Arbitrator: Rampage Jackson owes attorneys $107,057.51 for Ibarra defense

Rampage is back on the legal radar again, this time for allegedly stiffing his attorneys.

The Leventhal Law Firm filed a petition in San Diego Superior Court on Thursday to confirm an arbitrator’s ruling that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and his company, Rampage MMA Inc., owe $102,238.03 for legal services rendered “in connection with the lawsuit filed by John Ibarra in Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. BC 415273.”

Readers may remember John “Juanito” Ibarra, Rampage’s former trainer and manager, from a 2009 defamation lawsuit in which he sued not only Tito Ortiz but 25 others including “SPORTSBLOGS, INC., a Delaware Corporation doing business under the fictitious business name BLOODY ELBOW.”

The lawsuit stemmed from Ibarra’s claim that Tito Ortiz gave a 2008 interview “in which he made false, malicious and libelous statements that [Ibarra] is a ‘thief’ and has stolen from and taken ‘advantage of Rampage.'” Rampage being “a prominent figure in the Ultimate Fighting Champion [sic] industry” at the time.

It took six years for the lawsuit to play out before finally being settled, and along the way Rampage was added as a defendant in an amended complaint based on allegations he made statements and inferences “that [Ibarra] is a ‘thief’ and a ‘liar’; that [Ibarra] has allowed $30,000 of Jackson’s camp money to ‘disappear’; that [Ibarra] has ‘misappropriated’ money from Jackson and Rampage MMA; that [Ibarra] has ‘stolen’ from and ‘taken advantage’ of Jackson and Rampage MMA…that [Ibarra] is a ‘con artist’ and a ‘liar’ who uses his ‘Christian’ religion to take advantage of people.”

This led Rampage to file a cross-complaint for breach of contract, claiming Ibarra violated a Covenant Not to Sue in the 2008 termination of their management agreement.

It turns out that defending oneself, cross-complaining, and fighting depositions isn’t cheap. Rampage changed his attorney to Joshua Heinlein of the Leventhal Law Firm in December 2013 and proceeded to rack up what appears to be a six-figure “amount that [Quinton Jackson] was obligated to pay [Leventhal Law Firm] under the Agreement,” according to the Leventhal Petition. Tack on $4,819.48 in costs for Leventhal to obtain the arbitration award and the total comes to $107,057.51.

It also appears that Rampage didn’t put up any defense (no pun intended). The Leventhal Petition includes a copy of the arbitration award which states that Rampage failed to appear at two scheduling conferences and two hearings, the latest being on Mar. 1 when the arbitrator rendered his decision.

Gift - Rampage - Arbitrator Ruling

Last we heard from Rampage, he had settled his differences with Bellator and agreed to a new two-fight contract. So while he won’t be returning to the “Ultimate Fighting Champion industry” anytime soon, perhaps a $107K debt will motivate him to get back in the circular cage. As of this writing, Rampage isn’t booked to fight in any upcoming Bellator shows.

Paul is Bloody Elbow’s analytics and business writer. Follow him @MMAanalytics.

Rampage is back on the legal radar again, this time for allegedly stiffing his attorneys.

The Leventhal Law Firm filed a petition in San Diego Superior Court on Thursday to confirm an arbitrator’s ruling that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and his company, Rampage MMA Inc., owe $102,238.03 for legal services rendered “in connection with the lawsuit filed by John Ibarra in Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. BC 415273.”

Readers may remember John “Juanito” Ibarra, Rampage’s former trainer and manager, from a 2009 defamation lawsuit in which he sued not only Tito Ortiz but 25 others including “SPORTSBLOGS, INC., a Delaware Corporation doing business under the fictitious business name BLOODY ELBOW.”

The lawsuit stemmed from Ibarra’s claim that Tito Ortiz gave a 2008 interview “in which he made false, malicious and libelous statements that [Ibarra] is a ‘thief’ and has stolen from and taken ‘advantage of Rampage.'” Rampage being “a prominent figure in the Ultimate Fighting Champion [sic] industry” at the time.

It took six years for the lawsuit to play out before finally being settled, and along the way Rampage was added as a defendant in an amended complaint based on allegations he made statements and inferences “that [Ibarra] is a ‘thief’ and a ‘liar’; that [Ibarra] has allowed $30,000 of Jackson’s camp money to ‘disappear’; that [Ibarra] has ‘misappropriated’ money from Jackson and Rampage MMA; that [Ibarra] has ‘stolen’ from and ‘taken advantage’ of Jackson and Rampage MMA…that [Ibarra] is a ‘con artist’ and a ‘liar’ who uses his ‘Christian’ religion to take advantage of people.”

This led Rampage to file a cross-complaint for breach of contract, claiming Ibarra violated a Covenant Not to Sue in the 2008 termination of their management agreement.

It turns out that defending oneself, cross-complaining, and fighting depositions isn’t cheap. Rampage changed his attorney to Joshua Heinlein of the Leventhal Law Firm in December 2013 and proceeded to rack up what appears to be a six-figure “amount that [Quinton Jackson] was obligated to pay [Leventhal Law Firm] under the Agreement,” according to the Leventhal Petition. Tack on $4,819.48 in costs for Leventhal to obtain the arbitration award and the total comes to $107,057.51.

It also appears that Rampage didn’t put up any defense (no pun intended). The Leventhal Petition includes a copy of the arbitration award which states that Rampage failed to appear at two scheduling conferences and two hearings, the latest being on Mar. 1 when the arbitrator rendered his decision.

Gift - Rampage - Arbitrator Ruling

Last we heard from Rampage, he had settled his differences with Bellator and agreed to a new two-fight contract. So while he won’t be returning to the “Ultimate Fighting Champion industry” anytime soon, perhaps a $107K debt will motivate him to get back in the circular cage. As of this writing, Rampage isn’t booked to fight in any upcoming Bellator shows.

Paul is Bloody Elbow’s analytics and business writer. Follow him @MMAanalytics.