“That was totally disrespectful. When I called him out, I called him out very respectfully.”
The rivalry lives on between mixed martial arts (MMA) legends, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva.
At 2-2 in their four-fight series, there is still a desire to punch each other in the faces between the PRIDE Fighting Championship staples. Silva bested Jackson in the first two bouts before the tides turned in their most recent Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator encounters.
Silva, 47, hasn’t fought since his Bellator 206 second round knockout loss to Jackson in September 2018. The 45-year-old Jackson has only competed once afterward when he suffered a first round technical knockout opposite Fedor Emelianenko in December 2019. In 2024, Jackson is set to return to action as he currently lined up his boxing debut against Shannon Briggs in Qatar on June 1, 2024. After that, Jackson plans to return to MMA for a United Fight League (UFL) clash with The Ultimate Fighter 10’s (TUF) Darrill Schoonover. He then wants rematches with Rashad Evans and Silva.
Silva recently caught wind of his foe’s intended combat roadmap and responded to by accepting the challenge and saying he “will hang you on the ropes again,” per MMA Fighting. Jackson was not flattered to hear the comments.
“I can’t believe Wanderlei said that,” Jackson told MMA Mania. “I might have to talk to Rashad Evans. I might have to push Wanderlei’s ass whooping up some. I’mma beat his motherf—king ass for saying some s—t like that.
“That was totally disrespectful,” he continued. “When I called him out, I called him out very respectfully. I’m gonna talk to S.D.K. (Suleyman D. Khan) and Hossama [Khan] about getting the fight over in Qatar after I knock the s—t out of Shannon. I’m gonna ask them, ‘Can I beat the f—k out of Wanderlei next after I fulfill my fulfilments with ‘Titties’ (Schoonover)’? I want f—kin’ Wanderlei in Qatar.”
The Jackson-Silva rivalry rekindled right before Silva was announced for UFC’s Hall of Fame at UFC 298 in Anaheim, California this past weekend (Feb. 17, 2024). Jackson wasn’t specific on whether or not he’d want a fifth Silva fight in MMA or boxing, but surely the two mentioned something when meeting inside the Honda Center.
“I want to document that whole training camp,” Jackson said. “I would love to do that training camp in Qatar. I would love to go there, get my mind right, train over there, get familiar with the people and stuff like that then being like Rocky Balboa where they see me running and train through the city. I want the fans behind me there and when I knock Wanderlei out, that will be my biggest accomplishment ever.
“I tied, I got the rubber match, I won, my arch-nemesis, I put him to bed,” he continued. “Then I never ever — ever — want to see him again … Unless it’s on my podcast and he’s next to me and I ask him, ‘How you feel getting knocked out by your arch enemy?’”