Malki Kawa: Rampage spy accusations are an attempt to distract Jon Jones
Posted on September 1, 2011, 10:49 AM by Joey Santosus
Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones' manager, Malki Kawa, is speaking out in response to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's allegations that there is a spy among his teammates reporting back to the champ.
According to Kawa, who issued a statement to MMAJunkie.com, Jackson's claims are nothing more than an attempt to distract his client, Jones, and build hype ahead of UFC 135.
"While Mr. Jackson finds it inconsequential that information of this variety may be on the Internet, it is still my job as a manager to follow up on this information with the UFC," Kawa stated. "I am sorry that Mr. Jackson feels that he has someone in his camp that is calling other people with sensitive information within his camp. He is unwilling to state who this 'spy' is, but is more than happy to attempt to damage other reputations in his wake. This leads me to believe that Mr. Jackson is simply looking for a way to create a distraction or create more pre-fight hype."
Jackson, however, who told Yahoo Sports! earlier this week that it took less than four hours for news of his fabricated injury to make its way to Jones' camp, is not convinced by Kawa's account of how he became privy to this information.
"Come on," he said. "Think about it. If that was on Twitter, that would have been big news. Me pulling out of the fight with Jon Jones? That would have been big news already. So you can just tell that he's lying, he's full of s---, and he's dumb."
Jones, meanwhile, has remained relatively short in his response to the accusations, insisting via Twitter that he would never disrespect the integrity of the sport by looking for such shortcuts.
"Just so you know, I'm not a person who looks for shortcuts in life. Unlike you, MMA is not something I do because of money," Jones wrote. "It's a way of life for me and I would never disrespect the integrity of that."
Nevertheless, Jackson has not sustained any serious injuries and is currently preparing for their September 24th title fight from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Jones vs. Jackson will serve as the UFC 135 headlining bout, while Welterweights Matt Hughes and Diego Sanchez will go head to head in the co-main event.
Further Reading: Jon Jones: There's only two things I need to worry about against Rampage Jackson
Photo: UFC fighter Jon Jones, left, fights Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC-Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko at the San Diego Sports Arena on August 1, 2010, in San Diego, California. Francis Specker
Comments
Jones should have just really decided to mess with him and say that he in fact did have a spy in his camp but it's not the guy Rampage thinks lol
Ya Jones is that type of person he would take it and run with it but he's response made me think it could be true and he's trying to cover up
It's not a coincidence that all this started happening 3 days after the last UFC. Rampage/Jones is up next, this is just to start a rivalry get people to watch the fight.
Its very clear to me that Jones manager is very aware of how Jones is started to be perceived by a lot of fans now.(fake). I didn't believe them when they BLATANTLY contradicted themselves regarding Jones hand injury. Rampage has always been up for trash talking but never methodical mind games or fabrication of this nature. I personally believe Rampages version of things.
Clearly it's working then considering we've now had 2 official responses from Jones HQ.
Mind games are Rampage's best chance here really, if Jones executes a strict gameplan using his reach and wrestling advantage then Rampage is f'ed. BUT if he can piss Jones off and make him get on the inside a bit more and bang then Rampage always has a shot
Didn't Jones originally start fighting professionally in order to make money so he could attend college and support his growing family?
Lol
These UFC soap operas are so lame.
I have a question for Malki Kawa..Who told you before it got on the internet?Backtrack all you want but facts are facts..
Malki said he saw it on the internet.
this will all no longer make sense, when in round 2 the referee will turn his back and talk to dana white, and then rashad comes out of nowhere and hits jones with a steel chair to the head, and get out of the cage just in time to award rampage the tko victory.