Bellator's Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson hints at a possible move to heavyweight

Longtime light heavyweight Quinton "Rampage" Jackson said he could make the move to heavyweight now that he's signed with Bellator MMA.

The ex-UFC champion, who recently a signed a multi-year deal with the rival promotion that also includes work with TNA Wrestling and a four-part reality series geared around his Bellator debut, said age and competition are reasons for the potential move.

He unveiled the plan today during a press conference in Los Angeles.

"I'm thinking of heavyweight because I'm getting older now," said Jackson, who also mentioned a lack of competition at 205 pounds. "I want to start smashing some big guys."

Bellator's heavyweight division is currently ruled by champion Alexander Volkov. Attila Vegh holds the light-heavyweight title.

Throughout the media event, Jackson continually praised Bellator, including the organization's willingness to let him return to acting gigs, while taking potshots at his former home with the UFC. He said his new deal could lay the groundwork for other fighters to make the jump from the UFC to Bellator, which currently airs its events on Spike TV.

Jackson and Bellator officials haven't determined if his first fight will come in one of the organization's four- or eight-man tournaments, or in a non-tourney affair. But with a knee injury quickly healing, he's hoping to fight by year's end.

Jackso (32-11 MMA, 0-0 BFC) recently closed out his UFC career with a three-fight skid, which included losses to champ Jon Jones, Ryan Bader and Glover Teixeira. In 12 UFC fights, he posted an overall 7-5 record.

The fighter, who's ranked No. 13 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA light-heavyweight rankings, announced his split with the UFC following his January loss to Teixeira. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, UFC President Dana White said Jackson made nearly $16 million during his five-year run in the UFC. But his constant clashes with UFC officials, as well as a high-profile arrest in 2008 for two felonies related to hit and run and evading police, turned the relationship sour. Jackson also launched an acting career, which included a starring role in the 2010 film remake of "The A-Team," that took away from his time in the cage, which drew some ire from White.

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/06/bellators-quinton-rampage-jackson-hints-at-a-possible-move-to-heavyweight

lol

Bye bye "iron jaw."

Terrible idea... He has fought his whole career at 205 and has been on a losing streak. Things are not going to get any easier for him at 265. I was hoping for an in shape determined Rampage to enter Bellator but this is sounding like someone that is just unmotivated. Hopefully he reconsiders this.

Bellator needs to work with Rampage and shoot this down quick. King Mo fight, M'Pumbu, Vegh, Zayats, Newton are the types of fights I want to see Rampage in Bellator. Terrible idea.

Is it only me that thinks that Rampage just want to eat burgers get fat and earn a paycheck ? Hes gonna get promoted as one of bellators golden boys, and i think he wants to relax and enjoy the burgers i guess....

he's too lazy to cut weight. it would be cool to see heavyweight rampage though.

Honestly if he's motivated and IN SHAPE Quinton has the power to ko anyone he chooses to.

At hw if he came in at around 220-230
And he was muscle not fat bellator weight wise doesn't have gigantic hws he could compete his boxing is good just doesn't check legkicks.

My main problem is he came in the game a wrestler brawler with ko slams.
He works his boxing and forgets he ever wrestled haven't seen a takedown let alone a slam.

If rampage returned to his roots and wrestled just enough to throw off timing and open up his hands more and go to the body atleast once LOL he could be a bad dude at hw.

Dorch wrote:Is it only me that thinks that Rampage just want to eat burgers get fat and earn a paycheck ? Hes gonna get promoted as one of bellators golden boys, and i think he wants to relax and enjoy the burgers i guess....

That's what I'm reading into this as well.

I don´t like weight cutting so this is good. All fighters who cut weight should move up a weight class.

I think this would be very interesting. People make too much of weight. I see no reason Jackson couldn't hang with bigger guys. He could have trouble against some of the bigger guys, but at the same time he has good enough hands that his speed would probably show.

CDF47 wrote:

Dorch wrote:Is it only me that thinks that Rampage just want to eat burgers get fat and earn a paycheck ? Hes gonna get promoted as one of bellators golden boys, and i think he wants to relax and enjoy the burgers i guess....

That's what I'm reading into this as well.

yup.

"i'm so much better than these bellator scrubs, I don't even have to train to win"- an underestimating Rampage.


Volkov boxes his head off to a UD.

I don't see the big deal in this. It's common in boxing to move up late in your career. It's a little different because there is probably a bigger pay difference between 200 and 200+ in boxing, which is often the motivating factor. That said, I look forward to seeing Rampage mix it up with the bigger guys. I like smaller heavyweights, as opposed to everyone being 265. Heavyweight fighting is also stylistically different. If Rampage wants to fight in what he perceives as the better division, that is even more admirable. Perhaps the opportunities for bigger paychecks is also there. Why does everyone feel the need to second guess his motives and assume laziness? I think this is a admirable decision, which shows a desire to compete at the best level available. Leaving the UFC to bang with Bellator heavyweights also removes some of the perception that he is moving down a class be leaving the UFC.

^I just would like to see him fight King Mo, Newton, Zayats, and Vegh prior to moving up to HW.

I could see why doing both pro-wrestling and MMA would make it easier to just be a HW for him but these are the fights I'm hoping for, at least in his first year or so with Bellator. He mentioned possibly doing some LHW still so hopefully this is his plan. Fight 2 or 3 top Bellator LHWs and then move to a Bellator HW tournament. That would be cool.

CDF47 wrote:^I just would like to see him fight King Mo, Newton, Zayats, and Vegh prior to moving up to HW.

I could see why doing both pro-wrestling and MMA would make it easier to just be a HW for him but these are the fights I'm hoping for, at least in his first year or so with Bellator. He mentioned possibly doing some LHW still so hopefully this is his plan. Fight 2 or 3 top Bellator LHWs and then move to a Bellator HW tournament. That would be cool.

i like it, i think page walks around, 235 so he can hang with the big boys, why not, also he is going to be bigger beacuse of his tna crap...

MR.WILLIE wrote:

CDF47 wrote:^I just would like to see him fight King Mo, Newton, Zayats, and Vegh prior to moving up to HW.

I could see why doing both pro-wrestling and MMA would make it easier to just be a HW for him but these are the fights I'm hoping for, at least in his first year or so with Bellator. He mentioned possibly doing some LHW still so hopefully this is his plan. Fight 2 or 3 top Bellator LHWs and then move to a Bellator HW tournament. That would be cool.

i like it, i think page walks around, 235 so he can hang with the big boys, why not, also he is going to be bigger beacuse of his tna crap...

I just hope he starts out with some fights at 205 with King Mo which I have wanted to see for awhile and then possibly Zayats and Newton/Vegh loser. I was looking forward to these fights. After that, it would be cool if he goes to HW. He mentioned in one interview possibly having fights at 205 so I hope these are his plans.