As Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-9) prepares to fight against Ryan Bader (13-2) at UFC 144, the former UFC light heavyweight champion wants to let everyone know just where his ground game stands, including UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
“I never was a really good wrestler in high school and college ’cause I started late,” said Rampage, who holds seven submission wins in his career of over 40 bouts. “It’s just because my jiu-jitsu is like, really rough. Like I really don’t like it that much. To me it’s kind of boring for me to drill jiu-jitsu over and over and over, and I just feel like my fans don’t pay money to see me submit people.”
Bader, a former NCAA Division I wrestler, was able to rebound from two back-to-back defeats to knock out Jason Brilz at UFC 139. Jackson is coming off his loss to reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones from UFC 135. Before that, he had picked up victories over Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill.
This will be Jackson’s first fight in Japan since 2006. The 33-year-old made a name for himself in the Pride organization when he debuted in 2001 and obtained a 12-5 record over the next five years. He then debuted in the UFC in 2007 and won the title when he knocked out Chuck Liddell at UFC 71.
Losses to Rashad Evans and Jones have fans questioning where Jackson’s motivation stands, but that shouldn’t be a question for this fight. He plans on satisfying his fans with a knockout, which would be his first since knocking out Wanderlei Silva in 2008.
“If you win, you got to go and Joe Rogan gotta do an interview with you, and most likely, he’s been talking crap about you the whole time and how you don’t throw no leg kicks,” Jackson said. “And he is going off about jiu-jitsu the whole time, and that’s what I dread. I’m like, ‘Here comes Joe Rogan,’ like he just picked apart your whole game, like he’s like the best fighter in the world, and he knows every decision you decide to make.”
Rogan responded to fans’ tweets regarding the statements via Twitter.
For the record I love @Rampage4real, regardless of what he said. He’s a sensitive guy with the toughest job in the world.
UFC 144 will be available on pay-per-view on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET. It will also feature a lightweight title fight between champion Frankie Edgar and former WEC champion Benson Henderson. Other matchups on the main card include Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt and Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis.
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