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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is really happy to be fighting in Japan this February. Really, really happy; and he doesn't care if he upset anyone along the way to get himself booked on the card.
"I had to fight and complain and b**** to my manager [to get on this card]," Jackson said at a press conference in Japan for the event (via MMAFighting.com). "Now I think the representatives of UFC are upset with me a little bit... But ask me, do I care?"
Whether the UFC had other plans for him or not, Jackson convinced them to give him a fight - any fight - to get him on this card, and they obliged, giving him a matchup against Ryan Bader at UFC 144.
The excitement for Jackson is rising just being a part of the card. Come February, it will have been six years since he fought in that country, and he's anxious to get back in front of that audience.
"I'm all about putting on an exciting fight in Japan," Jackson said. "One thing I love about Japanese fans and why I love them the most is that they don't care if you win or lose. All they care is if you have samurai spirit, that you put on a good fight. That's why Japanese fans are my favorite. And American fans are jealous that I say that all the time."
"Back when I was fighting here, I had so much energy. I just wanted to put on a good show for the fans because all the energy they give. In America, you're under so much pressure to win at all costs because the fans talk s*** to you if you lose even if it's a good, exciting fight. In Japan, it's just a different energy. Who knows? Maybe I'll take more chances and not care because it's all about the crowd. I react to the crowd. I don't care about the people watching on TV."
Jackson has been a different fighter in the UFC than he was in Pride, turning his focus more to his boxing game than the vicious slams and ground and pound attack seen in the ring. Jackson attributes that to the energy he received from the Japanese crowd as opposed to what he gets in America. Because of that, he's not necessarily happy where his game has come along in the last six years.
"Actually my standup has evolved a lot since I last fought here, but at the same time that's what's gotten me in trouble a lot lately," he said. "Everyone sees me boxing a lot more, so they're creating great game plans to counter my boxing. In Japan, I used to slam a lot and put on more of a show because the energy from the fans gave me power and I don't feel the same energy in the US. So, I can't honestly say I improved or evolved in a good way since leaving Japan."
Penick's Analysis: Rampage has had periods of seeming disinterest in his MMA career, and has continued taking fights in the UFC primarily for the money. He looked in great shape against Jon Jones in his shot at the title in September, and despite the loss still did look like he belongs in the top of the rankings. With this return fight to Japan, maybe we'll see an invigorated Rampage; perhaps he'll truly be raised up for this fight to put on the type of performance that used to thrill his fans everywhere. Regardless, an engaged and interested Rampage Jackson is always immensely fun to watch, and because of that all fans will be interested in seeing his fight with Bader.
[Rampage Jackson art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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