Dana White’s math isn’t adding up, according to former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Back in January 2013, the UFC president told MMA journalist Ariel Helwani that Jackson had earned $15.2 million from 2…
Dana White’s math isn’t adding up, according to former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Back in January 2013, the UFC president told MMA journalist Ariel Helwani that Jackson had earned $15.2 million from 2007 to 2012. When speaking with Fight Hub, Jackson finally had an opportunity to address those figures:
The UFC put a big number out there that I made so much money over the years, and honestly, I don’t believe that it’s true. They lie about a lot of stuff. After taxes and after you pay your team, your coaches and your manager, you don’t walk away with the number like they say they pay you. It’s just propaganda.
Jackson has long butted heads with his former employer over the issue of fighter pay. Over a year ago, he even went as far as accusing the UFC of lying about pay-per-view buys in an interview with MMA H.E.A.T.
Jackson parted ways with the UFC after dropping his last three fights. He has since jumped ship to Bellator and rebounded with three straight wins.
The list former and current disgruntled UFC employees continues to grow. UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz told Submission Radio that fighters are only rewarded with “six percent” of the revenue collected from fans.
Former middleweight contender Nate Quarry claimed that the UFC only cared about the “bottom line.” In a post on MMA Underground (per BloodyElbow.com‘s Fraser Coffeen), Quarry also went into detail about the hefty tax the UFC places on would-be sponsors, which severely limits the opportunities for fighters to draw from any outside resources.
Current heavyweight contender Mark Hunt recently tweeted that UFC champions were the only fighters making big money. He deemed the rest of the roster payouts as “average”:
While Jackson is mindful of the lopsided nature of boxing’s pay scale, his hope is that one day MMA fighters will get paid along the lines of a professional football or basketball player.
“At least [the same amount as] basketball players and football players, it’s only one percent of boxers making big money,” said Jackson.
(Believe it or not, it’s possible for two black fighters to generate completely different reactions among MMA fans. / Photo via Getty)
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is arguably the most talented MMA fighter of all time, and has spent the last three-and-a-half years utterly dominating his weight class as 205-pound champion. Theoretically, fans should love this guy. And yet they don’t — a situation that is probably best explained by Jones’s odd shifts in personality, and a streak of regrettablebehavior that never jibed well with his early choir-boy persona. But on yesterday’s edition of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, UFC commentator Joe Rogan voiced an alternate theory:
“I don’t know why Jon [Jones] is not more loved or popular than he is. I don’t understand it. In my opinion, I will never miss a Jon Jones fucking pay-per-view. I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh, he’s cocky. He’s this and [that].’ I wonder what the fuck is going on with that and I’m going to throw this out there, I’m just going to say it: I wonder how much of it is racism. I really do.
“You know why? Because I think they look at him as this cocky black guy and I think a lot of people have an issue with that. I think that if he was a white guy and he was doing the same thing, a la a Chael Sonnen, I think he would be way more popular. Chael was never the successful athlete that Jon is, but I think Chael was way more successful as a promoter than Jon is. Jon has not been nearly as cocky or outwardly braggadocious as Chael was.
“I just always found it odd when everybody would get upset at him and say that they didn’t like that ‘he’s cocky.’ He’s 25 and he’s the UFC’s light heavyweight champion. He’s the youngest ever UFC champion. He destroyed Shogun [Rua] to win the title and I mean destroyed. He threw a flying knee and hit Shogun in the chin five seconds into their fight. I mean, Jon Jones is a motherfucker. He’s a motherfucker, but for whatever reason people have had an issue with that. I know I’m going to get a bunch of hate tweets. ‘Fuck you and your fucking bullshit. What do you got? White guilt? Calling out racism?‘
“I’m probably going to get an equal amount from ‘the Aryan race,’ mad at me for defending Jon Jones, ‘The cocky negro.’ I really think there’s something to that. I think people want a guy who is so physically gifted and young and brash and black and rich, they want him to have more humility or fake humility, as it were. I think Jon’s trying that a little bit and that’s one of the reasons Daniel Cormier was like, ‘You are so fake.’ Cormier was saying that to him because I think he’s trying to counteract how people feel about him.”
To claim that Jones would be more popular if he was white strikes me as a blatant oversimplification. Then again, to claim that race has no effect on how stars get made in MMA is laughable. Since Rogan has everyone talking about it today, I figured I’d share my own feelings about the intersection of race and combat sports, in no particular order…
1. There’s a reason why Rampage Jackson was beloved by fans in his prime, and Jon Jones never has been. The average Jon Jones-hater will claim that it has to do with “realness” or authenticity, but fans only respond to a particular type of realness. Rampage Jackson was a caricature of an intimidating black guy, and people seemed to love him for it.
(Believe it or not, it’s possible for two black fighters to generate completely different reactions among MMA fans. / Photo via Getty)
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is arguably the most talented MMA fighter of all time, and has spent the last three-and-a-half years utterly dominating his weight class as 205-pound champion. Theoretically, fans should love this guy. And yet they don’t — a situation that is probably best explained by Jones’s odd shifts in personality, and a streak of regrettablebehavior that never jibed well with his early choir-boy persona. But on yesterday’s edition of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, UFC commentator Joe Rogan voiced an alternate theory:
“I don’t know why Jon [Jones] is not more loved or popular than he is. I don’t understand it. In my opinion, I will never miss a Jon Jones fucking pay-per-view. I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh, he’s cocky. He’s this and [that].’ I wonder what the fuck is going on with that and I’m going to throw this out there, I’m just going to say it: I wonder how much of it is racism. I really do.
“You know why? Because I think they look at him as this cocky black guy and I think a lot of people have an issue with that. I think that if he was a white guy and he was doing the same thing, a la a Chael Sonnen, I think he would be way more popular. Chael was never the successful athlete that Jon is, but I think Chael was way more successful as a promoter than Jon is. Jon has not been nearly as cocky or outwardly braggadocious as Chael was.
“I just always found it odd when everybody would get upset at him and say that they didn’t like that ‘he’s cocky.’ He’s 25 and he’s the UFC’s light heavyweight champion. He’s the youngest ever UFC champion. He destroyed Shogun [Rua] to win the title and I mean destroyed. He threw a flying knee and hit Shogun in the chin five seconds into their fight. I mean, Jon Jones is a motherfucker. He’s a motherfucker, but for whatever reason people have had an issue with that. I know I’m going to get a bunch of hate tweets. ‘Fuck you and your fucking bullshit. What do you got? White guilt? Calling out racism?‘
“I’m probably going to get an equal amount from ‘the Aryan race,’ mad at me for defending Jon Jones, ‘The cocky negro.’ I really think there’s something to that. I think people want a guy who is so physically gifted and young and brash and black and rich, they want him to have more humility or fake humility, as it were. I think Jon’s trying that a little bit and that’s one of the reasons Daniel Cormier was like, ‘You are so fake.’ Cormier was saying that to him because I think he’s trying to counteract how people feel about him.”
Claiming that Jones would be more popular if he were white strikes me as a blatant oversimplification. But claiming that race has no effect on how stars are made in MMA is laughable. Since Rogan has everyone talking about it today, I figured I’d share my own thoughts about the intersection of race and combat sports, in no particular order…
1. There’s a reason why Rampage Jackson was beloved by fans in his prime, and Jon Jones never has been. The average Jon Jones-hater will claim that it has to do with “realness” or authenticity, but fans only respond to a particular kind of realness. Rampage Jackson was a caricature of an intimidating black guy, and people seemed to love him for it.
2. Rampage was never what you’d call “humble.” Mike Tyson wasn’t either. Muhammad Ali was the cockiest human being on Earth in his prime, and he’s now worshipped as a combat sports demigod by boxing fans of all races. If you look at the most popular black fighters in history, a lack of humility almost seems to be a prerequisite. So when Rogan wonders if Jones isn’t getting over because he’s a “cocky black guy,” it seems misguided in a historical context.
4. If Tim Kennedy was black, UFC commentators would often comment on the thickness of his thighs. It’s funny how they never do that.
5. If Daniel Cormier was white, UFC commentators would drop the phrase “blue collar” at least twice per fight. It’s funny how they never do that.
6. If Chael Sonnen was black…Jesus, we would barely be able to process that person. At the very least, he’s probably be called a “Muhammad Ali wannabe” who never lived up to his “great physical potential.”
7. “[Roger] Mayweather briefly stylized himself as the “Mexican Assassin” after a string of victories, most by knockout, over a series of world-class Mexican fighters in Los Angeles between 1986 and 1989.” At the time, fight fans were totally cool with this as a method of promotion.
8. Earlier this year, slow-witted boxer Adrien Broner was accused of racism after jumping on the mic and saying “I just beat the fuck out of a Mexican.” I don’t know if that’s progress or not. At the very least, race has become an issue so sensitive that you can barely bring it up without losing your job.
9. Jon Jones crashed a Bentley into a telephone pole, Rampage Jackson smashed his monster truck into a bunch of cars, and they both fight other men in cages for a living. Let’s not pretend that one guy is more or less of a role model than the other.The difference is, Rampage got famous by humping reporters while wearing a chain around his neck and panting — acting like an animal, and playing up stereotypes for entertainment. Jon Jones never did that. I just think that’s worth pointing out.
12. On the other hand, comparing boxing to MMA might be an apples-to-oranges kind of exercise. MMA’s fanbase has been overwhelmingly white since the launch of the UFC two decades ago. Boxing’s fanbase, however, has been historically multi-racial. To get over in MMA, white people have to appreciate you.
13. I would love it if Daniel Cormier became light-heavyweight champion of the UFC, just to see how fans react to him as champion. Will he remain beloved because he’s a humble, hard-working family man, or will he fail to catch on as a draw because he doesn’t “act black” in a way that’s stereotypical enough for white fans to comprehend?
14. Fight fans don’t choose their favorite fighters based on race, they choose their favorite fighters based on personality. Of course, personality is often informed by race.
15. If Jon Jones was white, he would still be the greatest fighter on earth, and there would still be a large contingent of MMA fans who would hate him for being a two-faced weirdo.
16. If you still refuse to recognize Jones’s competitive greatness at this point, it suggests that your personal prejudices — whatever they’re based on — are affecting your judgment of the sport you’re watching.
Remember when Thiago Silva was kicked out of the UFC for breaking MMA’s psychotic rampage record (previously held by Quinton Jackson)? You know, the rampage that involved putting a gun into his wife’s mouth, threatening her, threatening to shoot up everyone in a BJJ gym, and more?
Save for some kickboxing classes, Silva hasn’t surfaced much lately…until now.
This August, he’ll be back:
Fight Time Promotions, owned by famed boxer Howard Davis Jr., recently signed the beleaguered Brazilian. They made the announcement via Instagram. They also sent out a press release, which Bloody Elbow posted earlier today:
Remember when Thiago Silva was kicked out of the UFC for breaking MMA’s psychotic rampage record (previously held by Quinton Jackson)? You know, the rampage that involved putting a gun into his wife’s mouth, threatening her, threatening to shoot up everyone in a BJJ gym, and more?
Save for some kickboxing classes, Silva hasn’t surfaced much lately…until now.
Fight Time Promotions, owned by famed boxer Howard Davis Jr., recently signed the beleaguered Brazilian. They made the announcement via Instagram. They also sent out a press release, which Bloody Elbow posted earlier today:
Light Heavyweight MMA superstar Thiago Silva will be back in the cage for Howard Davis Jr.’s Fight Time Promotions on Fri. Aug. 29th from the City of Ft. Lauderdale’s historic War Memorial Auditorium. The 12-time UFC Veteran will fight during Fight Time 20 in front of South Florida fight fans for the first time in his career. Silva, with a professional MMA record of 18-3, will fight for his former Boxing Coach – 1976 Boxing Olympic Gold Medalist – Howard Davis Jr., who is also the CEO of Fight Time Promotions.
“Thiago is a phenomenal fighter and a good friend of mine. He works hard in the gym. That being said; it’s an honor and a pleasure to have him fight for the Fight Time Promotions’ family,” said Howard Davis Jr.
That’s right. Silva will make his return to MMA this August. It’s not surprising to see Silva wind up in one of the smaller promotions. What major player would want Silva after facing off with a S.W.A.T. team and all the other heinous, violent actions he was accused of? It’s not as if he’s one of the bigger fighters who can be absolved of all guilt, right?
No opponent has been announced for Silva’s return to the cage. We’d say it’s unlikely Silva would ever see a paycheck from a top promotion again, but MMA is a crazy place.
It’s hard to know when it’s time to quit sometimes. Most of us can likely remember a few instances when it would have been wise to let discretion get the better of valor.
Still, you trudge on anyway because it’s all you know, and it sometimes takes hin…
It’s hard to know when it’s time to quit sometimes. Most of us can likely remember a few instances when it would have been wise to let discretion get the better of valor.
Still, you trudge on anyway because it’s all you know, and it sometimes takes hindsight to realize the right extraction point in a given situation.
Mixed martial artists, though they exceed the average person in most measurable skills related to fighting in a cage, suffer the same issue on occasion.
They don’t know when to quit. They’re thinking about that next opponent when they should be thinking about retirement.
Here are five bouts that should have been a fighter’s last, because he couldn’t go out any better than he would have that night; however, he kept fighting because he couldn’t see that fact until it was too late.
The rumors of Bjorn Rebney’s departure from Bellator MMA came true on Wednesday, June 18. Spike TV announced that Rebney would be removed as the CEO and chairman of the MMA promotion that he created. President and COO Tim Danaher was also removed from …
The rumors of Bjorn Rebney‘s departure from BellatorMMA came true on Wednesday, June 18. Spike TV announced that Rebney would be removed as the CEO and chairman of the MMA promotion that he created. President and COO Tim Danaher was also removed from his role. Before the news could settle, former Strikefoce CEO Scott Coker was installed as the new president of Bellator MMA. In one fell swoop Viacom made some interesting moves that will shake up the mixed martial arts industry.
Stories were swirling that the relationship between Rebney and the powers that be at Viacom were becoming strained. While he refuted the rumors that he would be fired from the position, Rebney could not save himself from the eventual dropping of the ax. Bellator MMA, widely considered to be the No. 2 promotion in MMA, was reaching a stalling point that began to hinder the promotion’s growth. Still, Rebney left the organization in positive spirits.
“It is with bittersweet emotions that I announce that I am leaving the company I founded,” Rebney stated through a press release. “Viacom and Tim and I differed in our views of the right strategic direction for Bellator, but Tim and I both wish them well.”
Under Rebney‘s close eye, the organization made a lot of growth in the sport of MMA but still struggled in particular areas. Viewership was often erratic and the promotion was unable to build a strong base of homegrown stars. To help change that issue it was announced that Scott Coker would be installed as the new leader of the promotion.
“We are excited to have Scott Coker lead us in a new direction as we evolve the league format from a tournament-based organization to a more traditional model with big fights,” said Spike TV President Kevin Kay via a press release.
Coker has long been a part of combat sports. He launched Strikeforce back in 1985 which would become a major name in mixed martial arts before being purchased by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2011. He played a part in the development of some big-name stars such as Gilbert Melendez, Ronda Rousey and Luke Rockhold. He was even able to bring FedorEmelianenko and Alistair Overeem stateside.
“It feels good to be back. I’m excited to team up with Spike and Viacom, who played a very integral role in the success of mixed martial arts over the last decade.” Coker said as reported by TristenCritchfield of Sherdog. “I see a lot of potential in Bellator. I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to build a brand and take it to the level I think me and my team can.”
With that it seems that big changes are coming. First on the docket is the removal of the tournament system which is a long standing part of Bellator MMA. The tournament has helped create promotional stars such as Michael Chandler, Ben Askren and Pat Curran. At the same time it’s created matchup problems that haven’t allowed for the creation of bigger name fights.
“As we move forward, my plan is to evolve the league from the tournament format that we’ve all known to a more traditional format where the fans get to see the fights that they want – more of a super fight format,” Coker commented during a conference call.
This is an important move for Bellator to further establish itself as a brand. Their format of weekly cards kept a constant stream of MMA action but never featured a big enough helping of stars to draw attention to the events. Coker has found a way to build interest in fighters outside of the Octagon in the past so expect the same to occur here. With a roster full of potential, this new shakeup gives Bellator MMA a wealth of momentum to finish out 2014.
The topic of Bjorn Rebney being ousted at Bellator MMA has become a hot topic for fans in social media. Now fighters under Bellator’s umbrella are revealing their thoughts.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson discussed the possibility of retiring …
The topic of Bjorn Rebney being ousted at BellatorMMA has become a hot topic for fans in social media. Now fighters under Bellator‘s umbrella are revealing their thoughts.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson discussed the possibility of retiring earlier today, and while it seemed typical of Jackson to critizise the sport he competes in, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal believes he knows why Jackson wants to hang up the gloves.
Jackson and Lawal fought one another on the first-ever Bellator pay-per-view last month in the light-heavyweight tournament finals. The fight was rather lackluster and Jackson would end up taking a unanimous decision over Lawal.
Normally tournament champions receive a title shot following their victories, but that doesn’t appear to be the case with Jackson. The current Bellator light-heavyweight champ, Emanuel Newton, is a training partner of Jackson’s, and Rampage has made it clear he doesn’t intend to fight his teammate.
Lawal has struggled thus far in his Bellator career, losing twice to Newton and failing to make the impact Bellator had hoped for when they brought him in.
With Jackson already owning victories over Lawal and his teammate the reigning champion, there aren’t that many options available for Rampage. He could bump up to heavyweight but could run into teammate and friend Cheick Kongo should he enter another tournament.
There’s a lot of uncertainty with Bellator right now, so Jackson would be wise to wait out the storm until the company finds a new direction.
Dana White’s math isn’t adding up, according to former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
(Photo via 