Quinton "Rampage" Jackson during a portrait session before UFC 114 on May 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Francis Specker
Rampage Jackson: I really do think that I fought my last fight
“I really do think that I fought my last fight,” former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Rampage Jackson told Ariel Helwani, Monday on the MMA Hour.
Rampage has been tied up in litigation with Viacom, the parent company of Bellator MMA, his former employer after initially parting ways with the UFC. After determining that he was unhappy there Rampage was brought back to the UFC.
His return fight to the UFC — the first since 2013, when he unceremoniously parted ways — was under contention due to a lawsuit filed by Viacom for breach of contract. Bellator won its preliminary injunction against Jackson in the Burlington County Superior Court of New Jersey, which forced the UFC to replace Jackson on the card with Steve Bosse.
However, on the Tuesday the week of the April fight with Maldonado, a judge in the Superior Court of New Jersey’s Appellate Division overturned Bellator’s injuction against Jackson, enabling him to compete.
“Because, you guys weren’t in the mediation with me when Viacom said what they want for me to settle. I felt like it was lopsided and my attorney felt like it was lopsided. I don’t think I can tell you [what it was], but I could sue them for a lot of money. Because I lost a lot of money. And they want to settle, I was like wow.
The 37-year old “Rampage” Jackson alluded to his retirement throughout the interview, and said his decision to potentially hang up the gloves would come down to how the lawsuit played out between him and Viacom.
“I don’t think I can tell you guys, but if I ever find out I can tell you, I’ll put it out there. But I don’t think I can.”
Jackson last fought at UFC 186 defeating Fabio Maldonado.
“Now I’m tied up and going to court and stuff like that, and I feel like they’re just trying to tie me up so I don’t fight,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’ve been thinking about this a long time. At the end of the day, I’ve won four fights in a row. I’ve done a lot in this sport, I’ve been fighting for 15 years. I love this sport. I’m thinking, Bellator cannot make me fight for them. So I’m thinking I may as just go ahead and retire.”
The former UFC light heavyweight champion Jackson is 36-11 in his pro career.
