Rising star on a ‘Rampage’
By Herald staff
Sunday, February 11, 2007
The day hadn’t been going great for Quinton Jackson. He’d missed his flight to Memphis, Tenn., because he’d been held up while boarding at the U.S. Air terminal at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. And he wasn’t happy about it.
“My kids got patted down,” he said after returning to his home in Irvine. “I’ve got my three boys with me and my 1-year-old gets patted down.”
The man called Rampage was traveling with his Austrian nanny. Rampage is black. The nanny is white. That was the problem, according to Rampage.
“I want to get a lawsuit going,” he said. “This is 2007. What’s wrong with me having a white nanny? They thought she was my girlfriend. And what’s wrong with having an interracial relationship? They were just rude for no reason. I’m very nice to everybody. There was no reason for them to act that way.”
But -- outside The Octagon, anyway -- the 28-year-old Jackson doesn’t seem like a man that stays mad for long. As the topic turns to the UFC, his impending light heavyweight title fight with Chuck Liddell and his own Christianity, Rampage brightens. And why not? Just a short time ago, he was fighting in Japan, not receiving the type of treatment he felt he deserved. These days, he’s walking into raucous, soldout Las Vegas arenas, doling out some serious punishment, making money, and meeting with prospective sponsors back in his dressing room.
Life is good.
“I want to be the champion,” he said. “I want to be a household name. I want people to say Rampage is the real thing.”
Over a 45-minute interview, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Rampage touched on a bunch of different topics in a unique, outspoken fashion. Here’s a sampling from the newest star on the UFC scene:
# On his nickname, Rampage:
“I got it when I was 8 years old. I had the worst temper on planet Earth. My cousin named me. They used to pick on me and I would get so mad, I used to huff and puff and hyperventilate. My family thought it was hilarious. I either had to leave the house or I had to take it. A lot of times, I took it, and I tried to beat them all up. I had unlimited strength. It took a bunch of them to hold me down.”
# On feeling some jitters before his first UFC match -- a second-round KO of Marvin Eastman:
“Everyone was expecting a lot out of me and stuff. I wanted to give a lot. I saw them promote me all over Vegas and Los Angeles. No one has ever done that for me. I knew Chuck was there watching me. My dad was there, seeing me fight for the first time -- my whole family. It was like the Super Bowl.”
# On hearing some boos after a passive first round:
“There was a little booing. I kind of got offended to be honest with you. When I watched the fight, there wasn’t any reason to be booing. There was a little gap there. But what I learned is that right now, there a lot of newcomers to the UFC. They don’t even know why they’re booing. A guy can knock someone out in 16 seconds and they’ll still boo. But the main fans, the ones that have been watching the fights for a while, they know what’s going on.”
# On his philosophy of life:
“I take what God gives me. I hope God is enjoying this movie. I know God has a great sense of humor. As long as I make Him happy, I’m good. Ever since the day I was born, I’ve been living a comedy, a drama and a horror film. And sad to say, sometimes it’s been a *****.”
# On his born-again Christian faith:
“God touched me one day. It was right after my 26th birthday. I was just destroying myself. I was neglecting my oldest son, I was partying too much, I was trusting the wrong people. The next thing I know, God gave me a sign.”
# On being touched by God:
“When God touched me, it was like it opened up a whole new horizon for me. It was beautiful. I cried and laughed at the same time. I’d never experienced anything like it. When God touches you, you instantly know it. He talks to you. He teaches you how to pray. There’s a warm feeling in your heart and you feel what Jesus feels like inside you.”
# On his power in the ring:
“I have power that God gave me. I can only use this strength when He gives it to me. When He does, I have an unlimited burst of strength. At certain times, when I need it, a guy feels like a paper weight. In a fight or on the streets when I’m mad, it’s unlimited.”
# On the co-existence of his religious beliefs and his brutal profession:
“It’s kind of weird to be honest. I don’t hate my opponents. I don’t try and kill them. I just try and knock them out. In the Bible, there’s lots of wars and battles. Being a Christian is an everyday fight. I wish God could have waited until I was older to choose me but He knows. He got me right before I was going to end up killing myself, so He knows.”
# On why it took so long for him to come to the UFC:
“I’m kind of a loyal guy. One of my homeboys is Tito Ortiz and he was the champion of the UFC. I wanted to stay away out of respect.”
# On his chances against Chuck Liddell, a fight Rampage says will happen this year, probably in the summer:
“The difference between me and the guys Chuck’s fought isI don’t think Chuck can hurt me. I ain’t scared of his punches, I ain’t scared of his knees, but I am scared of his breath. I’m from the street. I’m just gonna go in there and get ’er done.”
# On where he sees himself in a year from now:
“I see myself still being a man of God, working for Him, being a good friend and a good father. Hopefully being one of the best fighters around.”
KOJI KRALJ !!!
... Ja bih licno voleo kada bi bilo na nekom malo vecem prostoru , neka skolska sala ili slicno i da dodje sto vise ljudi ...
. Na kraju mala kontroverza u mecu veceri , kazu da je Renzo dobijao mec dok Frank nije uputio par ilegalnih kolena u potiljak koja su uzdrmala Renza , neki tvrde da Renzo nije mogao neki da nije hteo da zavrsi mec , a Frank se navodno nespotski poneo ... Cekam da skinem da pogledam pa da vidim , Renzo mi je najjaci lik od svih Gracie-a i nekako mi ne ide da nije hteo da nastavi , ali ko zna mozda je proradio Gracie-Gen , dok je Frank izgleda pokazao da se njegov Shamrock ''usadjeni'' gen nije izgubio ...
