Two of the most media-friendly fighters in the MMA world went at each other in Las Vegas last night in UFC 86 for the light heavyweight title and, more importantly, the claim to the face of the UFC franchise (excepting Dana White, of course). CHICKS HEART FIGHTS deftly covers the Forrest Griffin and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson styles, camps, and fan bases.

Griffin took out Jackson’s base by pounding his left leg relentlessly and then wrestled a unanimous decision away from Rampage in a mild upset, becoming the most successful reality show contestant since Tiffany Pollard. The scoring came under some scrutiny as the match was close enough to bring disagreement between experts and fans.

This match brings closure to a wildly successful chapter of UFC marketing history as the two men who brought immense charm to the most recent season of “The Ultimate Fighter” battled in the octagon in similarly entertaining (but far more brutal) fashion.

While EliteXC puts on clumsy circus sideshows for a grumpy Sumner Redstone, UFC has positioned itself as the mainstream choice for fans of fighting.