'Rampage' reborn

DETROIT – Quinton “Rampage” Jackson left a Memphis-area junior college in 1999 and began fighting for his supper. He starred as a mixed martial artist in low-level leagues in America, headed to Japan for five years before, in 2006, returning to become a star in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

It’s a tough, unforgiving life. So when Hollywood called offering a staring role as “B.A. Baracus” in 2010 movie “The A-Team,” Jackson took it. Not surprisingly, it changed his life. There were months of filming, months of publicity, endless distractions.

Jackson isn’t one to make excuses, but after he looked uninspired in a loss to Rashad Evans in May – just before the movie released – the question became: Did the movie affect his day job?

“How couldn’t it?” said Dana White, president of the UFC.

Jackson returns to the Octagon for Saturday’s UFC 123, where he’ll take on light heavyweight Lyoto Machida in a battle of former champions. He looks in great shape, says he’s focused and really just wants to return to fighting the way he usually does – all out.

“I feel my last performance wasn’t exciting,” Jackson said Wednesday. “And anyone that really understands me and the way I like to fight, I like to put on a great show. That is one of the main reasons I decided (to become) a fighter. I like to entertain people and (make) exciting fights.”

This is why everyone – fan or foe – should at least appreciate Rampage Jackson. As the sport has changed and, in many ways, begun to favor multi-disciplined fighters, there is a question about whether guys such as Rampage can last. He’s a wrestler first and then a brawler. He has knockout power in both hands and is willing to take a shot to deliver one. He isn’t a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt though.

He still enters the Octagon wearing a heavy chain around his neck, howling to get the crowd going. His goal is to make sure the judges have nothing to do. He’s only 32 years old yet has a 30-8 record, 21 of them by knockout or submission.

He always wants to know what White is offering as a bonus for fight, knockout or submission of the night.

“I like a little extra cheese,” he said with a laugh.

He’s one of those rollicking showmen that helped make MMA what it is. Whatever he lacks in polish, he makes up for in action.

“I feel that boxing has become very boring,” Jackson said. “And (now) too many (MMA) fighters (are) coming up with these crazy game plans and just fighting for points. I hate to see this sport turn itself into boxing. No one is even hitting the canvass these days. (Guys are) just trying to win by points.

“I just feel like, I like to have fights.”

I like to have fights. What’s not to like about that?

And so there was a sense of sheepishness on Wednesday as he discussed his performance against Evans. The two were bitter rivals for years, exchanging endless trash talk and expressing genuine disdain. Jackson isn’t always easy to like and watching the two personalities work as coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter” made many fans favor Evans.

And then Rampage went out and fought poorly. Evans won the decision in a fight that didn’t live up to the hype. The two had nearly come to blows multiple times through the years and when they finally got inside the cage it was sort of a dud.

Just over two years ago, Rampage was the UFC light heavyweight champion and a huge star for the promotion. Then he lost a close, controversial decision to Forrest Griffin. He came back and won twice before getting decisioned by Evans. Now he’s staring at the crossroads. He knows careers can slide as fast as they can climb in this sport. A two-fight losing streak is not something he wants to consider.


He refuses to blame the movie. He won’t blame anything, really. He just promises to do better Saturday.

Still, the distractions over the last year were there. He spent months out of the country filming. Then they shot the season of TUF in Las Vegas. Then he had to prep for A-Team publicity even as he was trying to train for Evans from the Wolf’s Lair facility in England. Then it was immediately back to work.

“The same night as my fight I was on a private jet to promote the movie and I did that for three months,” Rampage said.

Whatever it all was – and it’s fair to say the dangerous Evans had plenty to do with it also – that wasn’t the Rampage Jackson fans are used to seeing.

The Orange County, Calif. resident returned home this fall and set up camp locally. He said he’d been away from his kids for almost a year. He was finally able to combine intense training with the mental ease of spending time with his family.

Machida is a difficult opponent, a guy with a style that’s tough to crack. Yet after watching Mauricio “Shogun” Rua break his defense and knock him out, Rampage has to think there is a chance for a big-punching brawler. Maybe the days of the brawler aren’t over.

“When Rampage is on 100 percent, his timing is there and he’s in great shape, (then) he’s very aggressive,” White said. “He moves forward, he hits hard, he has great takedowns. Which Rampage shows up? If that’s the Rampage (that) shows up … it should be a fun fight.”

If nothing else, it should be a fight. And that, at the very least, is what “Rampage” Jackson wants to bring back