Tag: Quinton Jackson

Rashad Evans: ‘Rampage’ Jackson ‘boxing showdown’ canceled, ‘let the lawyers handle it’

If you held skepticism that the Rashad Evans-Quinton Jackson boxing match actually would happen as announced, cash your ticket.

If you held skepticism that the boxing match between [autotag]Rashad Evans[/autotag] and [autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] actually would take place April 12 as announced, cash your ticket.

Evans on Friday posted to social media to say the “boxing showdown” between the two former UFC light heavyweight champions, which in mid-February was announced for ICS Mania 1 next week at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M., is not going to happen.

Evans’ video message was vague in terms of assigning blame, but the 45-year-old said in his post “there were contractual obligations not met, so we had to make this difficult decision to pull the fight.” Evans said the decision was made to “let the lawyers handle it” and said he hopes the fight will be rescheduled.

Evans did not say whether those issues were from the promotion or his ex-rival, “Rampage” Jackson, who will turn 47 in June. Their boxing match was rumored for months before it finally was announced two months ago.

 

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A post shared by Suga Rashad Evans (@sugarashadevans)

Evans and Jackson’s rivalry reached its height as rival coaches on Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Their first fight was in the UFC 114 main event in Las Vegas, where Evans won a unanimous decision.

In January 2022, Evans won a unanimous decision against Gabriel Checco at Eagle FC 44. “Rampage” most recently last in action in December 2019, when he was knocked out by Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 237.

Quinton Jackson figured Stipe Miocic ‘would be a tougher challenge’ for Jon Jones than Tom Aspinall

“Rampage” expected Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic to be a more competitive fight.

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] expected [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] to be a more competitive fight.

Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) retained his heavyweight title with a lopsided performance that ended with a devastating third-round TKO finish of Miocic by spinning back kick in the UFC 309 headliner. Miocic was widely considered the greatest heavyweight of all time, but the more than three-year layoff appeared to play a factor in his sluggish performance.

“Rampage” went as far as saying that he thought Miocic (20-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) would prove to be a sterner test for Jones than interim heavyweight champion [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who averages the shortest fight time in UFC history.

“I feel like Jon Jones’ last performance, I don’t even think any heavyweight could beat Jon Jones,” Jackson said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I think he solidified himself as one of the greatest fighters on the planet and no disrespect to Aspinall. I think Aspinall is a great fighter. I’m a fan of his, as well, but I figured Stipe would be a tougher challenge than Aspinall. I was thinking it on paper. I think Jon Jones is the Neo of MMA. He’s Neo.”

Jackson knows first hand how good Jones is. He challenged Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 135 in September 2011 but was submitted in the fourth round. Jackson explained what gives Jones the edge in every fight.

“The reason Jon Jones has been so successful in MMA and has been dominating for so long is because his mind is so strong,” Jackson said. “I’ve been in the cage with that kid. I heavily underestimated him, and I have been watching his fights ever since, and I see the stuff that he does. He is doing stuff that nobody does. Nobody was doing spinning elbows. … Just the way he controls the octagon, his mind is really strong, and I’ve been telling people for years MMA is 95 percent mental.”

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‘Rampage’ Jackson ‘lost faith’ in Shannon Briggs, teases boxing bout vs. Rashad Evans: ‘I need to get that win back’

‘Rampage’ Jackson wants to run it back with Rashad Evans in the boxing ring to avenge a loss at UFC 114.

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] wants to run it back with his once-bitter rival and fellow former UFC champ Rashad Evans for his professional boxing debut.

The former UFC light heavyweight champ “Rampage” Jackson has been looking for a return to combat sports in recent years, and has been close to securing a boxing match with Shannon Briggs. So close in fact, a date was set for June 8 at an event titled “Rumble of Titans: Duel in the Desert” that was to take place in Qatar.

Unfortunately for “Rampage,” his return to action fizzled after fraud concerns with the promoters, Quantum Sports & Media World.

“We was going to do it in Qatar, but the guys that were putting it on, they ended up being f*cking scam artists,” Jackson told Joe Rogan on the “JRE MMA Show.” “I was trusting them. I really liked the guys, they was cool people, but fast talkers. Two months before I pulled out, Shannon was like, ‘Man, these guys are scammers, bro.’ I was like, ‘Man, you brought these motherf*ckers to me.'”

According to Jackson, Briggs was turned off by how things were progressing with the event promoters, and the fight fell apart. However, he says Briggs is still working on making the matchup come together, but ‘Rampage’ won’t hold his breath.

Now, “Rampage” is turning his focus on running it back with Evans, who defeated Jackson at UFC 114 by unanimous decision after a heated build as rival coaches on Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

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“He and I are talking about doing a boxing match against each other in November,” Jackson said. “We’re trying to get that going.”

Jackson is still open to fighting Briggs, but he will leave it up to the boxer to find a promoter. In the meantime, he will work toward meeting Evans in the ring, who he admits has become a friend over the years.

“He’s still trying, but I lost my faith in Shannon,” Jackson said. “I don’t know if he’s going to get it done. He talks a good game. I hope he get it done. If he ever gets it done, I’ll be game to fight him, but right now, I guess my first boxing match is going to be against Rashad. I need to get that win back.”

Jackson, 46, was last in action at Bellator 237 in December 2019, where he lost by first-round stoppage to Fedor Emelianenko. Evans, 44, who has become an analyst on UFC broadcasts, last competed in January 2022, where he defeated Gabriel Checco by unanimous decision in Eagle FC.

Neither former UFC champion has competed in professional boxing before.

“Rampage” says the event is being discussed to take place in Atlanta under the ONE Championship banner, but is waiting to hear from his management about how things are progressing. The promotion is hosting ONE 169 on Nov. 8 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, which is headlined by a heavyweight title fight between champ Anatoly Malykhin and Oumar Kane.

MMA Junkie reached out to ONE officials for confirmation about the plans for Jackson vs. Evans, but did not respond at the time of writing.

‘Rampage’ Jackson opens up about crying when Dan Henderson knocked out Michael Bisping at UFC 100

At the time, “Rampage” Jackson and Michael Bisping “were like brothers,” which made the brutal knockout at UFC 100 devastating to watch.

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag]’s first tears over an MMA fight had nothing to do with one of his own.

While it might be hard to picture “Rampage” crying, he revealed that he got emotional when a former teammate was on the receiving end of one of the most brutal knockouts in UFC history.

Jackson was referring to [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] getting knocked out by [autotag]Dan Henderson[/autotag] at UFC 100, where “Hendo” landed a massive overhand right that knocked Bisping out cold. Jackson recounted the story to Henderson himself, who was recently a guest on his Jaxxon Podcast.

“I never cried, but me and Bisping, we was like brothers, especially back then,” Jackson said. “We’re not as close as now because some bullsh*t happened between our managers. Me, (Cheick) Kongo, and Bisping we were all like brothers.

“I never cried when I got knocked out, but when Bisping got knocked out the one time – it was him (points at Henderson). I cried in the locker room. He got knocked out that bad. I felt really bad. I’m almost ashamed to say it. I never cry. Some of my family members die, and I don’t cry.”

Jackson explains why he got so emotional.

“I felt like, at the time, maybe I didn’t help him good enough in training or something,” Jackson said. “It was something like that, and I just felt bad for him. I remember crying in the locker room like, ‘What the f*ck is wrong with me? Why am I crying?’ I never cry. It’s weird.”

Bisping got to exact his revenge seven years later when he ran things back with Henderson in his first title defense as middleweight champion at UFC 204. Bisping was dropped multiple times but managed to weather the storm and outlast Henderson for the unanimous decision win.

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‘Rampage’ Jackson ‘never actually officially retired’ from MMA, plans to fight again

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, now 45, has a couple of ideas in mind for his return to the cage.

Perhaps, because of his age and how long it’s been since his last real fight, you’ve been under the impression that former UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] is retired.

“Rampage,” however, now 45, isn’t quite done yet.

“I think I’ve still got a couple more fights in me,” Jackson recently told MMA Junkie.

This past April, Jackson (38-14) took part in a “Siamese boxing match” in which he and fellow PRIDE veteran Bob Sapp against Fight Circus promoter Jon Nutt and his partner Woody. It was purely entertainment. Nothing about it was serious.

What is serious, though, is Jackson’s desire to get back in the cage, and he has an idea. A top supporter of Harrison Rogers’ United Fight League, “Rampage” would like to compete on the same card as his son, Raja Jackson, who is preparing to make his professional MMA debut in August.

The last time Jackson competed was December 2019, when he stepped into the cage visibly out of shape and was knocked out by Fedor Emelianenko in the first round of their heavyweight bout at Bellator 237. It was Jackson’s first knockout loss in 14 years and seemingly signaled the end of his legendary career.

Not so.

“I’ve never actually officially retired. I just haven’t fought since COVID,” Jackson said. “It’ll be four years in December. This is the longest I’ve ever taken a break from fighting. I want to help promote the UFL, and I think the best thing I could do is possibly fight for them.”

As for whom Jackson would like to return against, a fifth fight with Wanderlei Silva, a rivalry that dates back to 2003. They’ve split their previous four fights, with Silva winning the first two in PRIDE (2003 and 2004) and Jackson exacting his revenge in the UFC (2008) and Bellator (2018).

“I was thinking that Wanderlei and I still have unfinished business because we’re tied up 2-2,” Jackson said. “… I don’t know. Wanderlei got knocked the f*ck out twice (by me). I think that he’s probably had enough, so I don’t see him accepting a (fifth) fight from me. But money talks. I’m sure if somebody offered him a large amount of money he’d be down.”

To hear more from “Rampage,” you can watch MMA Junkie’s full interview in the video above.

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‘Rampage’ Jackson looks back on ‘Ultimate Fighter’ coaching stint: ‘That door did not deserve that’

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson recounts the story behind the viral clip of him destroying a door at during the filming of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

It’s been well over a decade since [autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] infamously destroyed THAT door on “The Ultimate Fighter,” and yet it’s still common to find that clip online today.

In 2009 during the filming of Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” on which Jackson served as coach opposite Rashad Evans, he showed everyone the real meaning of his nickname, “Rampage.”

“I was trying to leave because they cheated one of my fighters,” Jackson told Seconds Out on a look back at one of the most viral moments in “TUF” history. “I didn’t like the way they were treating my team, and so I was trying to leave the gym.

“That door did not deserve that, but I was trying to leave. I don’t know if you guys know this about me, but I didn’t name myself ‘Rampage.’ A lot of people think (because) I’m a fighter, I named myself ‘Rampage’ to be a fighter. That’s a nickname that was given to me when I was a little kid. I’m the nicest guy on the planet. I’m so nice because I have to stay nice. I have to laugh because I have the worst temper ever. If I lose my temper, it’s so embarrassing. I really hate it, and this is a true story. I have the worst temper on the planet.”

Jackson certainly gave proof to that.

After his fighter, Scott Junk, lost a majority decision to Evans team member Matt Mitrione, Jackson lost it. He threw a water bottle, and shortly after all hell broke loose.

“I knew as soon as I threw that water, let me get out of here, off camera, because I don’t know what I would do if I lose my temper,” Jackson said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, what I’m going to say. I’m probably going to hurt somebody.

“I tried to open the door and there was a little ditch right there, and it bounced back, and I just said, ‘F*ck this door.’ That’s the most embarrassing TV moment of my life. Why’d I have to do that to the door? I headbutt the door. Why’d I have to do that?”

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Quinton Jackson: Jon Jones is great, but ‘he’s the dirtiest fighter ever’

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson thinks fellow ex-champ and upcoming heavyweight Jon Jones fights dirty.

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]’ style of fighting is dirty.

Jackson challenged Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) for the light heavyweight title at UFC 135 in 2011, but fell short when he was submitted in Round 4. “Rampage” marked Jones’ first title defense, and he went on to become the greatest 205-pounder of all time.

Although Jackson admits he felt better than ever health wise in the fight, he thought some of Jones’ tactics in the fight weren’t clean. Jackson pointed to Jones’ tendency to stick his fingers out, which has caused him to accidentally poke fighters in their eyes on numerous occasions.

“Jon Jones is a great fighter. Even if he was standing in this room I would say it. But he’s the dirtiest fighter ever,” Jackson said in an interview with Chris Van Vliet. “The guy is so smart. He does the most dirtiest things.

“If you’re doing anything good on him, he’s going to poke you in the eye. If you’re advancing or doing anything good or you get the advantage, he’s going to kick your knee backwards.”

Jackson recalls getting kicked in the kneecap by Jones, which he says hindered his movement for a while.

Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson confirms plans to fight again: ‘I can’t leave MMA fans like that’

Former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson hasn’t fought since 2019, but he is adamant his competitive career is not over.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson isn’t a stranger to combat sports these days, but it’s been quite a while since he’s actually stepped into a cage or ring for competition of his own.

In recent years he’s frequented Triller Fight Club and Bellator events, either as a “coach,” ambassador, or simply a fan. However, it’s nearing three years since his most recent fight, a TKO loss to Fedor Emelianenko.

Rumors of a boxing match against fellow Triller Triad Combat coach [autotag]Shannon Briggs[/autotag] have long circulated, but nothing concrete has ever been solidified. Jackson, 44, revealed in a recent interview with TMZ that the bout does indeed have legs, as details are still being worked out.

Above all else, he plans to continue fighting. The image of him crashing to the canvas as Emelianenko towered over him during his first TKO loss in 14 years is not the everlasting impression he wants to leave fans with.

“No, man. I ain’t done,” Jackson said. “I’m not happy with my performance in my last fight. I can’t leave MMA fans like that. … Yeah, I’m going to leave this sport a little better. … Like I said, I’m in talks with fighting Shannon (Briggs), finally. That fight has been almost a year in the making. I want to do some boxing before I retire. … I might do MMA, but I want to do boxing. I’m getting up there. I’m 44, man. I’m getting up there. My knees (hurt) from wrestling. When you’re doing MMA, a lot of people want to take you down.”

Known for his striking prowess and hatred for takedowns in MMA, Jackson has never competed in a professional boxing match. Jackson has competed three times in professional kickboxing, with a 2-1 record in those bouts.

Briggs, 50, is a two-time heavyweight boxing champion, known for his brash and animated personality. He has not competed in a pro boxing match since May 2016.

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Triller announces Triad Combat 2 fight card filled with MMA notables

Check out the officially announced bouts for Triller Triad Combat 2, which features a number of MMA noteables.

Triller’s Triad Combat series returns to Texas for its second event.

Triad Combat 2 will take place in Houston on Feb. 26 at the Toyota Center featuring fights and a rock concert. The first event took place on Nov. 27, 2021, in Arlington, Texas, and featured a main event fight between Frank Mir and Kubrat Pulev, along with performances by Metallica.

The musical act for this event is yet to be announced, however, Triller has booked five fights under the Triad Combat ruleset.

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Shannon Briggs[/autotag] will once again serve as coaches for the teams of MMA fighters and boxers, while Nick Cannon will also return as host of the evening’s festivities.

Check out the officially announced bouts below.

‘Rampage’ Jackson has no interest in recognition or accolades like the UFC Hall of Fame: ‘I don’t fight to be famous’

Former UFC light heavyweight champion ‘Rampage’ Jackson won’t lose any sleep if he’s not inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] does not care if he is recognized for his career accomplishments.

“Rampage” started his professional MMA career in 1999, and has fought under some of the most storied promotions in the sport’s history such as PRIDE, K-1, Bellator, and UFC. He quickly became a fan favorite because of his fighting style and signature celebrations after finishing opponents.

Jackson became the UFC light heavyweight champion by knocking out Chuck Liddell in the first round at UFC 71 in their blockbuster rematch from PRIDE, creating one of the most memorable highlights of arguably the best era for the division.

Considering his popularity with fans and the memories he created, is career recognition like being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame important to “Rampage?”

“No, not at all,” Jackson told MMA Junkie after Triller Triad Combat in Arlington, Texas. “I don’t fight to be in the Hall of Fame. I don’t fight to be famous. You know, I started fighting to pay the bills, you know what I’m saying? That’s what I do. It’s my career. It’s something that I love.

“I get paid to do something that I love, but I don’t love fame. MMA fame, what’s that? You get a bunch of dudes trying to buy you drinks and sh*t. You feel like a chick whenever you go anywhere. Dudes always want pictures with you and sh*t, you know what I’m saying?”

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Don’t let Jackson’s blunt honesty confuse you though, he is very appreciative of those who supported his career from the beginning till now, but sometimes wishes he didn’t have to deal with the attention that comes along with being a high-level prizefighter.

“I love my fans, I love ‘Rampage’ fans,” Jackson clarified. “I don’t love all MMA fans, but I love all ‘Rampage’ fans, alright? But sometimes, dudes just need to leave me the f*ck alone at certain times.

“I’m a germ freak. Guys need to understand this about me. I’m a germ freak. I wash my hands all the time and I ain’t gonna lie, when COVID first started coming along and stuff like that – I always try to look at the bright side of things – it’s f*cked up. The whole thing is f*cked up and sh*t, right? I looked at the bright side of things. I was like, ‘Damn, at least I don’t have to be taking a bunch of pictures with people, getting close, shaking people’s hands.'”

Jackson served as the team captain for the MMA fighters at Triad Combat on Saturday, Triller’s new combat sport with special rules and a team element that tallies scores between teams of boxers and MMA fighters across individual bouts.

The former UFC champ was impressed with the performance of the MMA side at the first event and hopes to get a main event bout together for the next installment of Triad Combat against rival team captain and former boxing champion, Shannon Briggs.

Check out the full interview with Jackson in the video below:

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