Former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (31-8) said recently that it was always his plan to retire 35 from mixed martial arts at age 35. This comments come after his recent talk of pursuing a movie career if he was offered more money to act than he was getting to fight.
Jackson, who is 32 right now celebrates his next birthday in June, is currently scheduled to meet Matt “The Hammer” Hamill at the end of this month in the main event of UFC 130 in Las Vegas.
With all of his “retirement” talk, several critics have questioned “Rampage’s” motivation for his upcoming fight.
Jackson spoke to ESPN.co.uk recently to clarify his plans on retiring, insisting that he’ll be done at age 35, and that those plans don’t have any effect on his preparations for Hamill on May 28.
“I don’t care either way. It doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t change the outcome of the fight or the way I train or anything.”
“Matt Hamill’s a tough guy with good wrestling, and he moves forward. So hopefully it’ll be an exciting fight. That’s the most important thing to me. Styles make fights. I’m just gonna concentrate on my game and be exciting…”
“I’ve always said I’ll retire when I’m 35. I don’t want to fight past 35. There are young guys coming in and doing good. I’ve been fighting for a long time and it’s no secret that I don’t fight the same way I used to…But at 35 I’m done.”