Q&A: "Rampage" Denies Rumors He Signed with UFC

While Frank Shamrock (Pictures) fancies himself the most sought after free agent in mixed martial arts, that honor, if one is to judge by the magnitude of rumor and resulting fan interest, clearly belongs to Quinton Jackson (Pictures).

Since defeating Dong Sik Yoon (Pictures) in February and thus completing his contract with PRIDE, speculation has placed the 205-pound Jackson in virtually every MMA organization of note.

Most recently the rumor mill spun a yarn that has “Rampage” deciding to fight under the banner of the UFC. But, as he told Sherdog.com Thursday afternoon, that’s simply not the case. In fact, negotiations between Jackson and any promoter save PRIDE cannot start until April 1, at which point he expects to be recruited like a blue-chip prospect.

In this exclusive interview, published in its entirety, Jackson discusses his free agent status; what it would take for him to return to PRIDE; how he would cope with losing his manager to the WFA; and just how much he believes he’s worth.

Sherdog.com: Are you currently under contract with any fight promoter?

Quinton Jackson (Pictures): No, I’m not under contract with anybody right now. I am a free agent right now. I don’t have a contract with anybody. I’m not allowed to negotiate until April 1st and it’s not April 1st yet, so therefore I’m currently still a PRIDE fighter.

Sherdog.com: At this point, the only company you’re allowed to negotiate with is PRIDE? Is that fair to say?

Jackson: Yeah, until April 1st. I hear all these rumors that I’m fighting in the UFC or K-1 or IFL. Something like that. Those are just rumors. I’m thinking about re-signing with PRIDE if they give me what I ask for.

Sherdog.com: Recently you were in Japan to help Antonio McKee (Pictures) in his K-1 Hero’s fight. Some of the press asked you about K-1 and you talked about how much you thought it was a good organization. And also there’s a video on your Web site where you’re wearing a UFC belt and you’re talking about Chuck Liddell (Pictures). Do you think those things are responsible for the rumors at all? What’s the point of all that?

Jackson: That’s just me being me. I like what the UFC is doing. The UFC is doing some good things. Chuck’s making a lot of money, you know what I’m saying? And no disrespect to Chuck, but he’s not really a marketable guy. I think I’m way more marketable than a person like Chuck. He had some exciting fights, he knocked some people out and he got a Mohawk. That’s about it. I think if Chuck is making all that money, why can’t the Black Man? So, I want to make some cheddar, too. That’s all I’m saying. What’s wrong with black people making money? Ain’t nothing wrong with black people making money. Black folks need to survive too.

Sherdog.com: Do you have a particular choice on where you want to fight, or all along has it always been about who’s going to take care of Quinton?

Jackson: Exactly. Who’s going to promote me and who’s going to pay me. That’s what it’s all about. Ain’t nothing else. Ain’t no prejudice or anything else. I’m not biased towards any organization. I do want to fight the toughest opponents in the world these days, and I want to get paid what I think I’m worth. I think I’m worth a whole lot. So anybody who’s got that cheddar, come holla at me.

Sherdog.com: What do you think you’re worth?

Jackson: Man, I’m — what do you think I’m worth?

Sherdog.com: Well, I think relative to other fighters you’re not Chuck or Randy just because people don’t know you in the U.S. and you’re not a champion. You’re almost there.

Jackson: Well, that’s your opinion. I think I’m worth more than Chuck and Randy combined because I have something neither of them had.

Sherdog.com: What’s that?

Jackson: That’s me. I got my fighting style, the way I fight. And the way I come across to people. As soon as I get promoted right in America, people will take to me very fast.

Sherdog.com: If you do sign with PRIDE, you’ll still be in the same mode where you’re in Japan, you’re promoted in Japan and American audiences won’t necessarily know you as much as they could otherwise.

Jackson: Exactamundo.

Sherdog.com: In that consideration is that a situation where you would have to take more money from PRIDE, as opposed to an offer from an American promoter, say the UFC or someone else who stepped up?

Jackson: If I want to go back with PRIDE they’re gonna have to pay me a whole bunch of money and get me some good endorsements, which they haven’t done in all the years I’ve been there. If PRIDE wants me back they gotta guarantee me some big-money endorsement deals. Really, in all honesty, I don’t care to be famous in America. I just care so when I get done fighting — I only want to fight until I’m 30 then I want to retire from fighting and go on to another field — I want to be set. These next couple years are very important to me. I want to be set so I don’t have to work for the rest of my life because fighting, anything can happen. So in order for PRIDE to get me they’re gonna have to guarantee me some endorsement deals, and they haven’t met that aspect of agreement yet. That’s what I want. So until they meet that, you know, I’m not gonna talk to them.

Sherdog.com: So, what happens on April 1st?

Jackson: On April 1st whoever’s the highest bidder, that’s where I go.

Sherdog.com: Who’s doing the negotiating for you?

Jackson: My manager.

Sherdog.com: Jeremy Lappen?

Jackson: I didn’t say that. I said my manager.

Sherdog.com: That’s why I’m wondering. As far as we know to this point your manager has been Jeremy Lappen. But it’s my understanding he took a job with the WFA.

Jackson: If he is and if that is true and he offers me what I’m looking for, Jeremy Lappen will no longer be my manager.

Sherdog.com: You’re talking with somebody else to possibly represent you?

Jackson: Yeah. If Jeremy goes there then I get me a new manager. If he can meet what I ask for. I gotta get what I want. It’s all about me right now. It’s all about the black man.

Sherdog.com: Could that put a delay in your negotiation? If you don’t know where you stand with Jeremy a lot has got to happen in one day, two days for you to sign by April 1st.

Jackson: Well, I don’t have to sign by April 1st. But April 1st is the first day I can start negotiating. I can’t even negotiate until April 1st. It doesn’t mean I’m going to sign with someone on April 1st.

Sherdog.com: Are you looking at someone specific to start representing you?

Jackson: I already have a few people in mind. I pretty much know what I want. I don’t know why I can’t represent myself. Just hire a lawyer and represent myself. I know exactly what I want. I don’t need no manager to — if Jeremy Lappen, I don’t know if it’s true if he is a promoter of WFA. I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything to me. I’ve been hearing stuff too. If he’s been keeping it away from me maybe he has reasons to keep it away from me.