The feud between Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is getting personal.King Mo recently appeared in an episode of Beatdown on the Sherdog Radio Network and spoke with TJ De Santis and Jon Luther about the root of his ongoing proble…
The feud between Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is getting personal.
King Mo recently appeared in an episode of Beatdown on the Sherdog Radio Network and spoke with TJ De Santis and Jon Luther about the root of his ongoing problems with Rampage.
Rampage is the type of dude that doesn’t like to see other people that are like him, or similar to him, come up. I don’t think he likes to see other young black fighters come up. That’s what it is. That’s how I feel.
The feud began in July 2009 at an autograph signing at the UFC Fan Expo for UFC 100. Rampage and King Mo rode in the same van traveling to the event, and they got into a heated back and forth quarrel about past comments and overall accomplishments in the sport.
Since the encounter, the two light heavyweight superstars have continued to throw verbal jabs at one another through the media via interviews and Twitter.
There was hope that the UFC would finally ink King Mo to a deal and put together a bout with Rampage, but the former light heavyweight champion will remain in Strikeforce after signing a new four-fight deal with the promotion at the beginning of the year.
To make matters worse, it was announced on Tuesday that King Mo tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone at the January 7 “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine” event.
If his appeal is unsuccessful, King Mo faces a fine and one-year suspension, which would pretty much kill any hope of a future bout against Rampage.
Oh, the blockbuster year that was 2011 in MMA.When it began, George Sotiropoulos was only a win or two away from the Frankie Edgar/Gray Maynard saga, Donald Cerrone was just starting off in the UFC, Eddie Alvarez was still Bellator Lightweight Champion…
When it began, George Sotiropoulos was only a win or two away from the Frankie Edgar/Gray Maynard saga, Donald Cerrone was just starting off in the UFC, Eddie Alvarez was still Bellator Lightweight Champion, Georges St-Pierre was preparing for arguably his biggest UFC Welterweight title defense to date (on paper) against Jake Shields, Jon Jones was still respected by all except those who felt he was getting pushed too fast, too soon and Brock Lesnar had just lost the UFC Heavyweight title to Cain Velasquez.
Now, Velasquez owns a loss to new UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior Dos Santos, who wants his rematch with Alistair Overeem in June, while Jones is now the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and seen as consensus No. 2 Pound-for-Pound best fighter in the world, Georges St-Pierre awaits the winner of Nick Diaz’s UFC 143 bout with Carlos Condit (but of course, GSP would prefer it be Diaz). Among other things, Michael Chandler, better known as “Alvarez 2.0” by some, is the upgraded version of his predecessor, only with less fights and better wrestling.
So, for better or for worse, who all got exposed in one way or another?
Arguably the most enigmatic fighter in the business, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has produced some of the best memorable moments in mixed martial arts history.The light heavyweight great has fought some of the best fighters in the world, earned champions…
Arguably the most enigmatic fighter in the business, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has produced some of the best memorable moments in mixed martial arts history.
The light heavyweight great has fought some of the best fighters in the world, earned championship titles and all the while has remained a goofy, lovable and sometimes confusing man.
Here are some of Jackson’s more outrageous moments that have caught the ire and praise of both the fans and media alike.
I had a lot of things to tell you about Chael Sonnen. About his first MMA fight with a high level wrestler. About the mental dexterity it takes to convince yourself you can beat an opponent who has bested you in the past. About what happens when two wr…
I had a lot of things to tell you about Chael Sonnen. About his first MMA fight with a high level wrestler. About the mental dexterity it takes to convince yourself you can beat an opponent who has bested you in the past. About what happens when two wrestling juggernauts meet in the middle of the cage to settle a score and earn a title shot.
I won’t be telling you any of those things.
Sonnen’s fight with former NCAA champion Mark Munoz was cancelled yesterday after Munoz was forced to bow out with an injury. In his stead to save the day, riding the white horse for perhaps the first time in his UFC career, comes British striker Michael Bisping—the internet exploded.
Bisping and Sonnen. It’s a dream fight in a lot of ways. Not so much in the cage, where fans and oddsmakers see Sonnen as a heavy favorite. But behind the scenes, on radio shows, podcasts and television shows. It has the makings of an epic.
For now, Sonnen is content to bide his time. Nothing I said or asked him yesterday shortly after the announcement evoked even a shred of emotion. The trash talk that has helped him rise from journeyman to superstar was nowhere to be seen.
Does he respect Bisping?
“I’ve never been clear on what respect means. I hear [the word] thrown around a lot, and how it equates to a lowly cage fighter is beyond me,” Sonnen said.
Why do you think the fans don’t seem to like Bisping much?
“He has sold out a lot of different arenas. What other measuring stick compares?”
Even rank jingoism couldn’t force him to play his hand. Is he proud to represent America against an invading British fighter?
“I don’t get caught up anything this isn’t Chael P. Sonnen. I look out for No. 1,” Sonnen said, before conceding one issue with Bisping and his British fans. “They have got the Oxford English Dictionary, and it if wasn’t thanks to us, it would be the Oxford GERMAN Dictionary.”
The trash talk will likely come. When it does, the sane people will all have a laugh and the serious pundits will complain about how it sullies the sport. Right now, Sonnen is too focused on Bisping the fighter. The questions he and his team are answering involve crushing him in the cage. Hurting his feelings will have to come later.
The fight itself seems like an afterthought to many fans who expect Sonnen to be able to ground Bisping and control the bout on the mat. Sonnen bristles at the idea this is an easy fight.
Does Sonnen think Bisping really believes he can stay off the mat against a bruising wrestler like himself?
“Your question implies that Mike thinks he can,” Sonnen said. “Does that mean you spoke to him? You spoke to Mike Bisping in the last two hours since the bout was announced, then you had time to concoct these questions for me? Wow, you have been busy.”
While Chael goes out of his way to defend Bisping, his opponent was quick to the attack, telling ESPN “Chael Sonnen cannot knock me out. He can’t submit me, either.” Sonnen seems non-plussed by the comments.
“Let him have fun. There is only one Mona Lisa, one Leaning Tower of Pisa, one Saks 5th Avenue and one Chael P. Sonnen,” Sonnen said, referring to himself in the third person. “I have been putting the finishing touches on my preparation. When I am done, I’ll tackle the scales. The match itself is down the road.”
For the uneducated, mixed martial arts can be perceived as a brutal and barbaric sport.However, MMA is now conducted under several governing bodies all around the world and consistently produces some jaw dropping, aesthetically pleasing bouts…
For the uneducated, mixed martial arts can be perceived as a brutal and barbaric sport.
However, MMA is now conducted under several governing bodies all around the world and consistently produces some jaw dropping, aesthetically pleasing bouts that will change even the most wayward of would-be fans.
Here’s 50 fights that will get any newbie enamored by the sport.
Following an injury to Mark Munoz, Michael “The Count” Bisping is set to contest the No. 1 contendership to Anderson Silva’s 185-pound title with Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2. If Bisping is able to derail Sonnen’s ambitious plan…
Following an injury to Mark Munoz, Michael “The Count” Bisping is set to contest the No. 1 contendership to Anderson Silva’s 185-pound title with Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2.
If Bisping is able to derail Sonnen’s ambitious plans of a rematch with the middleweight king, he’ll automatically take the driving seat and vie for the coveted crown himself.
For argument’s sake, let’s say he does upend Sonnen in Chicago in a fortnight. Will he then be deserving of the title shot that the self-proclaimed “American Gangster” has so vociferously clamored for?
I’m a Bisping supporter. I think he has. I think he’s fought a lot of important matches.
I don’t know how tough the guys he fought were, how many ranked guys he had—I’m not terribly familiar with his record. But at the end of the day, you can say what you want about his opponents, he doesn’t pick his opponents. They pick his opponents and he goes in and he wins over and over again.
I think it’s really relevant, especially for the Bisping naysayers, to realize he’s fighting main-event fights. He’s carrying cards. He’s selling out arenas. In this industry, that’s huge. He’s done his part.
And I’ll second that as well.
As Sonnen so supportingly intimated, Bisping can only fight what’s put in front of him. Regardless of the caliber of combatants—low to mid-tier, the fact remains he’s been quite successful.
So far in his tenure for the Zuffa-based promotion, the Brit brawler has amassed 12 wins—most notably over Matt Hamill, Chris Leben, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Jorge Rivera and recently Jason “Mayhem” Miller
Two of the three losses on his record, however, were against top-tier fighters, Rashad Evans at light-heavyweight and Dan Henderson at middleweight, whilst the other was to the once-great Wanderlei Silva.
Presently, Bisping (22-3 MMA) is on a four-fight win streak.
With that said, The Count has my unwavering support.
Though, he still hasn’t a cat in hell’s chance of denying Sonnen his rematch with “The Spider” and another shot at the UFC Holy Grail.
UFC on Fox 2 is set for Jan. 28, 2012, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill.
For additional information, follow Nedu Obi on Twitter.
The feud between Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is getting personal.