Sports Radio Interviews

Dana White: “Rampage is Acting Like a Baby Right Now”

SRI continues to add in new writers. This post is courtesy of Chris Fedor of WKNR in Cleveland. As President of the UFC Dana White understands that he has to deal with different things every day. As you can see below, he understands that his job is to make the best possible fights that he can, but sometimes has to deal with other things outside of the cage. Well the latest thing on his plate is the retirement of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Rampage announced his plans to retire from fighting in a blog on his website. He was scheduled to fight Rashad Evans at UFC 107 on December 12th in his home town of Memphis following the conclusion of this season’s Ultimate Fighter. However he pulled out of the main event to pursue an acting career and pursue a role in the movie version of the “A Team.”

Needless to say, the decision by Rampage did not make Dana White happy. He made his feelings about Rampage possibly pursuing an acting career known at UFC 103 in Dallas and hasn’t backed away since.

Dana White joined Carmichael Dave on KHTK in Sacramento to talk about when he learned of Rampage’s retirement, the verbal exchanges between him and Rampage, and what problems this causes for the UFC.

On when he found out that Rampage Jackson was leaving the UFC:

“I just found out.  Rampage has been a friend of ours and we really like Rampage.  I’m not going to get into the battle of who’s done what for who and all that stuff?  We’ve done a lot for him and he’s been there and fought.  We give them fights and they fight.  They make money and we make money.  That’s the way it works.  Believe me, if you think this is the first time I’ve dealt with people who think they want to become actors and that they’re going to make millions and millions of dollars off making movies and acting…Because I got so pissed off about him pulling out of the fight against Rashad (Evans) he thinks I’m trying to ruin his movie career.  I have nothing bad to say about Rampage.  He’s a grown man.  This guy decides that he wants to walk away from guaranteed, good money right now and money he will never have the opportunity to make for the rest of his life because he wants to go make movies . He’s a grown man.  He can do whatever he wants to do.  What I do with Rampage is I’ve talked to Rampage as a friend and tried to talk to him about making a bad decision . He doesn’t think it is.  He thinks he’s going to have a movie career, but there’s so many fighters that I’ve met over the years that thought they were going to have movie careers.”

On the verbal exchanges between him and Rampage:

“What happened was after he and I made up, those stories were hitting.  I didn’t say anything other than I thought it was a bad idea because I do think it’s a bad idea.  That’s not true about Rashad.  I offered him the Rashad fight and yes, I talked him into the Rashad fight the first time.  Then I tried to get Rashad and Rashad turned the fight down so that’s when I made the Keith Jardine fight.  That’s what I do.  I call these guys and offer them fights.  Rampage Jackson told me he wasn’t interested in the belt.  He told me that the belt caused him too many problems.  It wasn’t like he was going after (Lyoto) Machida because he was going after the belt.  He didn’t want the belt.  He said the belt brought too many problems in his life.  He just wants to fight and make money and feed his family is exactly what he told me.”

On the big blow this is to the UFC:

“I mean anybody with half a brain and some common sense…Rampage does the ultimate fighter on a season that turns out phenomenal.  All he’s been telling me since he’s got into the UFC is that he wants to fight in Memphis in front of his home town. Then we make the fight in Memphis and then he pulls out of the fight and is going to do the movie instead because it has so much sentimental value to him.  C’mon man.  He’s a fighter.  That’s what he does for a living.  Now I’m going through all this crap where I’ve got another fighter going ‘you know what this isn’t what I want to do for the rest of my life.  I want to make movies, I want to be a movie star.  This is my second career.’  Like I haven’t seen this one before.

On what problems this could cause for the UFC:

“We’ve got no problems.  We’re in the fight business.  We make fights.  That’s what we do.  There’s always guys that are injured, that have conflicting dates and movie roles.  All this stuff comes at you everyday.  I say this everyday.  Every interview I ever do.  I’ve been saying this for years.  Every morning when I get out of bed, there’s one thing I’m guaranteed.  Bad stuff is going to happen today.  It happens everyday and my job is to deal with it. Rampage is a grown man.  He’s acting like a baby right now, but he’s a grown man.  He wants to be in the movie business.  Rampage, good luck to you man.  I hope he makes it big and I’m not being sarcastic because Rampage Jackson is a guy that I actually do like and Rampage Jackson is a guy that I know doesn’t always make the best decisions.  I hope the movie thing works out for him.  If that’s what he really, truly wants to do and that’s what he feels and that’s what he thinks his career is, than I wish him all the luck in the world.  I do like Rampage. I have no ill-will towards him whatsoever.”

Listen to Dana White on KHTK in Sacramento with Carmichael Dave

Tags: Dana White, Quinton Jackson, Rampage Jackson, Rampage Jackson retires from UFC, UFC