Rampage Jackson Suggests Next Fight Will Be His Last For UFC

[No More Sorrow]

According to former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-10 MMA, 7-4 UFC), his UFC career is just about done.

Jackson on Tuesday wrote that his next UFC appearance will be his last, though he said he'll continue to fight on in some other fashion.

"I feel sorry for my next opponent, no matter who or what it is," Jackson wrote via Twitter. "I will fight whoever they put in front of me – I always have – but it will be my last fight in the UFC."

Jackson fought most recently at February's UFC 144 event, where he missed weight by six pounds and then lost a lackluster decision to Ryan Bader. Following the fight, Jackson revealed that a knee injury prevented him from training at full strength, as well as putting in the road work necessary to complete his weightcut.

He then offered a controversial interview with "Fighters Only" magazine where he admitted to using testosterone replacement therapy at the suggestion of UFC-employed doctors.

UFC officials have yet to comment on the situation, but Jackson said he's nearly done with the promotion, taking a swipe at the UFC payscale while announcing his intentions.

"I have other things on my mind," Jackson stated. "I didn't say I would be done fighting; I just said I'm not fighting for the UFC (u fight cheap)."

Jackson, a 12-plus year veteran of the sport, made his UFC debut in February 2007, following the collapse of PRIDE Fighting Championships, where Jackson became a superstar of the sport. In just his second octagon appearance, Jackson scored a first-round knockout of Chuck Liddell and earned the UFC light heavyweight title. He then defended the belt against Dan Henderson before dropping the title in a contentious decision to Forrest Griffin.

Interesting words from him, kind of curious if he's just rambling on without really knowing what he's saying. I'm not 100% sure because i haven't seen the full fighter salaries from UFC 144 but i think somebody had told me that even though he lost he was third or fourth highest paid guy on the card.

Also for somebody trying to get another fight in the UFC taking a shot at UFC fighter pay probably isn't the smartest way to go about it.

 

[Slim]

Rampage appears to just want out and will fulfill what he has to in order to leave. Question is what is he gonna do after UFC? Go to boxing? Maybe.

But whatever he does... I'm to the point now that it's eh. Just fight, win and leave.

 

[No More Sorrow]

I can't see him going into boxing, i honestly think he's just saying this shit to get people to talk about him.

 

[Deuce]

I was actually suprised to see him lose to Bader and I was pretty disappointed by that, I hope he wins his last fight in the UFC at least, that would be good to see.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Referring back to my other post about Rampage's pay amount, i don't know why the hell he is complaining about that shit just found the full fighter salaries from UFC 144. And i was wrong about him being third highest paid, he was paid more than anybody even with being fined for missing weight.

UFC 144 Fighter Salaries

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson: $200,000 ($250,000 to show, minus $50,000 for missing weight)

Jake Shields: $150,000 ($75,000 to show, $75,000 win bonus)

Frankie Edgar: $136,000 ($51,000 to show, $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)

Benson Henderson: $125,000 ($30,000 to show, $30,000 win bonus, $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)

Takanori Gomi: $100,000 ($50,000 to show, $50,000 win bonus)

Ryan Bader: $98,000 ($24,000 to show, $24,000 win bonus, $50,000 from Jackson for missing weight)

Anthony Pettis: $85,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 win bonus, $65,000 Knockout of the Night bonus)

Vaughan Lee: $77,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 win bonus, $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus)

Cheick Kongo: $70,000

Yoshihiro Akiyama: $45,000

Tim Boetsch: $36,000 ($18,000 to show, $18,000 win bonus)

Hatsu Hioki: $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 win bonus)

Takeya Mizugaki: $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 win bonus - the UFC felt he should have won so they paid him his win bonus)

Yushin Okami: $23,000

Norifumi Yamamoto: $15,000

Mark Hunt: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 win bonus)

Joe Lauzon: $12,000

Riki Fukuda: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 win bonus)

Chris Cariaso: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 win bonus)

Issei Tamura: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 win bonus)

Bart Palaszewski: $10,000

Steve Cantwell: $10,000

Eiji Mitsuoka: $6,000

Zhang Tiequan: $6,000

Also including this video from UFC insider taken right before UFC 144, [video=youtube;HXO1j9KRFns]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXO1j9KRFns&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Swear he gets dumber by the hour, although we should've expected him to pms after losing to Bader.

 

[The Cork]

He'll probably go looking for a Fedor fight outside UFC.

Pretty much his only lucrative option outside Zuffa.

Then again he could fight a name like Sapp or Kimbo in Japan and draw too.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Here's a video of Dana discussing this it was at the UFC on Fox 3 presser that's why he talks so much about the show before Rampage gets brought up.

VIDEO | Dana White Talks Rampage’s TRT Use & His Desire To Leave The UFC | MMA News

 

[Deuce]

Cork, so you think he'll become a street fighter like Kimbo Slice?

 

[Slim]

Well Kimbo left MMA for boxing so the only way those two could lock horns would be if Rampage went to boxing.

Rampage is gonna do some sort of fighting and boxing just seems to be the perfect fit. He rarely kicks in MMA as is, his ground game is deplorable. He has good head movement. He knows how to bob and weave. He is pretty much a boxer in MMA so it seems like a natural fit to me.

 

[Troy]

It is about time he finishes up with UFC, he hasn't looked his best lately and I don't want him to be another UFC veteran that continues to fight too long.

I agree that it is wrong of him to complain about pay when he didn't even show up in shape and yet still was paid the most.

I can see him fighting Fedor if he does want to fight outside of UFC. He will get a good payday and Fedor's management won't be too worried about Fedor losing to him.

 

[Slim]

Question is would Rampage want to fight under the M1 flag for that fight? Fedor still wants to come to the US and fight in the UFC at least once. I mean Fedor vs. Rampage, as odd of a matching it would be, seems most likely for both as Fedor wants a big fight against a name and Rampage still wants to fight after UFC... Just the timing seems to be a lil off unless Fedor can get in UFC and then they can make that fight signed.

 

[The Cork]

Cork, so you think he'll become a street fighter like Kimbo Slice?

lol nah.

I meant if some upstart company had a bit of money behind them, Rampage v Kimbo would draw interest for them. Bellator have big money backing, but they aren't really marks for big names and go for underrated up and comers rather than faded names.

Too late for him to make a mark in boxing at his age.

 

[Slim]

Nahhhh there are guys in their 40s still fighting and late 30s... hes the ripe age for boxing. He won't be an elite but he'll garner plenty of interest for the few fights he gets.

 

[The Cork]

Well it depends what he wants from it, if he just wants to 'have fun' then beating up a few human punchbags isnt doing anyone any harm, but if he aspires to be something in boxing it isn't happening.

The Klitschko's (and most the HW division no matter how weak) would school him. Pro boxing is a totally different ball game to just being known as heavy handed in MMA. Rampage doesnt have the technique or stamina for boxing, he has a solid chin and a punchers chance maybe.

 

[Slim]

Punchers chance is all he needs. Doubt he wants to be big in boxing. His name is already out there. He probably wants to do more acting so he'll more than likely wind up with a few cans here and there and probably try to get the Kimbo/Rampage fight going.

Well that is if he goes to boxing.