May I have your attention please. Will the real Quinton Jackson please stand up. I repeat, will the real Quinton Jackson please stand up, are we going to have a problem here?
For some reason, thinking about the upcoming main event at UFC 123 this next saturday between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida, reminds me of the beginning to the Eminem song, "The Real Slim Shady."
The year 2010 has been a roller-coaster of emotions for "Rampage"--a movie career kick-started by the re-make on film of a TV classic and portraying an Icon of the industry, but in the other hand, a lot of criticism from MMA fans (and Dana White) and a loss to TUF rival coach, Rashad Evans.
In late 2009 Rampage stunned the MMA world by saying he would retire, just to come back sometime later in the year to say he would fight again for UFC just to shut Rashad Evans and Dana White up.
The atrocious display of trash talk exhibited by both athletes on their season of The Ultimate Fighter was just too much to overlook and let's face it, after all that talk, you better back it up.
When the last bell rang for Evans and Jackson at UFC 114, Jackson had another L standing on his record in what a lot of fans called a "disappointing display of dis-motivation."
No one had ever seen a more passive "Rampage" that on that night. Actually, the "Rampage" never came out. We only saw Quinton Jackson get dominated by Rashad for five rounds.
In post-fights interviews you could read or hear all kinds of "reasons" (many use the word "excuses" rather) for why couldn't he follow his usual game plan which involves being the aggressor at all times.
Ring rust put it's dirty hands on the athlete that night some say but, in reality, a lot of people actually think, Jackson just doesn't have the fighting bug in him anymore.
Earlier this year, "Rampage" made comments in the range of "quitting MMA if there was more money to be made in movies." Comments like this one triggered questions in the fans' minds--does "Rampage" still want to fight? Does he still have it in him or is in it just for the money?
Well, of course it's for the money. Who in there sane mind would undergo what an MMA fighter has to go through to be an elite competitor just for fun? But there is an element of pride, honor, and flat out competitiveness that needs to be there for a fighter to let it all hang out in a fight.
Quotes like "I don't know how much I ever loved the fight game, to be honest," or "I like it a lot less than I used to," have undermined the fan's trust in "Rampage" as an entertaining main-eventer.
All these facts lead us to certain questions...
Who is showing up at UFC 123, "Rampage" the fighter or Quinton the actor?
Will he go in this just for another pay-day or will he come out blazing for Machida's head?
Is Quinton "Rampage" Jackson still relevant in MMA?
What do you think?
Thanks for reading and I hope you (as much as I) enjoy this next night of fights.
Please come join us on Twitter @MMATruth .
Be a part of our new MMA community on Facebook at The MMA Truth.
You can also follow me on Twitter @acordero2010.
Written by:
