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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
"These things happen sometimes in the business. But I'm glad it got resolved... He's a unique individual to deal with, and he felt that he wasn't happy here [in the UFC] anymore and obviously we wouldn't ever be in a situation where a guy wasn't happy fighting here. If you're not happy here, then go somewhere that'll make you happy. Then he wasn't happy there [in Bellator]. He thought he was happier with us. It wasn't like we wanted Rampage to leave in the first place. He said he wasn't happy.
The thing that Rampage always brings is intensity. He comes in and he tries to finish you, and I love that about him. He's taking on Maldonado, another guy who is a finisher and loves to stand, loves to trade toe to toe and those are always really fun fights. He isn't always the most personable person when you meet him, but he comes to fight. If you're a fight fan, and you love guys who love to stand up, love to trade, Rampage is fun to watch."
-Dana White talks to ESPN's Sportscenter about Rampage Jackson's return at UFC 186 (transcribed by Sherdog.com).
Penick's Analysis: Dana's line about not ever being in a situation with an unhappy fighter is a bit laughable, as it's not as if Rampage is the first fighter to complain about the way things happen in the UFC while on the roster. Not all of those are allowed to just leave if they've got issues. That said, Jackson was in a spot where he became a bigger headache than they wanted to deal with. They let him go elsewhere, and he ultimately became disenfranchised there. That's just what Rampage brings to the table. That said, he's likely going to provide an entertaining fight against someone like Maldonado, and he still brings a fanbase, so it leaves him valuable to the UFC.
[Dana White art by Travis Beaven (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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