Next time you are in the break room or public place at your job, stand on a table and yell your disgruntled feelings about your current employer. Let’s see how long you stay with the company, or if two large security guards “politely” escort you out of the building. Extreme, yes, but that is effectively what Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has been doing over the last few weeks after his performance at UFC 144 in Japan. He forced the organization to react, and their answer to his statements, while exciting, are actually puzzling at the same time.
It was announced on Fuel TV that Jackson will square off against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in what will be a rematch of the battle they had back in 2005 under the Pride banner. After the contest, the two parties, Jackson and the UFC, will part ways and he will be a MMA free agent. In what was one of the more violent mixed martial arts contests in history, Rua pulled out the victory in the first round, leaving an image of brutal soccer kicks being delivered to a downed Jackson. While a date has not been set, it has been confirmed that these two competitors will met later in 2012.
However, is this the correct action from the powers that be in the UFC? Jackson has one fight left on his current deal, and his hunger to continue fighting is once again being questioned. An undisclosed injury caused him to come in at 211 pounds for his fight against Ryan Bader. The weight problem wasn’t the only criticism of his performance, as he looked lethargic from start to finish. Except for slamming “Darth” on his head, Jackson left both the fans in attendance and those watching at home longing for him to engage and live up to his legacy.
Jackson took to his Twitter account to express his position of unhappiness with performing for the Ultimate Fighting Championship:
“Well I’m hoping the UFC just let me go so I can do my thang,” he wrote on his Twitter page. “They took my love of fighting after the Forrest fight.”
He continues onto the pay scale subject, which has been a focus for the UFC in both recent months and the past:
“The UFC makes billions off of us all over the world, and pay us chump change.” Jackson continued, “Boxers are boring and make buckets of money. Think!”
Jackson goes on saying that he’s been continuously fighting hurt over the last few years and feels unappreciated for staying on the card instead of pulling out due to injuries.
This isn’t the first time that Jackson has taken to these actions when coming off a loss or being upset with his employers. While a contracted fighter with Pride, Jackson made his preferences and complaints known that he would rather be fighting with the UFC before his debut back in 2007. When he stepped away to film the “A-Team,” he again made it known that he was not pressed to continue competing in the Octagon, and his performance against Rashad Evans displayed that. When it comes to being a “sore loser,” who can forget Jackson’s monster truck driving rampage (yes pun intended) that resulted in him being face down in the street, beside his vehicle that bears his image after being defeated by Forrest Griffin.
Each and every time, UFC President Dana White has stood beside Jackson in a way that he hasn’t for other fighters. Just look to his statements this time around, and it impresses many individuals that White’s response doesn’t include the harsh tones that are often spewed towards fighters who cross the organization:
“I’m always on again, off again with him as it is anyway,” White said. “I just think he takes his losses really hard and he takes criticism really hard too.”
The UFC’s response to Jackson’s actions have been very interesting. In the past, the organization has been quick to cut ties with individuals who have tried to place a negative light on the company. For example, UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture once left the company due to complaints over payment and disputes with the management. Ties between the company were completely severed and Couture even left as their current champion. While the relationship was eventually mended and Couture was welcomed back with open arms, he is one example of a big name fighter who was jettisoned from the organization while competing as part of the upper echelon of fighters. Todd Duffee is yet another example of a fighter who was kicked out due to negative Twitter comments, and he was a highly touted heavyweight prospect. Yet the UFC’s response to Jackson have almost been docile at the same time.
What would Jackson do if he was cut? At UFC 135 he made more than 325K for his fight against Jon Jones, and it would be extremely hard for him to find comparable pay with any of the smaller MMA organizations around. If he has a hard time preparing for opponents that he can find in the Octagon, how will he be motivated to fight against lesser opponents in other organizations? Or would he turn back to movies, as he may not have the acting background of many individuals, but he could probably find roles that would build him up over time. What about pro wrestling? Could we possibly see “Rampage” doing his patented howl on the way to the ring of sports entertainment? All interesting questions that surround what exactly Jackson will do once he leaves the UFC.
A motivated, ready to compete Quinton Jackson would be a force in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. However, whether it is injuries or other factors, we have not seen the “Rampage” of old in the cage. That being said, Jackson will face off against an old foe in “Shogun” later in 2012, and then leave the company, and potentially the sport that has built his career.
