Under the Microscope: Analyzing Light Heavyweight Greats

Eric StintonAug 13, 2015

Quinton Jackson enjoyed success in multiple organizations. | Photo: D. Mandel/Sherdog.com

Quinton Jackson

* Light Heavyweight Record: 22-10
* Opponent Winning Percentage:.694
* Longest Winning Streak: 8
* Record in Major Light Heavyweight Title Fights: 2-4
* Finish Percentage: 59
* Finished Percentage: 50
* Notable Victories: Murilo Bustamante, Chuck Liddell (twice), Ricardo Arona, Murilo Rua, Matt Lindland, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Lyoto Machida, Muhammed Lawal
* Career Accomplishments: UFC light heavyweight champion, with one successful defense; Bellator MMA Season 10 light heavyweight tournament winner; 2003 Pride middleweight grand prix runner-up; five-time UFC “Performance of the Night” bonus winner

CASE FOR: No fighter has been as utterly mean as “Rampage.” A consummate entertainer, Jackson knew how to put on a show inside and outside of a fight. He cultivated a persona better than almost anyone has, known equally for his trademark chain and howl as he is for his thunderous slams and power punching. Beyond holding titles in multiple organizations -- including a hard-to-come-by UFC title defense that effectively unified the UFC and Pride championships -- “Rampage” can also boast one of the most terrifying, definitive singular moves inside of a fight: the power slam that instantaneously separated Ricardo Arona from consciousness. It was one of those moments where viewers legitimately feared for a fighter's life, and it is emblematic of the vicious power that defined “Rampage.” The list of fighters who can claim elite-tier status for more than a decade and in several major organizations is short, but that is Jackson's claim to fame. Though he has certainly experienced some decline in recent years, he still remains a force in the light heavyweight division, enjoying a tenure of dominance unheard of in a line of work as fickle as professional fisticuffs.

CASE AGAINST: There is no shortage of career flaws to knock down Jackson’s case a peg or two. Of course, what juts off the page first is the fact that he has lost twice as many title fights as he has won; and for all his vaunted power, his finish rate is fairly pedestrian. Not to mention, several of his losses are borderline embarrassing. Whether it was getting outpointed by the painfully less athletic Forrest Griffin or twice playing the part of Vanilla Ice to Wanderlei Silva’s Suge Knight in Pride, “Rampage” rarely lost with any grace. Most, if not all of these issues, stem from the fact that he was essentially a power puncher with solid boxing and takedown defense, nothing more. To this day, his submission game is a liability against virtually anyone, and his standup arsenal boils down to two- or three-punch combinations and suspect defense. He is one of the greatest characters in the sport, no doubt, but he is not the greatest fighter.

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