Quinton goes on a rampage…quits

Jackson leaves MMA for the movies

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is not the first UFC fighter who smacked down on the organization. Years ago, Jens “Little Evil” Pulver slammed the UFC for not taking into account his loyalty to the organization despite fighting for it exclusively even though he had offers from other MMA groups. Pulver claimed that the highest amount he ever got paid by the UFC was $60,000; and to think that he was once the lightweight champion. In today’s UFC, that amount is a mere bonus for Fight of the Night.

The UFC could justifiably claim to be the savior of mixed martial arts. If Dana White had not convinced the Fertitta brothers to sink millions into buying out the UFC from SEG and developing the organization by taking it to Las Vegas and producing The Ultimate Fighter reality show, MMA would have stayed at best a fringe sport.

MMA fans and investors recognize White and the Fertitta brothers’ role in putting MMA on the international sports map, but the hubris that White has maintained – unfairly criticizing competitors and talking his butt off like he’s the god of the sport – has gained him as much vitriol as credit.

Jackson’s diatribical statement in his official website has blown the lid off White’s hairless pate. Not many have dared talk back to the great White trash talker.

Roger Huerta, another UFC contracted fighter who decided to give the movies a stab, is another victim of White’s machinations. After refusing to extend his contract with the UFC, it is widely believed that Huerta was set up to fight the formidable Gray Maynard. The fact that Huerta lost to Maynard is all the proof some suspicious minds need to confirm their theory that the UFC simply needed to send Huerta out of the organization on a losing note. A risky strategy but if it worked out it would be brilliant. Incidentally, Huerta has also branched out into the movies. He is said to play Matador in the movie version of the video game Tekken.

The loss of Jackson will impact not just the big daddy of MMA federations, but the sport as a whole. Despite or because of his loquacious ways, Jackson was one of the sports best envoys. His amusing patter even though sprinkled with plenty of profanity, was and still makes for good PR. It didn’t harm that Jackson was as strong as two welterweights put together and had the courage of Royce Gracie on steroids. Oops! Bad example. Strength and courage are Jackson’s strong suits.

So, it was ridiculous for White to order the Big Black Rampage to feign intimidation of Machida. The great Brazilian karate expert might be too fast and crafty for Rampage, but you never know what will happen once Jackson has Machida in his grasp. The fight against Evans would have been explosive. Like two silverbacks vying for the amorous attention of a simian supermodel, Jackson and Evans would have torn each other into shreds in the Octagon like two King Kongs in the African jungle. They hated each other, and still do.

White responded to Jackson’s move in atypical manner – he wishes him happy trails instead of mocking him. “He’s acting like a baby,” White said. “He’s acting like a baby right now but he’s a grown man. He wants to be in the movie business? Rampage, good luck to you, man. I hope you make it big — and I’m not being sarcastic because Rampage Jackson is a guy that I do like. But Rampage Jackson is a guy that doesn’t always make the best decisions.”

That doesn’t sound so bad does it? By saying this and if he stands by it without adding anything to put his foot in his big mouth, White will come out smelling like freshly-washed jockstraps.

Jackson does not deny the good things the UFC has done to his MMA career. “The UFC has done a lot for me, but I think I have done more for them,” Jackson admitted. But if he is really leaving MMA for the movies for whatever reason (Rampage as B.A. Baracus in the The A-Team movie is good casting), it’s his decision. If he later on changes his mind, finding Hollywood or independent cinema just as troublesome and painful as MMA, he should find a promoter willing to take him in and arrange for him to fight again.

UFC 87: Sought and Destroyed

KenFlo’s even flow, Hard Brock’s afternoon café, GSP’s Fitch Festival

Florian was very smart and surprising. Lesnar was huge and unrelenting. St. Pierre was just being himself.

I take it back. Kenny Florian is a stud. I’ve always thought he was too soft to be successful in MMA. He wasn’t particularly tough against Roger Huerta two Sundays ago, but he used as much brain cells as muscles in carving a win in three fun (for Florian and fair-minded fight fans -- alliteration can be fun too) rounds.

Staying away most of the time from Huerta’s Superman punch and a toe-to-toe stand-up battle, Florian circled, stepped back, kept his distance from Huerta except when he struck, took down and tried to submit No Conquistador, er, El Matador (lo siento mucho, Rogelio).

In honor of Florian’s well-deserved victory over Huerta, I hereby name my new puppy KenFlo. (Wipe that smile/smirk off your mug! Or I’ll have “KenFlo” bull rush you for a quadruple leg takedown and lick your lips. She hasn’t had her shots yet.)

While Brock Lesnar was just sheer size, power, and determination against Heath Herring. Getting in the first shot attempt (a flying knee, of all things), then a right straight that landed on Herring’s chin, dropping him, Lesnar charged into Herring with what looked like a spear against a stunned horse who reverse rolled. Lesnar got caught in a left standing guillotine. He escaped and kept the fight on the ground for most of the three rounds of 15 minutes. Herring did get in licks of his own a few times, but these were few and far between, hardly fazing the hard Brock.

At 3:39 of Round 1, Herring was already bleeding below the left eye. Lesnar controlled Herring’s back with a little over two minutes left, Herring fell back to get Lesnar in his guard but Lesnar pushed him away and kneed Herring on the body, three times before the bell rang. Herring’s left eye was obviously damaged. Lesnar’s speed was amazing.

The next two rounds were almost picture-perfect copies of the opening round. It was Lesnar all the way. He fully deserved the unanimous-decision victory.

As to Georges “Rush” St. Pierre, what can you say about the cool GSP? With talk focused on Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva as to who is mixed martial arts’ pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, GSP tends to get left out in the mix. Rush is as well-rounded as Fedor and Silva, maybe even more so than “Spider” Silva, and definitely at par with “The Last Emperor.” The trouble is GSP has his two losses to two former welterweight champions, the two Matts -- Hughes and Serra. But he did win in the rematches, decisively at that.

That’s similar to what GSP did to No.1 challenger Jon Fitch in UFC 87. Judging by the way GSP manhandled a game and durable Fitch, GSP has no plans of letting go of his belt, not even to Mickey-Mouse-voiced but Mighty-Mouse-muscled BJ Penn.

After Fitch had lifted GSP on his shoulders as Rush was declared the winner by an all-too obvious Unanimous Decision, Penn entered the Octagon and declared on the microphone Joe Rogan was holding: “Let’s do it! Let’s put the fight together.” Penn, looking manic as usual, spoke in a squeaky voice that sounded funny. But him and GSP in the Octagon is not funny at all. And yes, GSP-Penn would be an explosive match. Let the UFC grant Penn’s wish!

The other results:

(Middleweights)
Demian Maia over Jason McDonald (by Submission/Tapout Rear-Naked Choke in 2:24 of the 3rd Round) -- Great technical ground game with some strikes.

(Lightweights)
Robert Emerson over Manuel Gamburyan (KO R1 12 seconds) -- Emerson’s right straight overhand to Gamburyan’s chin and left hook to the head when Gamburyan was already on the ground did in the latter. Referee Yves Lavigne caught Emerson’s right hook to prevent more punishment.

(Heavyweights)
Cheick Kongo over Dan “The Viking” Evensen (TKO R1 4:55) -- Thrice Kongo got Evensen on the ground, twice ref Lavigne stood them up. Kongo hit Evensen on the chin with a right straight, knocking him down, pounded him some more before the fight was Stopped for a TKO win by Kongo.

Joe Rogan tried to interview Kongo post-fight but was brushed off with an I-am-wasting-my-time-I-am-one-¬of-the-best-fighters-in-the-world-give-me-a-title-shot!

(Lightheavyweights)
Jon Jones over Andre Gusmao (UD 3 rounds) – Jones dominated a stand-up and ground match that was marred by capoiera stylist Gusmao acting as if he got hit in his groin but the crowd disagreed and expressed its displeasure with boos. The judges seemed to agree and awarded Jones the victory after three rather uneventful rounds.

(Welterweights)
Tamdan McRory over Luke Cummo (UD 3 rounds) -- McRory had several submission attempts, while Cummo tried to strike quite successfully but not consistently enough to lose by unanimous decision.

Addendum: Looking at the UFC 87 poster, you will notice that all the fighters to the left won. Perhaps for UFC 88, managers should do everything in their power, including bribery and grave threats, to have their clients take the left spot. There’s a thin line between superstition and faith. Another reason those who subscribe to this dictum can be excommunicated by the Church.