career and Gilliam has only seen the final bell once. Even thought they're both wrestlers, with the assumed boring ground-and-pound tactics taken into account, I think this could be a great fight and feel Gilliam will win with strikes.
