Rampage Officially Signs With UFC

[Presti_is_god]

From Sherdog.com

"Rampage" Signs with UFC, Fights Eastman in Feb.
By Josh Gross

[12/23/2006] Brash light heavyweight Quinton Jackson (Pictures), whose promotional contract was recently purchased by Zuffa, signed a two-fight deal with the UFC on Friday, Sherdog.com has learned.

"Rampage" will make his UFC debut Feb. 3 on pay-per-view versus Las Vegan Marvin Eastman (Pictures), Jackson's manager and trainer Juanito Ibarra confirmed Friday evening.

Jackson's deal, which runs through July 2007, reads similar to the one he signed with the World Fighting Alliance in March, including bonuses for pay-per-view and other ancillary items not normally associated with UFC deals.

Ibarra declined to divulge any financial terms, and said he doesn't expect Jackson to fight UFC champion Chuck Liddell (Pictures) before July. The UFC has the right to match any offer Jackson fields when his contract expires, Ibarra said.

In just the third bout of his career, Jackson (25-6-0) lost to Eastman (13-6-1) by decision in a King of the Cage-promoted contest. The 28-year-old from Memphis, Tenn. would eventually star in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships, where he lost two epic wars against champion Wanderlei Silva (Pictures). It was also in Japan that Jackson scored his career-defining stoppage over Liddell during a PRIDE Grand Prix semifinal bout in 2003.

Because of that victory, it was long believed that Jackson was a target of the UFC. Yet when "Rampage" joined the WFA, a rematch seemed unlikely. That immediately changed after the UFC purchased fighter contracts from the struggling promotional company's stable; UFC president Dana White said in media reports that Jackson was impetus for the acquisitions.

Jackson will be in Las Vegas next weekend to watch Liddell defend his title against Tito Ortiz (Pictures).

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Good news. I'm glad they are giving him a decent tune up fight with Eastman who he was supposed to fight in the WFA anyway. Best let him get a reputation among UFC fans rather than just pushing the 'he beat Chuck a few years ago' line.

After the Eastman fight Griffin, Evans, Sobral maybe even Tito would be a good fight before a Chuck match.

[drew_j]

It all depends on which Rampage turns up on the night. He can be one of the best fighters in the world or a meat punching bag. If it's the latter in his first fight then I don't see him getting past July. If he's on and can keep it on then Liddell is screwed.

[Oh Furious One]

After he fights Eastman, he should get the winner of Jardine and Griffin, in my opinion. Both Sobral and Ortiz have a much bigger chance in defeating him, so that would really kill the build up to the Liddell fight if it were to happen.

As it stands, it is only a two fight deal, and since his camp wants another match to tune up before the Liddell fight, the UFC better make damn sure they secure Rampage after his inital contract runs out. BODOG and EliteXC have come into the picture with a lot of dosh and we all know how much Rampage loves that dosh.