“You can’t make everybody happy.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson can certainly attest to that. Opening up to UFC announcer Bruce Buffer on his strange journey that eventually led him back to the UFC’s ranks, ‘Rampage’ went on to explain how his numerous working relationship had failed him.
“I learned that the hard way when I knocked out Chuck Liddell and everybody was booing,” Jackson said of his win at UFC 77. “Wow, that never happened to me. I was coming from Japan where I never had a crowd boo me in my life. It changed me and changed the way I looked at the fans, that day. I used to be a big time fan friendly guy until that day. You fight for the fans. Don’t let them control your life.”
Jackson explained his leaving UFC in 2013 was partly due to a tense relationship with UFC brass, especially president Dana White.
“I was really upset with the UFC,” said Jackson. “Not everybody in the UFC. It was just the way I felt, like I should get more respect for the things I brought to the table and how I approach every fight.
“I’m not going to lie,” said Jackson. “I was real salty when I left UFC. I didn’t like a couple of things that Dana said when I fought injured. I took it to heart because I felt like I was trying to save the relationship with UFC and Dana by fighting injured and not pulling out of the fight when I was fighting in Japan [at UFC 144].”
In hindsight, Jackson said he regretted going through with the fight, but that he didn’t want to let his Japanese fans down.
Moving on to his now-estranged relationship with Viacom owned Bellator MMA, Jackson explained how his relationship with former CEO and founder Bjorn Rebney turned from publicly amicable to nonexistent.
“I thought he was a different person,” Jackson said of Rebney. “I cut all ties as soon as I found out the guy was full of s**t. My manager talked to him every day and I couldn’t believe it. I have no relationship with him.”
Jackson didn’t sound much more impressed with Rebney’s replacement, former Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.
“I don’t understand why Scott Coker is so butthurt over this whole thing,” Jackson said of his leaving Bellator while still being under contract. “He came into a really bad problem, but I think he tried to handle it wrong. I did the deal with Viacom and it goes higher than Bjorn Rebney or Scott Coker and that’s what I’m learning now.
“Scott Coker was brought in the clean up the mess somebody else made. He just handled my mess wrong. I’m a little bit different than those other fighters. I came over first, then Tito Ortiz came, then Stephan ‘boner’ came. I was trying to build up the organization. They should have been like, ‘Let’s keep Rampage happy.’ Instead, they tried to manipulate me. I’m not with this s**t.”
Jackson did speak highly of Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, though.
“I just got me a Dodge Hellcat a couple days ago,” said Jackson. “I want to give a big shoutout to Lorenzo Fertitta for this Hellcat. Thank you, sir. Lorenzo has always been cool.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
‘Why can’t I come back and be stronger than ever?’ Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz says he isn’t even considering retiring from fighting after suffering yet another ACL injury. “For me to retire, for me to think about stopping and to not put my head down and do the [physical therapy] is absolutely insane to me, because this is what I want to do.’
‘I think I’m the bogeyman at 125 and 135.’ John Dodson says he’s considering fights at both flyweight and bantamweight, especially given the chance to prove his 2011 win over TJ Dillashaw wasn’t a ‘fluke.’ ‘Even that champion doesn’t want to fight me. I have a whole team afraid of me.’
Chat Wrap. Luke Thomas discusses Rampage Jackson’s signing with the UFC, Dominck Cruz’s injury, 2014 year in review and more in this week’s live chat.
‘He’s a b***h, too.’ ‘King’ Muhammed Lawal doesn’t have nice things to say about Quinton Jackson or Tito Ortiz.
Go Horse. Fabricio Werdum says he sees himself finishing Cain Velasquez like he did Fedor Emelianenko.
MEDIA STEW
Free Fight: Nick Diaz vs. BJ Penn.
Jon Jones talks UFC resume.
Rickson Gracie’s son Kron making his MMA debut in Japan.
Robin Black’s submission and KO’s of the year.
We’ve got a long way to go.
Ronda Rousey fights a bro from Entourage.
Long watches.
Team Alpha Male Radio – DEC. 23, 2014 – #026 (Faber, Dillashaw, Castillo)
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TWEETS
Great shot.
I’ll pick the winner on Christmas day! Use #TeamReebok pic.twitter.com/m2Vx7tWLYn
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) December 23, 2014
Good to hear.
Just got conformations that I’m medically cleared from the California Athletic Commission. What’s up @ScottCoker @BellatorMMA let’s work
— Will Brooks (@illwillbrooks86) December 23, 2014
Real leverage.
Been a fun year. I love competing but I think I love coaching more. Pumped to continue to … http://t.co/yDB145TD0c pic.twitter.com/N6tIVonYUm
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) December 23, 2014
Contest.
Congrats to francisco_martinez for winning the $500 reebok gift card! #TeamReebok we’ll contact you… http://t.co/mn1iGP83N9
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) December 24, 2014
Okay since so many people were upset about the reebok contest winner I’m starting my own contest -… http://t.co/u6SQjEc3LW
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) December 24, 2014
Bond villain.
Having fun shooting in Vegas. Muito maneiro atirar com essa peça!! http://t.co/4uzM3MANJw pic.twitter.com/K864JegC9U
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) December 22, 2014
If you’re interested.
Here’s my VLOG under two weeks from my upcoming @ufc fight at #UFC182. https://t.co/b4OeGwKZ4j @devonteeple @JuryJJ
— Myles Jury (@FuryJury) December 23, 2014
Make it happen.
My one birthday wish is @UFC_UK @UFC give me a fight early 2015 pic.twitter.com/T54waChs0G
— Joanne Calderwood (@DRkneevil) December 23, 2014
Nice testimonial.
If you need a last minute gift or new years resolution this is proof of how awesome danhendoafc and… http://t.co/vR3jnAuKJF
— Dan Henderson (@danhendo) December 24, 2014
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Dec. 23 2014)
Chris Honeycutt vs. Clayton MacFarlane at Bellator 133
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via LawFitz.
Why the UFC Does (and Should) Have a Monopsony/Monopoly in MMA
Much debate has emerged since the twin class action lawsuits were filed recently by former UFC fighters against the world’s premiere MMA org about whether or not the UFC has a monopsony/monopoly in MMA. The short answer is yes they do, but the rationale behind it isn’t so short or simple, so bear down and let’s explore.
First let me start by saying that this post will attempt to make little to no commentary about whether or not the UFC has abused their monopoly/monopsony power. I’ll leave that question to the courts and other authors to explore. I simply want to discuss whether or not a monopoly/monopsony exists in MMA, whether or not it should, and what the ramifications are for the sport’s future.
To begin this exploration, let’s look at three other major US sports leagues: NFL/NBA/NHL. These sports have over time evolved a relatively stable and immensely thriving business model that consists of a single unified league that sets a framework for each sport to exist with the most value possible for all participants, including owners, players and fans. This framework consists of game rules, a method to determine a champion, guidelines for how players enter and contract with league teams, and a player union that negotiates multiyear league guideline agreements with owners, on behalf of all players collectively.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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