Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson: 5 Defining Moments
The sun has begun to set on Quinton Jackson’s mixed martial arts career, but the man they call “Rampage” remains one of the sport’s best-known commodities. Jackson, who turns 39 on June 20, has enjoyed a stellar run during his 17-plus years in the MMA arena, winning titles in King of the Cage and the Ultimate Fighting Championship while starring in Pride Fighting Championships and Bellator MMA. He will put a five-fight winning streak on the line when he confronts Muhammed Lawal in the Bellator 175 headliner on Friday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois (online sportsbooks).
In a long and storied career littered with defining moments, here are five that stand out for “Rampage” Jackson:
1. The Slam
The battle between “Rampage” and Ricardo Arona at Pride Critical Countdown 2004 remains one of the most memorable fights in Pride history because of the sudden and violent nature with which it concluded inside the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The two men traded intermittently on the feet, but the majority of their bout was contested with Jackson inside the Brazilian Top Team standout’s guard. Arona jockeyed for position from his back and repeatedly searched for an armbar or sweep; and while Jackson dodged those bullets, he was rocked by a pair of heel strikes to the face when he attempted to pass to side control. Eventually, Arona trapped the American’s left arm and maneuvered into position for a triangle choke. Jackson lifted the three-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist over his head in a feat of brute strength, fully extended his body and slammed him to the canvas. Arona was instantly unconscious, the impact so harsh that many who were watching wondered if they had witnessed a live death in the ring. To make matters worse for “The Brazilian Tiger,” Jackson’s face also slammed into his forehead before “Rampage” mopped up what was left with two right hammerfists. No longtime MMA observers will forget where they were on June 20, 2004.
2. Magic Wand
Wanderlei Silva had touched off one of the sport’s most heated rivalries in the 2003 Pride middleweight grand prix final, as he stopped Jackson with knee strikes in the first round. Fans waited with baited breath for the rematch, and the two light heavyweight greats did not disappoint at Pride 28 on Oct. 31, 2004. They spent more than 13 minutes trying to pick off each other. Silva was again the better man, landed the cleaner strikes and wore out “Rampage” before kneeing him to a bloody pulp in the second round. Jackson was battered and gasping for air when he walked into a clubbing right hook in Round 2. The blow buckled his knees, as Silva went for the kill and trapped him in the collar tie, cracking a sadistic smile as he did so. “The Axe Murderer” unleashed five consecutive knees, and though Jackson did well to defend them, this sixth one snuck through. The Memphis, Tennessee, native was out cold and fell face first onto the ropes, where he bobbed up and down, droplets of blood dripping onto the mat beneath him. It was a gruesome scene and brought a decisive close to one of Pride’s fiercest rivalries.
3. Ground Chuck
Chuck Liddell was no stranger to Jackson when the two locked horns in the UFC 71 main event on May 26, 2007 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “Rampage” had bludgeoned Liddell to a stoppage under the Pride Fighting Championships flag some four years prior, bringing more light to the reality that not all the elite fighters were in the UFC. Liddell entered the rematch on the strength of seven straight wins, all of them knockouts, and had captured the UFC light heavyweight crown in the process. “The Iceman” was focused on exacting revenge on those who had beaten him in the past and had already blown away Jeremy Horn and Randy Couture -- the only other two men to record wins against him. He also walloped Renato Sobral and Tito Ortiz in rematches for good measure. Jackson was seen as his latest victim. He was on a winning streak of his own but had largely feasted on mediocre competition, and recent victories over Matt Lindland and Marvin Eastman did little to inspire confidence from the masses. As history now knows, the rematch did not go according to plan for Liddell. “Rampage” avoided a left hook to the body and quickly countered with a monstrous right to the jaw, instantly wrecking Liddell’s equilibrium. Liddell collapsed to his back, and when he tried to recover, Jackson met him with brutal elbows and hammerfists until referee John McCarthy called for the stoppage. The longest light heavyweight championship reign at that point came to a violent end 1:53 into the first round, as Jackson claimed the 205-pound crown. Liddell was never the same and closed his career winning just once in his final five tries.
4. Unifying Force
Roughly three months after he dethroned Liddell, Jackson lined up Dan Henderson to unify the UFC and Pride Fighting Championships titles at 205 pounds. “Rampage” emerged from their memorable UFC 75 headliner with his hand raised, having earned a five-round unanimous decision over the two-time Olympian at the O2 Arena in London. Scores were 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46, all for Jackson. He answered Henderson’s three takedowns with two of his own and outlanded the Team Quest patriarch in all five rounds. “Rampage” was particularly dominant in Round 4, where he recorded the only knockdown of the bout and FightMetric showed him holding a 43-4 advantage in total strikes. The appearance was Jackson’s last as champion. Less than a year later, he was upset by “The Ultimate Fighter 1” winner Forrest Griffin at UFC 86.
5. New Breed
The writing was on the wall for Jackson when he squared off with Jon Jones for the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight crown on Sept. 24, 2011: His time as a top-flight competitor at 205 pounds had come and gone. Jones retained his title in stirring fashion, as he submitted “Rampage” with a fourth-round rear-naked choke at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Unable to free himself from the champion’s clutches, Jackson conceded defeat 74 seconds into Round 4, marking the first time he had lost via submission in more than a decade. Jones’ length, athleticism and creativity proved to be impenetrable walls for the challenger. Jabs and kicks to the body, head and legs were the centerpieces of a flawless performance from the 205-pound champion. Jones controlled every phase of the game, pressed the clinch and delivered his trademark spinning back elbow in the first round. Jackson was spellbound. “Bones” picked up his pace in the third round, as he struck for a takedown, moved immediately to side control and then to full mount. From there, he unleashed his hellacious elbows, planting a lateral cut above Jackson’s right eye. In Round 4, he put the exclamation point on his fifth consecutive victory, as he staggered Jackson with a left hook and powered him to the ground with a front headlock. Jackson surrendered his back and in no time Jones cinched the choke for the finish.
