Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson (32-9) is set to fight in Japan for the first time in six years when he takes on Ryan Bader in the co-main event of UFC 144 on February 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
Jackson made it no secret that he wanted a chance to fight on this card, to give his Japanese fans one last chance to see him fight.
In his first UFC 144 blog for Yahoo! Sports, ‘Rampage’ talked about his failed attempt at regaining “his” title after losing to Jon Jones at UFC 135, as well as his motivation to battle Bader in Japan.
But I still want my belt back before I retire. I will always think of that belt as mine, even when I’m an old, bald wrinkled ass man. I’m very, very proud of unifying that UFC belt with the PRIDE belt and for that reason a little bit of me will always think of that belt as belonging to me.
But in this fight on February 25, I get the next best thing: I get to fight in Japan for the first time in six years. It’s no secret I love Japan. Japan is where I became a MMA fighter, it is where I made a name for myself and learned how to kick ass. The fans there are so respectful, I can’t wait to perform for them again. I really, really want a sick knockout for them, and maybe even I’ll do my powerbomb if Bader is dumb enough to give me the chance…
Some haters have said now that I didn’t get my belt back after three years of waiting for my shot, I’m not going to be motivated in my fighting career. That is what my English friends call “bollocks”. I am very motivated to kick Bader’s ass. I was a little pissed off and disappointed that I didn’t get my belt back and I was upset with my performance. I’m going to take that out on Ryan Bader and – in front of the Japanese fight fans – put on a great fight.