UFC NEWS: UFC confirms Rampage vs. Hamill, Alves vs. Story for UFC 130 main card in May

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC has confirmed two more bouts for the main card of their Memorial Day Weekend event, as Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Matt Hamill and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story are both official for UFC 130.

The card, taking place on May 28 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, features a headliner between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship.

Rampage looks to get a title shot with a second straight victory after his November 2010 victory over former champ Lyoto Machida. Rampage, who hasn't fought for a title since losing the title to Forrest Griffin in July of 2008. A win over Hamill likely puts him next in line to face the winner of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Jon Jones.

Hamill looks to put his name in the mix of top contenders with a win over Rampage that would be his sixth straight win. He's coming off a victory over Tito Ortiz back at UFC 121 in October, and took this bout when Thiago Silva was removed from the fight.

Alves is out to build on one of his best career performances in a three round dissection of John Howard at UFC 124. The win halted a two fight losing streak to Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch, and he looks to make his way back into the title picture with a run.

Story enters this fight after a win over Johny Hendricks in December. Following the big win, his fifth straight, Story and his camp expressed a desire to fight top ten competition. They're getting just that in top five ranked Alves, and this fight marks Story's biggest opportunity in the UFC to date.

[Rampage Jackson art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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