Still hope for Rampage in UFC this year.

sitnspin · 03-02-2006, 02:22 PM

This was from his press conference following Pride 31. No spoilers about the match, so read on:

Pride: Are you interested in the Open Weight Grand Prix this year?

Jackson: I'm not interested in tournaments this year. The reason is that you need luck in tournaments and I don't have any. This is the last fight in my contract and I wanted to give a good fight since I like the Japanese fans. You can fight twice in one night in a tournament and I'm not good at gambling. If I had good luck, I'd want to do something else. And, I like to do body slams. I want to throw them out of the ring and I don't like that I can't do that to Heavyweight fighters.

Pride: Will you have one-match contracts from now on?

Jackson: Please ask my manager or PRIDE. MMA is popular in America too and as a black man, I want the freedom that the other fighters around me have. PRIDE is on free TV in Japan and it's difficult to get sponsors because I'm a foreigner. I can't keep fighting forever and I have a kid now so I have to think about how I will support us in the future. I really like that the Japanese fans respect us, regardless of whether we win or lose, though.

Okay. I realize he's not saying anything directly about the UFC, but it certainly sounds like he's eager to reestablish his career on American soil. And you know that Chuck's eager for the fight, so eager that he'd probably agree to making it a title fight, and Dana knows that the fans would go nuts over Rampage joining the UFC LHW division.

dagenhamdave · 03-02-2006, 02:44 PM

He's keeping his options open for sure but unless dana gives the money over, you wont see it happen. I have said in other threads that Zuffa CAN pay for Rampage but it is really a question of IF they will pay for Rampage to come to the UFC. I think they like propping Chuck up. He did TUF1 and is pretty well known and established and people like him. He is a good champion and if it aint broke, why fix it? UFC seems to be trying to endoctrine Hughes, Franklin, Liddell, Sanchez and Griffin. I think those are the guys they really believe in to get the UFC more mainstream in America.

sitnspin · 03-02-2006, 02:51 PM

I don't know. Time will tell, I guess. I believe that if someone will be worth the money, Dana White will pay them. Most importantly, he wants to bring in guys that will excite the fans and sell tickets. That's why he found a way to get rid of Matt Lindland -- as good as he is, he's not considered a marquee fighter. Rampage, on the other hand, would be a huge deal and there are a handful of really interesting fights for him in the UFC.

two_guns_blazing · 03-02-2006, 03:04 PM

If Rampage is now on a one-fight contract, and Babalu may not be getting the next title shot.....hmmm, make me wonder.

dagenhamdave · 03-02-2006, 03:12 PM

It doesn't say he is on one fight contracts. They asked him and he replied "ask my manager or Pride."
He probably has no contract and is looking at offers from K-1, Pride and UFC. He will go with which one makes him the most money.

two_guns_blazing · 03-02-2006, 03:26 PM

yeah, you're right, not sure how I read that wrong. Remind me not to work and post.

angryjonny · 03-02-2006, 03:33 PM

Don't take things too far out of context. He said he doesn't like doing tournaments. Mainly because he doesn't win them. He doesn't think he can win two fights in one night. I don't blame him that's tough to do. It's not easy for anyone. Again I say that him going to UFC isn't out of the question but it's going to take ALOT of money that I'm not sure if UFC is willing to pay. Remember according to Dana a "real" fighter is someone who doesn't care about their pay. Basically he wants guys who are willing to get paid peanuts.

lwbfl · 03-02-2006, 04:00 PM

Something else I learned in that interview is how the UFC fighters make up the difference in money. Sponsors! Jackson said that he don't know of any sponsors in Japan to help him out, but we all have seen the commercials with the UFC guys, and the obvious ads on them when they come to the octagon sometimes. He claims that Chuck is bringing in a million per year! Is that just from the UFC, or all together?

dagenhamdave · 03-02-2006, 04:07 PM

Dana was quoted as saying Chuck stands to make like 2.4 million in 2005 from fights, endorsements and film, television work. Jackson could surely do similiar here.

Master Jones · 03-02-2006, 04:25 PM

The comment about having a kid now, will probley keep him with the money. He surely won't get that in the UFC.

sitnspin · 03-02-2006, 04:56 PM

The guys talking about sponsorship are right, though. The real money, for a popular, high profile fighter in the UFC, comes from sponsorship. Even though Pride pays it's fighters better, I bet it's fair to say that Chuck is making more money than Rampage was in Pride, and Rampage is gonna want a piece of that action.

Personally, I think it all adds up. He's not under contract, he wants to get the big sponsorship money, and he's Chuck's only unavenged loss which means there's big drama and Dana White can hear the fans reaching for their wallets.

I agree with Angryjonny that we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves, but I think a deal like this at least makes more sense than, say, Gomi leaving Pride for the UFC.

Georges4life · 03-02-2006, 05:53 PM

It would be my dream to see him fight in the UFC but i dont see him leaving Japan, i just dont, basically becasue of money issues

Jras0001 · 03-02-2006, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwbfl

Something else I learned in that interview is how the UFC fighters make up the difference in money. Sponsors! Jackson said that he don't know of any sponsors in Japan to help him out, but we all have seen the commercials with the UFC guys, and the obvious ads on them when they come to the octagon sometimes. He claims that Chuck is bringing in a million per year! Is that just from the UFC, or all together?

chuck made 250K dollars just on the fight pay out for him and randy last month. also, he and randy got a percentage of the ppv earnings as well, but not sure what that amounts to. he is also involed in a movie thats supposed to be released soon but not sure when. he has xyence as one of his sponsors i believe, and he probably does numerous other things that get him paid. i think its a pretty safe bet that chuck will make a lot of money this year, easily into the millions.

that being said, chucks situation is far from the norm...just look at franklin who is still brought in a whopping 13K to KO nate in his last fight. i think his low pay is mostly due to his long fight contract (six fights i think) with the ufc. i believe buentello only made 16K in his fight last month, 8K to show and 8K for the win.

i can understand jackson wanting to secure a future for his family, who wouldnt and he's right, he needs either good sponsors or he needs a lucrative contract that will provide that for him. i think which ever organization that comes through on that will have a very good chance of landing a very very good fighter for their line up.

angryjonny · 03-02-2006, 06:39 PM

Here's what I think is possible. Slim chance this could happen but it is possible. Say TUF still has popularity after this season. If ratings don't skyrocket for this season it probably won't last much longer. Obviously the main reason for the ratings increase possibility will be because of the Tito/Shamrock fued.

Unfortunately no one is going to care about the fighters. If they get Jackson to be a coach and have Liddell as another coach or at least a role in the show since he may not have time to take the coaching full time then that can be a start to building up Jackson. Then they build on the fact that Jackson beat Chuck before to get everyone excited for a rematch.

The only downside to this is there can pretty much be only one really big name that gets all the money. Basically Jackson would have to steal the spotlight because I don't see both of them being huge stars.

Another thing that is concerning is that Jackson could care less about fighting Chuck or fighting for a belt etc. He just wants the cash and nothing else. Also he knows that he is huge in Japan and he's not here. In Japan he's like Chuck is in the USA. Sure a lot of people know about him but he's not a huge star and the casual fan doesn't know that much about him.

Basically I wouldn't be surprised to see him re-sign with Pride or even go to K1. He mentioned that as a possibility in an interview as well. I hope he comes to UFC at least once though.

The Phenom · 03-02-2006, 08:22 PM

I've seen a couple topics stating that Dana probably won't give Jackson the money to come to the UFC. The thing is though, for whatever money it may take to get Jackson here, Dana will make a ton out of marketing him, putting him up aganist guys like Chuck, Babalu, Ortiz and so on. You have to spend money to make money baby and I hope Dana is a smart bussiness man and can find a way to get him to the UFC.

sitnspin · 03-02-2006, 08:42 PM

I don't think Ortiz and Rampage would fight each other, but otherwise I agree with you.

compcast · 03-02-2006, 08:57 PM

i have not gotten into the pride yet but i seen clips of quinton and i dont think dana wonts anybody to beat up his little chuck liddel.if jackson comes to ufc i dont see no lightheavyweights stopping him.