Rampage’s exit from UFC

[pamirec]

As for Reebok, I remember Pettis was sponsored by them before the UFC signed the “greatest” deal.

 

[cade187]

I’d argue that Rampage was past his prime when he beat Chuck. Slampage was Prime Page. He was still very good at that time and had solid boxing and tons of power, but he was never as good without his wrestling.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Rampage is happy. He fulfilled his dream of getting knocked the fuck out by the GOAT.

You have to leave the Ultimate Circus to reach the pinnacle of MMA.

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

Well, he wouldn't be the first UFC champion to claim to have been fucked over by the UFC.

Mark Coleman has a lot of stories about being screwed over by the UFC, and how PRIDE treated him much better, and that was back in the days too...
(If anyone is interested, I can post these stories)

I mean, I believe Mark, Rampage too to some degree, but that's also why I don't pay much attention when some fans complain that PRIDE was fucking fighters over and the UFC was on the level, you got as many people complaining about those 2 orgs.

There are very few high profile fighters who feel like they got a fair deal in their careers, UFC or PRIDE.
But newer fans of the sport just focus on PRIDE because "yakuza!!" even if it's much more complicated than they think, and act like mobsters didn't back the UFC and dirty money wasn't made there.

For instance, Hidehiko Yoshida was probably the Japanese fighter with the most yakuza connections, not because he was seeking them out, but because it's hard to turn them down when they're fans of yours...
Despite that, neither Yoshida nor KazNak were involved in shady-looking fights.

The 2 Judokas took so many beatings there, that one should wonder... if the yakuza could easily fix fights as they pleased, then why didn't they fix fights for Yoshida and Nakamura?
Why didn't PRIDE manipulate the events so their local pro-wreslters didn't constantly get dunked on by Brazilians? (who were often much bigger)

Brilliant post!

You nailed it on the head.

 

[StonedLemur]

Doing business with Rampage ain’t easy either. The guy is constantly complaining everytime a camera is in his face.

Every mma organization in the early days did shady business. That’s how it had to be. Sucked back then but it makes for some fun stories now.

Doing shit when it needs to be done is one thing but continuing doing it when it's not necessary anymore is another sir.

 

[HHJ]

Well, he wouldn't be the first UFC champion to claim to have been fucked over by the UFC.

Mark Coleman has a lot of stories about being screwed over by the UFC, and how PRIDE treated him much better, and that was back in the days too...
(If anyone is interested, I can post these stories)

I mean, I believe Mark, Rampage too to some degree, but that's also why I don't pay much attention when some fans complain that PRIDE was fucking fighters over and the UFC was on the level, you got as many people complaining about those 2 orgs.

There are very few high profile fighters who feel like they got a fair deal in their careers, UFC or PRIDE.
But newer fans of the sport just focus on PRIDE because "yakuza!!" even if it's much more complicated than they think, and act like mobsters didn't back the UFC and dirty money wasn't made there.

For instance, Hidehiko Yoshida was probably the Japanese fighter with the most yakuza connections, not because he was seeking them out, but because it's hard to turn them down when they're fans of yours...
Despite that, neither Yoshida nor KazNak were involved in shady-looking fights.

The 2 Judokas took so many beatings there, that one should wonder... if the yakuza could easily fix fights as they pleased, then why didn't they fix fights for Yoshida and Nakamura?
Why didn't PRIDE manipulate the events so their local pro-wreslters didn't constantly get dunked on by Brazilians? (who were often much bigger)

I dont think they treated Coleman so well when they told him to lay down for Takada. Im sure he got paid more,after that.

I agree with the other stuff. If they could exert that much control guys like Yoshida,Ogawa,and Sakuraba would never lose.

 

[NoSmilez]

Rampage was a little bit difficult to deal with but he was probably one of their first crossover major stars. He is one of those guys who was never satisfied. I didn't like how he was crapping on Pride when he came to the UFC then he started crapping on the UFC. I am pretty sure he also crapped on Bellator a few times too.

 

[Bearknuckle]

I dont think they treated Coleman so well when they told him to lay down for Takada. Im sure he got paid more,after that.

I agree with the other stuff. If they could exert that much control guys like Yoshida,Ogawa,and Sakuraba would never lose.

Coleman needed the payday. It would be shady if they told him to lose, then cut him and didnt pay him.

 

[tasticles]

The UFC is run by men without honor; nothing new here. I've long since grown accustomed to it, but the nonchalant disregard of those that have sacrificed to make the UFC what is it is one of those things that still gets me.

He doesn't have any honor either, nor common sense. He publicly shit talks everyone who employs him and sounds like a pain in the ass to work with. I do miss PrideFC rampage.

 

[philweed]

Doing shit when it needs to be done is one thing but continuing doing it when it's not necessary anymore is another sir.

???

 

[ventrue]

Uncle Dana never forgave Rampage for beating Chuck's ass in the Pride FC 2003. Then Rampage did it again at UFC 71! He was never given a fair chance in the UFC, lol

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Thanks for the context. How did he get out of the UFC deal, do you know?

He didn't get out of anything. He claimed that Bellator didn't honor their contract and thus it was voided. UFC somehow signed him again. He fought once. It went to court. Judge sided with Bellator.

 

[RonDante]

Rampage is probably my favorite all-time fighter, but the end of his career was pretty bad. He basically went off the deep end after losing to Forrest (which I thought was a bs decision). He had that episode where he was jacked up on energy drinks or something and got into a high speed police chase. Dana and the UFC stood by him after that. He also fired his long time coach Juanito Ibarra, and was never really the same. He got fat and lazy, and his last fight against Fedor was disgraceful. He got into contract disputes with both the UFC and Bellator but ultimately re-signed with both. I love the guy, but he became a head case for sure.

I thought that fight with Forrest was a pretty clear draw, 1 3 4 for rampage 2 and 5 for Forrest with a 10 8 in round 2

 

[tucan89]

Uncle Dana never forgave Rampage for beating Chuck's ass in the Pride FC 2003. Then Rampage did it again at UFC 71! He was never given a fair chance in the UFC, lol

But then when in to pay him over $17 Mil? Lol

 

[Violent Violin]

Mark Coleman has a lot of stories about being screwed over by the UFC, and how PRIDE treated him much better, and that was back in the days too...
(If anyone is interested, I can post these stories)

Go on...