Apparently, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s problems started shortly after his loss to Forrest Griffin. Jackson had a falling out with his trainer and then began talking more and more crazy by the day. In the latest information being released in the Jackson debacle, he claimed that “He was God”. Bleacherreport.com goes on to contend that the information also states that Jackson has become delusional and that it is impossible to have a conversation with him.

While this information has yet to be validated with actual footage, one has to wonder about Jackson’s future. The past few weeks are sure to affect his life both inside and outside the octagon. Yet, he remains atop most rankings in the light heavyweight division. Sure, he barely lost the fight to Griffin, but where does he stand at this very moment?

One has to believe his training has already been affected and if he is put back inside the octagon, it is doubtful that fans will see the same Jackson who won the UFC light heavyweight champion. That reason alone should make experts think again when ranking Jackson up there with the sport’s elite.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson just can’t seem to stay out of the spotlight, albeit for all the wrong reasons. One day after he was arrested in Costa Mesa, Califonia, Irvine police responded to a call in which Jackson was displaying some unusual behavior. Apparently, Jackson was also making some alarming statements as well. The responding officer went on to detain a cooperative Jackson and transported him to a local mental hospital for evaluation.

Medical privacy laws have kept the specifics in Jackson’s case quiet. However, it seems there is something troubling the mind of the former UFC light heavyweight champion. No diagnosis has yet to be given and any analysis at this point would be mere speculation.

Nevertheless, it’s obvious that Jackson is in need of some kind of help. NBC sports has more on Jackson’s troubles.

Just when it seemed that there would be no break from the upcoming showdown between Affliction and the the UFC, Quinton Jackson intervened. With a simple flight from the cops, Jackson managed to propel himself onto the center stage in the world of mixed martial arts. For at least a little while, the organizational war between Affliction and the UFC will have to take a backseat.

Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva’s names will also be uttered a lot less in the aftermath of Jackson’s run in with the law. However, it just proves how much weight Jackson carries in the mma circuit.

For if the UFC’s Marvin Eastman or Matt Linland pulled such a stunt, would it receive more than just a quick blurb or snippet in the back page of the sports section? (more…)

Quinton Jackson may have thought he had done enough to earn a decision against Forrest Griffin, although three judges didn’t see it that way. In a post fight interview, Jackson talks about what happened in the fight and goes on to talk about a possible rematch. He even talks about what he learned growing up in the south.

It is strange to see a man who calls himself Rampage so humble in an interview. Perhaps only true defeat can evoke such humility? Although Jackson says he did enough to win the fight, his demeanor throughout this clip doesn’t do an extraordinary job of convincing anyone that he should still be the champ.

Any time a fight has to be decided by an objective third party, the decision will always be subject to scrutiny. When both fighters are left standing, it is up to a set of judges to intervene. For the most part, that system has worked fairly well in the world of mma. However, Ben Fowlkes of Sports Illustrated disagrees. In an article published Monday afternoon, Fowlkes feels that the Griffin-Jackson decision is one more piece of evidence that depicts the judging flaws in the world of mixed martial arts.

Fowlkes contends that Griffin’s face looked as though he took the brunt of the beating. However, one or two good shots can leave quite a nasty imprint on a fighter’s face. Over the course of a championship match, there are twenty-five minutes of hard-hitting action. That translates into both fighters landing quite a significant amount of blows to one another. Simply because Griffin wore more badges of brutality doesn’t shouldn’t discredit him from a victory.

Fowlkes goes on to compare mma judging too much like that of boxing. Yet, there are significantly more disputed boxing matches than there are in the world of mma. Following the fight, Jackson himself admitted that “he got whooped”. If Jackson can see that then why can’t everyone else?

The light heavyweight division is really heating up in the UFC. Amidst the flames of Saturday’s Forrest Griffin-Rampage Jackson blowout, many eyes are now looking forward to Chuck Liddell’s showdown with Rashad Evans at UFC 88. The winner of that bout could be next in line to face Griffin, the new light-heavyweight champion.

There is no question that all the heat manufactured by Jackson vs. Griffin will ignite the hype surrounding Liddell-Evans. Furthermore, the inevitable explosion at UFC 88 will then carry over into the next light-heavyweight title match. But even if the winner of Liddell vs. Evans is forced to wait and watch a Griffin-Jackson rematch, the energy surrounding the match should be scorching.

Mma junkie.com poses that a Griffin-Liddell end of the year match-up could be huge. However, with so many talented light heavyweights at the top of the division, the stage is being setting for a torrid ending to a an already blistering year.

Before the notion of a Liddell-Griffin face off can even be entertained, Liddell must first get past Evans. But regardless of who closes out the year as Griffin’s next opponent, it figures to be one of the hottest selling items of the year.

In the days leading up to UFC 86, there were whispers that the event didn’t seem to have the billing to live up to they hype. However, Saturday night’s card silenced those whispers. The Forrest Griffin vs. Rampage Jackson bout became an instant classic, but there were some other bouts that also enabled pay-per-viewers to get their money’s worth.

Patrick Cote improved to 14-4 with a split decision victory over Ricardo Almeida in what was probably the closest fight of the night. Cote edged out Almeida 29-28 on a pair of judge’s scorecards while Almeida won the remaining judge’s favor wit the same exact score. Joe Stevenson choked out Gleison Tibau while Josh Koscheck and Tyson Griffin both cruised to impressive victories. Here is a rundown of the final results from UFC 86:

Forrest Griffin def. Quinton Jackson via unanimous decision (48-46, 48-46, 49-46)
Patrick Cote def. Ricardo Almeida via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Joe Stevenson def. Gleison Tibau via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 2, 2:57
Josh Koscheck def. Chris Lytle via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 30-28)
Tyson Griffin def. Marcus Aurelio via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Justin McCully via submission (kimura) — Round 1, 1:57
Cole Miller def. Jorge Gurgel via submission (triangle choke) — Round 3, 4:48
Melvin Guillard def. Dennis Siver via TKO (punches) — Round 1, 0:36
Justin Buchholz def. Corey Hill via submission (rear naked choke) — Round 2, 3:57.

Now that fight day has finally arrived, many varying opinions continue sound off leading up to the Quinton Jackson-Forrest Griffin clash. Plenty of hype has been generated, arguments have been made and even a season of The Ultimate Fighter has attempted to add to the mystique of this main event. But is most of that mystique simply fabricated? Some might answer that question with a negative, however a look into each fighter’s past provides a pretty solid affirmative.

Griffin is coming off the biggest win of his career after submitting Maurico Rua. Yet, Griffin is probably still not considered to be one of the top five light heavyweights in the world. A win over Jackson would certainly thrust him into that top five, but how realistic are his chances?

When talking about mystique, none can deny that Jackson has created a unique one of his one. For it is a gripping sight to watch Jackson make his way into the octagon with a chain draped around his neck and a ferocious look on his face. He then brings a furious fighting style which can even intimidate people in the audience. There is a certain awe directed towards only a few fighters, and Jackson is indeed the recipient of that awe.

Now Jackson cannot rest on the laurels of mystique alone when he steps into the octagon tonight. But Jackson’s mystique was also created by his past success. And now, Jackson seems to be at the top of his game. Griffin will probably be able to overlook the mystique of Jackson, although he may have a tough time handling the fighting prowess of the number one light heavyweight in the world.

So while hype will continue to follow this fight all the way up to is beginning, it’s hard to envision Griffin walking away with a victory. It is almost if there is an ominous sense in the air. And even if fans aren’t treated to a long, competitive fight, they will be able to watch one of mma’s best at his best. Tonight at UFC 86, the main event might just turn out to be the simple fact that the audience was able to witness the ever-growing mystique of Rampage Jackson.

This weekend’s bout between Rampage Jackson and Forrest Griffin feature two of the top light heavyweights in the world of mixed martial arts. There may only be a few voices disputing the fact that Jackson is the world’s top light heavyweight fighter, but where does Griffin fall among the elite? A victory over Jackson would surely thrust Griffin into the upper echelon of the division. Yet, for right now, Griffin ranks sixth on MMA Weekly’s list of top ten light heavyweights in the world. The list is as follows:

1. Quinton Jackson
2. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
3. Chuck Liddell
4. Lyoto Machida
5. Wanderlei Silva
6. Forrest Griffin
7. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Keith Jardine
10. Thiago Silva

Multiple losses to Jackson hasn’t dropped Liddell too far down the list. Keeping that in mind, where will Griffin be ranked if he too loses at the hands of Jackson? Rua already split a pair of fights with Rampage and yet he remains slotted at number two. But despite what has happened in the past, Jackson is now the man to beat in the light heavyweight division. However, opinions vary and rankings always change according to who writes up the list. So if the ink was flowing from your pen, how would you rank the light heavyweight division?

UFC’s highly anticipated showdown between Forrest Griffin and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is now less than a week away. Next Saturday night, the two will finally take center stage and square off in the octagon. While Griffin is most recognized as the first Ultimate Fighter, Jackson carries with him the notoriety of the man who dismantled Chuck Liddell. Yet, this fight could be a defining moment for both men.

Jackson has since established himself as the man to beat in the light heavyweight division. A win would further cement the foundation he is building as one of the most dangerous fighters in the UFC. Adversely, a loss may drop him down a notch and hinder his credibility. That doesn’t mean that Griffin is not a worthy opponent. But if Griffin can came out with a victory, he could find himself catapulted up to the same echelon as Jackson. Putting forth a game effort against Rampage just won’t be enough to elevate him to that same status.

A long time coming

Although the fight is still a few days away, the stage was set a long time ago. This past season, both Griffin and Jackson were coaches during the latest Ultimate Fighter saga. And that was by no coincidence. Throughout the season, the two seemed to get along. However, there always seemed to be an underlying tension in the air. In casting the two, UFC president Dana White carefully positioned them both as though they were chess pieces. Neither man made any bold moves during the Ultimate Fighter series, but rather waited until this week for the chance to say check mate.

In the past, both Griffin and Jackson also shared a similar opponent in Mauricio Rua. Rua was Griffin’s latest victim in a dramatic match that ended late in the third round this past September. Jackson is also no stranger to Rua as Rampage felt his wrath during a PRIDE match-up in 2005 in which Rua scored a first round knockout.

Needless to say, a lot of hype and history has led up to the Jackson-Griffin battle. More hype will follow in the week to come, and on Saturday both fighters will make history. There has been so much building up to this event, that anything less than the dramatic would be a bit of let down.