While the UFC’s epic return to Japan with UFC 144 was going to be something amazing, trouble has already struck, with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson missing weight for this fight.
The set weight was 205 pounds, but Rampage came in at a very small 211.
Jackson’s opponent Ryan Bader will receive his portion of the money for this fight because of the issues with weight, but it’s what was said about the veteran’s appearance that ruffled feathers.
Former UFC Champion Rich Franklin was tough on Jackson about the condition in which he came into this fight. When looking at Rampage’s body during weigh-ins, you could tell he was completely drained.
Jackson told Ariel Helwani on the Fuel TV broadcast about the fact that he suffered an injury during the training that didn’t allow him to cut weight enough for the fight:
I wasn’t going to say anything. I thought I was going to make the weight, but I got injured in my camp [and] that kept me from doing a lot of running. But I didn’t want to miss this fight because it’s so important to me and I fought so hard to get it and I said ‘forget it, I’m just gonna man up and make the fight.’
I kept training in other ways, I just couldn’t get my road work in a lot of ways. Then I healed up and could get my roadwork in but it was too late. I started cutting weight and it was a lot of weight to cut. I cut 21 pounds. I just couldn’t get the last six.
I tried my best, it’s kind of difficult [when you’ve got to] weigh in earlier and I kind of underestimated the time. I woke up at three o’clock this morning cutting weight and I cut everything I had.
While this is something that happens from time to time, the way Jackson looked on the stage during the weigh-ins makes many fans think that there are two possible reasons for his appearance: he either didn’t train hard enough or he hurt himself.
As much as the easy way to go is to say that he didn’t take this fight seriously enough, Jackson is a fighter returning to where it all started for him. With Japan being a very special place for the former champion, to say he took this fight lightly would be disrespectful.
Jackson’s career is coming to an end before our very eyes, but we can’t stop giving the man the benefit of the doubt. If he says he was injured and that caused the problems, I believe him. It’s not like it’s uncommon not to report injuries in MMA.
I am seriously worried about how he will look during the fight after trying to cut weight as hard as he was, though. Jackson’s night could end with Rampage KO’d.
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