Rampage Jackson Retired
The UFC has done a lot for me but I think I have done more for them.
Rampage has been through a lot in his life. His time in the UFC has had incredible highs and unbelievable lows. At the center of this retirement is the relationship between Rampage and UFC president Dana White. The UFC stood by Rampage last summer when he went off the reservation. Since then he’s fought and won twice. He just finished filming the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter. There’s a whole lot of “he said, he said” involved.
I reinjured my jaw in the fight with Vanderlei & Jardine. Frank Mir gets hurt so they wanted to switch my fight from UFC 100 to the fight Frank couldn’t make it to but I couldn’t fight cause I needed jaw surgury. So they give Machida the fight against Rashad & they told me they want me to coach TUF season 10 against Rashad. That’s why I wanted Rashad to win so bad but when Rashad got knocked out I told them I wanted to fight Machida for the belt but Dana told me if I coach TUF against Rashad that I could fight Machida afterwards cause this was a different type of ultimate fighter show they were doing. After I signed the contract Dana then changes his mind & says I have to fight Rashad & even told me what to say in the press & so my fans think I was scared to fight Machida. After all that I still never complained & I did it all.
The life of an Ultimate Fighting Champion. Now he wants to go be a movie star. He feels this is his chance and Dana White thinks its bullshit. Dana said some not-nice things about Rampage and his new career.
So I feel like my second career could be in jeopardy.. so I’m done fighting. I’ve been getting negative reviews from the dumb ass fans that don’t pay my bills or put my kids though college. So I’m hanging it up. I’m gonna miss all my loyal fans but hopefully they’ll follow me to my new career & I will gain more loyal fans along the way
For now, in his mind, he’s done. Personally, I think he’ll be back. Fighters have trouble staying away. Besides, I doubt playing Mr. T is going to make Rampage the cashcow he hopes.
That being said, acting is a lot less dangerous than MMA. If Rampage has a chance to make money and not put his body on the line, that’s his right and its a choice I can’t fault him for. He really doesn’t owe anything to anyone besides his family. If Rampage is gone forever from the fight game, then I wish him luck. He’s always seemed like a larger-than-life goofy character. By all accounts, he’s a great guy with a good sense of humor.
He’s one of the few Pride guys who came to America to enjoy immediate and sustained sucess. Hopefully, when he’s wrapped The A-Team movie he gets bored and heads back to the gym to prepare for a fight with Rashad Evans. Then, if he wins that fight, he can get that gaudy gold belt that would go so well with the rest of B.A. Baracus’ outfit.
If you want to read the entire goodbye blog, you’ll have to sign up at Rampage Jackson.com.