Quinton Jackson is no stranger to "keeping it real."
When he has something on his mind, he will say it, rap it or Tweet it, as evident with his recent Twitter rants and interviews about his desire to be released from his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contract. The former 205-pound champion has gone on a media "Rampage," telling anyone and everyone of his desires to be cut free from his obligations with the world's biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.
After his unanimous decision loss to Ryan Bader at UFC 144, Jackson has expressed his feelings of being unappreciated by his current employers and fans alike. Even UFC matchmaker Joe Silva couldn't escape Quinton's wrath, going as far as saying he need to be shot in the face for matching him up against wrestlers that only want to "hump" him.
Though the target of his verbal assault, the head honchos at Zuffa granted him his wishes and paired him up with a fellow striker. A dangerous striker at that, as they matched him up with Muay-Thai wrecking machine, Mauricio Rua, before being let go from the organization. However, what would have been a rematch seven years in the making from their time spent competing in Pride FC, is now going to have to wait as Jackson recently revealed he will have surgery on both of his knees.
Just in case he didn't make his feelings crystal clear to his employers and the general public, "Rampage" clarifies all of his recent statements and decisions to leave the UFC in this recent in-depth, 40-minute interview with MMA Heat's Karyn Bryant.
Hold your breath, were about to dive into the deep end, after the jump (Video included):
"I'm always open with everybody on my Twitter or whatever, interviews, that I'm leaving the UFC. I just feel like, the UFC, Lorenzo and stuff, they done really good, they're nice, they are going to pay for all my surgeries and they are really good about that. But there are some things that they are not good about. I don't' like how I'm not promoted as the first ever undisputed champion. I just feel like that's kind of throwing me under the bus a little bit and I just feel like lately I haven't been making the same money, the UFC getting paid more, but I'm making less money. To me, it's like, is it worth it with all this stick I get from the fans and all this type of stuff? So I just want to go and do my own things. I'm designing video games, I'm writing movies, I'm making movies."
"Rampage" goes on to touch on the subject of money, and how some fans misunderstand the fact the it really isn't all about the "Benjamins."
"The fans don't really understand me. Even though I fight for money, I'm not all about money. If I was all about money, I wouldn't have took the "A-Team" movie. Because I'll keep it real, I don't give a fuck, I only made $100,000 on that movie. I would have done the movie for free, but the press tour, that's one thing they should have paid me two million for that. That was counted in the price, and I didn't know that. But at the time, I wanted to be B.A. Baracus, I'm a big kid. So if I was all about money, I wouldn't have jumped over all that money I made from fighting for $100,000. I'm not saying I am the highest paid guy in MMA, but I feel like I should be one of the highest paid guys in MMA because of what I bring to the table. I try to excite people even if I'm not fighting. I just try to be real entertaining and I think people should respect that but a lot of people don't. "
When asked if he felt whether any UFC fighter thought they were getting promoted enough, Quinton had this to say:
"Anderson Silva should be complaining more than me. Maybe he is, but it's in Portuguese and we don't know what he saying. If I was Anderson Silva, I would be pretty much upset. Anderson Silva is one of the greatest of all time, amazing fighter. I think he should be everywhere and promoted everywhere."
Jackson, however, did have some nice things to say about his current employer, the UFC, though he is adamant that the promotion didn't "make" him:
"The UFC is not all bad. Honestly they are great people, a great organization. I don't blame the UFC for promoting their show because if anything happens to a fighter, a fighter can get hurt. Like Brock Lesnar, they can put all the edge on him and look at him, he's injured or he is not well and he can't fight no more, so I understand the UFC for what they do and stuff like that, so I don't want them to blame me for doing what I'm doing. I'm not the UFC, I'm Rampage, you know what I'm saying? The UFC did not make me, I come from PRIDE and stuff like that, PRIDE made me, but then PRIDE treated me like shit. I left PRIDE. I did the same thing. When I feel like I'm not appreciated, I leave. What I do is, I go out there and put my life on the line to fight exciting. If I get hurt really bad in a fight, get my neck broken or paralyzed, there's no pension for me. It's not like the NFL or the NBA. The fans don't understand that, a lot of fans are selfish. They think this and they think that. I can't be all like you guys, like a fan boy of the UFC when I'm making the money I'm making. The money I am making is good, but I'm putting all four of my kids through college. I'm putting my little sister through college. So, I decided to leave the UFC, cuz I just don't feel like they respect what I'm trying to do. I'm going to finish my contract with the UFC, they are actually being pretty cool with me and stuff like that, they talked to my manager and stuff like that. I'm sad to leave the big show, but people don't understand me. At the end of the day, I feel like I'm not being respected and appreciated and if the UFC offered me twenty million dollars to fight, then I'd be like, "OK!" I'm just playing."
Quinton also gives yet another reason why he wants out of the UFC, fighters with extravagant game plans:
"I'm looking at boxers making all this money, and there ain't nobody getting knocked out, nobody hitting the ground. Then now, I'm trying to be exciting as hell, that's one reason I want to leave the UFC is because all these fighters are coming in with these extravagant game plans and stuff and its getting boring too now. People want to say, "Your one dimensional, your one dimensional." These are new sheep that ain't watched my fights back in the day, they didn't watch my fights in PRIDE. Yeah I'm one dimensional, yeah I'm trying to knock folks out. I don't want to be like those guys, game planning and wrestling, and humping people. If I don't throw leg kicks, you don't know why. Maybe my knees are bad or maybe a wrestler is going to take me down. When you get taking down, it's hard to get up off the ground if the guy is just holding you. If the guy is doing jiu-jitsu going for stuff I can get up all day. There's game plans just to hold people down and I don't want to be a part of that. I want to fight people like Shogun, people like Wanderlei, people like Chuck, like the real fighters. Guys like Frankie Edgar and Bendover (Bendo). Those guys are soldiers, they went to war. That's how MMA should be, that's what made MMA popular. Look at these guys like Jon Jones, and sorry to say, Rashad Evans and all the guys at Jackson's, I heard that Clay Guida is getting boring now and I couldn't imagine that because I'm a big Clay Guida fan. Someone told me that, I didn't see it maybe I'm wrong, scratch that comment. Somebody was saying he isn't fighting the same no more."
The former Light Heavyweight kingpin assures all fans that they will still be seeing plenty of him, even though he will no longer be in "the big show" and also lays out a challenge to any fans who think he sucks:
"I'm going to do all kinds of stuff just to stay out there and just keep entertaining my fans because I feel bad that I had to leave the UFC. It's the same reason I left PRIDE. They told me I was a nobody, and I left PRIDE after that when my contract was done. They wanted me to sign another contract but I told them, "Nah I'm a nobody, peace." Don't downplay me and what I am because I do a whole lot for the sport and I do it to be exciting and stuff like that. I go beyond my personality and I don't clam up when the camera on and I go beyond just to be exciting for the fans. When I fight, I come to fight no matter what. Even if it's a wrestler and I'm not excited I still try to go and give an exciting fight and don't matter who it is or whether I win or lose. I don't care if I win or lose. The American fans are the ones that care and want to talk shit and try to say I suck. For all you fans, that talk shit and say I suck, I'll give you the address to my gym and you guys come down and say it to my face, in the cage, after you sign a waiver. If you think I suck, come tell me, I'm serious. I will do it before I get my knee surgeries. You think I suck? Come on down to my gym, step in the cage with me and show me that I suck. If you beat my ass, I'll say, "Ok, I suck." But if I beat your ass, I'm going to kick you the fuck out of my gym. Get the fuck out, you suck."
And ... exhale.
If you were not clear on his feelings before, you definitely have no reason to be confused as to why Jackson isn't happy with his current place in the MMA landscape, after reading that.
One of the most exciting fighters to ever step inside the Octagon will soon be calling it a day with the UFC, but rest assured, he isn't done with fighting just yet, and it will be interesting to see just where he ends up.
For now, knee surgery is on deck and a bout with "Shogun" is still in his sights. If and when the bout ever comes to fruition, remains to be seen.
Stay tuned.
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