Rampage Jackson criticizes the UFC for "boring wrestlers" match-ups
Posted on May 1, 2012, 10:10 AM by Anton Gurevich
Former UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Quinton Jackson, appeared on HDNet's Inside MMA, talking about the future of his Mixed Martial Arts career. Jackson confirmed that he will be leaving the Ultimate Fighting Championship after his next fight, also adding that he's no longer interested in fighting "boring fighters, wrestlers, and gameplanners".
Quote via MMAMania.com:
"After I leave the UFC, I'm done with them! Just like when I left PRIDE. You remember when I left PRIDE? It's over. I was very loyal to PRIDE. I fought for PRIDE, and I fought the way I fought to put butts in seats. I took risks, slammed people and stuff like that. PRIDE did a good job. They built me up. I wasn't that good when I first came out. I fought Sakuraba and they built me up and then threw me in some tough fights. That's the way you're supposed to do it. Now, the UFC, I was a better fighter when I came there. My second fight, they throw me to Chuck Liddell. The fans didn't know who I was. I knocked him out, the fans booed me. That changed me, who I am towards the fans. I used to be the nicest guy towards fans. My first time getting booed. How are you gonna boo somebody for knocking somebody out? But I got a whole other opinion on that.
And now, the UFC's just throwing me all these boring fighters, these game planners, these wrestlers. I'm the type of fighter who you should match up with people who want to fight excitingly. You know what I'm saying? Cuz I'm gonna be the type of fighter who puts butts in seats."
Jackson was originally scheduled to face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, but was forced to turn down the rematch due to a knee surgery. Rua will now face Thiago Silva at UFC 149 in Canada, while Quinton Jackson is still without an opponent for his farewell bout.
Rampage is 32-10 in his MMA career, 7-4 in the UFC.
Comments
Change sports then, this is mma, you want to stand with people all day try your hand at boxing.
Rampage is absolutely right. The UFC should offer him "tailor-made" match-ups to fit his strengths. After all, wrestling isn't MMA...
i think most people agree rampage is unlikely to make another serious run at the title so what he says kinda makes sense....he wants to be in an exciting fight and if u look at his last few opponents...bader jones hammil rashad before machida, theyv all been wrestlers...theres lots of good fights out there for him like nog, forrest, shogun, i think thats what hes trying to get across here
I can see your point but he hasn't actually done what someone like Wanderlei or Franklin has said - come out and say they only want fun fights for the fans, we might not expect him to make a run for the title but it may have been his intent before the Bader fight.
IF he was well rounded, maybe he wouldn't be losing? hmmm logic?
There is nothing wrong with a guy who loves to stand and trade but if he fights like that then it is his responsibility to have the skills to stay standing, not the UFC's.
If you can't stay on your feet then improve your TDD or getting up off your back, take some god damn responsibility.
I was never a huge Liddell fan but I have I have a new appreciation for him since he retired. The fact that he was a striker and we never heard him complaining about "boring wrestlers" is because he actually had an answer for them.
The attitude that Rampage is showing now is the exact reason he will never be champ again.
Totally agree Predator,
Basically what he's saying is "everyone has figured out how to nullify my game plan because I havent changed it since I started and it isn't fair!"
He's a boxer who can stuff takedowns and slam (or used to slam). Nearly everyone is well rounded now, they've moved on. You haven't.
There aren't too many Chris Leben types out there at light heavyweight who will just stand there and allow you to punch their beard!
I hope you're joking!
Right, wrestling isn't MMA....MMA is a mixture of all fighting styles, including one of the MOST important ones, which is wrestling. Get a clue.
YEAH THEN when every fighter and their grandma comes crying cause they they dont want to fight a guy cause they know they will lose, you can just give them what they want too.... and they can change the name of the sport.. call ir the P.F.C,,,,, the PUSSYBABY FIGHTING CHUMPIONSHIP..... HOWS THAT!!!!!!
Unfortunately, the ironic tone in above comment of mine was missed.
He's being sarcastic guys.
Some of us got it b19.
This guy is not going to change the way he fights.
He will always be respected as a brawler but blaming the UFC because you are one dimensional is nothing but whining.
Time to move on Rampage and try another gig.
lol, just need to add a little bit more sarcasm, since there are "fans" out there that do think that way. But I'm picking up what your putting down. 8)
I hate watching most of the wrestlers / lay n pray artists in the UFC and other organizations just like you do, but wrestling has become part of MMA now, Rampage. The sport of MMA is evolving on a daily basis, therefore if you want to continue to fight for a living, you're going to need to evolve as well.
i luv lay n pray matches, i can go out and buy more beer, take a dump, and come back to see the match still running!
How many UFC cards can you honestly call boring ?
There are submissions, knockouts, fight of the night on most cards.
Most referees are standing guys up when they are inactive on the ground.
Rampage complaining about wrestling in mma is like someone complaining about punching in boxing...It doesn't make sense. Rampage needs to check his bank account and then meet some guys who are getting paid 12,000 to fight who are getting booed and still loving their sport.
I'm pretty sure every card that is in Europe is boring.
BigAIRIz is evolving as well, I remember when he first got here. Now I often click sharp on him.
@BigArse,
What a boring thing to say.
True and many of the wrestlers now are getting better at striking even the purist BJJ guys are getting better at striking to add to their game. Even Maia is boxing now, to me that was surprising.
You know I don't really want Jackson to leave the UFC; however, when a fighter starts criticizing the sport I have to say at that point that it's a good thing he's leaving.
It's your job as an MMA fighter to take that 3 months or so to adapt your skills to your opponent. I like Rampage but it seems MMA evolved and out grew him.
If "Quitin" Rampage has some good leg kicks and front kicks, that Jones fight would have been far more interesting.
wrestlers are boring? DUdes I dont remember that, when the last time wrestlers were boring, Maynar vs Edgar fight was boring? Lesnar vs Valesquaz was boring? Jon Jones fight is always fun to watch... Clay Guidia, Rory Macdonald ! Jackson Should start watching all full fight card rather Rashad and GSP "main events" and blame after that....
Boring fighters? Instead of complaining about "Boring wrestlers" why don't you try beating some (Ryan Bader, Rashad, Jones), especially Bader,, who u had no business losing too. Wrestling is a part of MMA, like it or not, and I find it ridiculous for someone who's been losing to complain about 'boring competition" . The only people who can complain about "boring competition is Anderson Silva and Jon Jones b/c no one has challenged them or beaten them yet
more whining? dayyyyyyyyymnnnnn son.
And if someone takes you down and lays on you for 5 minutes, instead of complaining about them being boring, why don't you try stopping them from taking you down, why don't you knock them out first? If someone implements a plan that repeatedly works on you, they have no reason to do anything else
So true .. hope thy give him another wrestler !
I hope everyone remembers that Rampage was the one who begged to get on the Japan card, he was the one that begged to fight their even if it was against Bader who he knew would try to outwrestle him.
Did Chuck Liddell complain when he had to fight in a row; Couture, Horn, Couture, Sobral, Ortiz? All guys who wanted to take him down?
HELL NO, he did his job as an employee of the UFC and fought all the grapplers without complaining but used his skills so that he couldn't be grappled or layed on.
Rampage is becoming a pathetic joke at this point, and every time he opens his mouth he makes it worse, just further confirming what I have been saying all along, that he is the biggest excuse-making, cry baby, whiner in all of MMA.
He didn't EVOLVE as a fighter so now it's everyone else's fault that he can't really compete anymore. Boo-hoo.
you are absolutley right,, he has to go!!! freaking pussybaby......
i agree with rampage but hes a ****ing hypocrite. those guys are wrestlers and hes just a boxer, a fighter does what hes best at
you beat your opponent by exploiting his weaknesses...PEORID !!
Isn't PEORID in Spain? ..8), I agree with you Lonnie.
he should of worked on his BJJ then!!!
This like him saying let me fight a guy that I know I can beat because he wont take me down,,, thats what the fight GAME is all about one fighter beating another by exploiting his weaknesses,, Its time for QUIT 'IN to move on he has no right to be bitter he knows why he lost the fights that he is complaining about, I guess he thinks it would be fair if he was matched up with a guy who couldnt wrestle or strike and he can beat the crap out of him... This would be fair????? cant wait to hear what Dana White has to say.......
UFC...hmmmm who has a glass chin and no wrestling ability? We'll match him up against...uh...hmmmm...oh well guess those guys arent around anymore.what will we do? IDK I suppose we'll just listen to him cry to EVERYONE!....even the Diaz's throw leg kicks and knee your thighs, thats more than Ive seen from Rampage in his entire career, Quinten "No Kick" Rampage. Even a simple yellow belt front kick can keep guys away.
He just keeps trying to get let go doesn't he? Go box if you're a wrestler that refuses to wrestle. I was always a fan but cmon Quinton.....
The problem is that rampage came from an organization that was known for putting on exciting fights...(even if they were ridiculous in nature) and not always the fights that HAD to happen. Now the UFC is in this strange middle ground imo where they want to put on fights that are exciting (which would make it more of a sports entertainment company) but also put on fights that make sense (which would make it a legitimate sport). If everyone wants the UFC to truly be a legit sport, there is no escaping the so called "boring" fighters that wrestle because if the competition can't stop them, that's their fault, not the wrestlers. If we all just want to be entertained by crazy knock outs and brawls, then the UFC will never be taken seriously as a TRUE sport with rankings and such because the fighters who do that usually don't have consistent winning streaks etc.
Amen!
Cant argue with that Rampage. Thees more boring wrestling fighters than ever right now. Lots of fights going to decision and guys taking no chances to eek out a win.
Theres a reason guys love fighters like you and Liddell and Dos Santos and Wanderlei and Vitor, cause they put on ENTERTAINING fights whether theyre winning or losing. What theyre not doing is holding guys on the mat until time runs out.