The tumultuous relationship between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and the UFC is quickly turning a once beloved champion into an eyesore for the MMA community.
Since losing to Ryan Bader at UFC 144, Jackson has been in a back-and-forth contractual dispute with the UFC regarding financial figures.
According to Jackson, the promotion believes he has lost his appeal, and he isn’t worth the same numbers he was making when he first came in.
“After [my last bout] I was like, ‘I’m not putting my life on the line for these guys no more.’ They know what’s going on, but they’re still trying to make me look bad,” Jackson told Bas Rutten in an interview on HDNET. “They’re trying to make me lose my fan base. I don’t want to be part of the UFC.”
“If Dana doesn’t want me to be bigger than the UFC, then let me go. If they feel like I lost my appeal, then let me go. The UFC talks about how they’re in a billion homes and they’re making all this money, and yet, I’m making less money than I used to make with the UFC.”
Is the UFC trying to make Jackson “lose his fan base,” or are fans just witnessing another episode of sour grapes from a former champion coming off a major upset loss?
While the vast majority will likely pick a side to defend, the line between right and wrong may be more blurred than initially perceived.
Obviously, the UFC isn’t trying to kill Jackson’s fan base, but the disgruntled star does have his reasons for being upset with the promotion.
Most fans are oblivious to the strenuous training regimens and dieting a fighter has to undergo to compete at an elite level. It can be draining physically and mentally on a person. To fans, a fighter is only as good as his last fight.
Unfortunately for Jackson, he is coming off two consecutive losses, and in his most recent bout, he came in six pounds overweight.
“I think the UFC should say thank you to Rampage. This is my first time ever not making weight. They could tell that something was wrong. In my whole career, I’ve always been respectful to everybody and made weight. Why would I want to give 20 percent of my purse for not making weight?” asked Jackson.
After injuring his knee during training, Jackson was advised by his doctor to undergo Testosterone Replacement Therapy to make up for low testosterone levels and help with the healing.
While the treatments proved beneficial to Jackson’s overall health, the side effect was an excessive weight gain his camp wasn’t prepared to deal with. The knee injury prevented Jackson from doing his normal routines to cut the weight, and he wasn’t able to make 205 pounds by fight time.
When it comes to making weight and showing up to fight, Jackson has always been a model star in the UFC. Some will undoubtedly question his motivation in past bouts against Bader, Matt Hamill and Keith Jardine, but it’s amazing how one hiccup has shifted an entire view of a future all-time great.
Perhaps, people are still hung up over Jackson accepting the role of B.A. Baracus in the Hollywood rendition of The A-Team movie nearly three years ago.
While Jackson saw the opportunity as a chance to live out his childhood dreams and expand his family’s financial horizons, fight fans merely saw a money-grubbing prima donna postponing an anticipated bout with nemesis Rashad Evans.
Some fans haven’t been along for the ride as long as others, but for longtime Pride and UFC fans, Jackson has dedicated his entire life to fighting and entertaining.
None of this excuses his blunders and missteps over the years, but as a fan, it’s interesting to put yourself in the athlete’s shoes once in awhile. Jackson has worked hard for so many years, and instead of a thank you, people attack him for taking a role in a movie or missing weight for the first time.
How many other fighters have missed weight in the UFC on multiple occasions? How many fighters fail drug tests and don’t show up to press conferences? How many big names have ventured out into TV shows and movies?
The line between right and wrong is blurred because the UFC really aren’t in the wrong here either. It’s a business, and when a fighter’s performance declines, their paycheck should also take a hit. This philosophy applies to every sport.
UFC president Dana White puts a lot of effort into putting on big events and giving fans the fights they want to see. While he’s lenient enough to give fighters the chance venture out into other areas of entertainment, the UFC is ultimately his primary concern.
It isn’t good for business when extracurricular activities begin to affect a fighter’s Octagon performance.
The UFC aren’t taking Jackson’s fans away. They are leaving on their own accord. Some people are fans of Quinton Jackson, a funny personality with multiple talents, and others are fans of Rampage, a former Pride superstar and UFC light heavyweight champion.
The battle lines are drawn. Where do you stand?
Jordy McElroy is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. You can follow him on Twitter @JordyMcElroy for breaking news, updates and an occasional laugh here and there.
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