Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's fame paradox
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson can pinpoint the moment his frustrations over his old UFC contract came to a head. The former world champ and fan favorite had fought through injuries, for years, and also took issue with who he'd been matched up with, of late.
As he tried to enjoy some quiet time off with family one day a couple years back and was instead bombarded with fan attention and requests at a theme park, however, Jackson resented what he was getting paid to do it all. "One day it really started to bother me," the returning star tells FOX Sports of his previous run in the UFC.
"I was in Disneyland with my kids but we couldn't really have time together because of all the fan attention. Now, I would fight for free, because I love to do it. But not being able to have privacy anymore, it wasn't worth how much I was getting paid. I mean, it would be cool is I was Brad Pitt, or Kobe Bryant and I had girl groupies, and could afford security guards to watch out for me when I'm out with my family. But I'm on my own out there, and also, I'm an alpha male and I'm always approached by dudes, not chicks (laughs)."
Jackson has long been one of the more fan-friendly fighters in all of MMA. At one point during his time in the now defunct Pride organization, Jackson even had a cell phone number he made public and dedicated to taking calls from fans.
Back then, if you wanted to talk with "Rampage," you could just give him a ring and see what he was up to. If he was around, he might just pick up and chat with you for a few minutes.
So, no one can accuse Jackson of not appreciating his fans. However, as his fame grew in the UFC, Jackson said his privacy shrunk, and he began to feel that he wasn't getting paid commensurate with his celebrity.
"I just have one of those faces that sticks out, I guess," Jackson surmises
"I could have a hoodie on and people recognize me. I might be hanging with some big professional athletes from other sports, or some rappers, and fans notice me first. That's the part that gets me thinking maybe I'm worth more than what I'm getting. I think athletes like me should get getting what they are worth. I do my job and I put butts in seats."
The light heavyweight legend says that he is happy with his new UFC contract, after much public feuding over his previous contract with the top MMA promotion, a couple years ago. Though he has always done plenty, in and out of the ring, to draw attention to himself, Quinton claims that he just want to be able to do what he loves and live his life.
If he's got to deal with a loss of privacy, the 36 year-old just wanted to make sure he was paid appropriately for the trouble. "I know you all don't know me, but honestly, the last thing I fight for is exposure," Jackson appeals.
"To be brutally honest - I love the fans but I can only take them in small doses. Man, I'm just like them. MMA fighters are so accessible to fans. I just want to be able to enjoy some private times. If not, there has to be the financial compensation to cover it."
