Is Rampage Ducking Machida?

by Zak Woods on May 28, 2009 6:15 PM EDT Comment 10 comments

Quinton Jackson was on The Ultimate Fighter 10 media conference call to explain why he passed on a title shot in favor of fighting Rashad Evans,

"I had my mind set to fight Evans," said Jackson. "I was actually there coaching (at UFC 98) trying to get him to win the fight. I want Evans he got in my face (at UFC 96), right after my fight. That was the wrong time to get in my face."

I can see why someone would conclude that Rampage's decision to pass up a title shot, in order to fight Rashad, is really Jackson ducking Machida.

On the other hand Evans and Jackson's memorable stare down at UFC 96 created a lot of hype for this fight. Besides Machida's English isn't the greatest, though Big Nog's wasn't either.

I can see both sides of the argument so I put the question forth to the readers.

Now who does that leave for Machida, perhaps Shogun Rua?

Poll

Is Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson ducking Lyoto Machida by deciding to fight Rashad Evans?

Yes, no one can slay 'the Dragon'

108 votes

No, Rampage and Evans hate each other

71 votes

Who cares! I can't wait for TUF 10

24 votes

203 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Nice to see that pretty much no one thinks Rampage is ducking…

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on May 28, 2009 6:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know if ducking is the term I’d use, but he’s certainly avoiding him. Why else would he fight Evans instead? He can’t get ‘his’ title back by beating Evans, and if he loses, he goes to the back of the line behind Evans, Griffin, Shogun, and ends up in the mix with guys like Cane and Jardine.

Rampage is a man but when all reasons are stripped away it’s clear to me he’s avoiding Machida.

by jebushchrist on May 28, 2009 8:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Please No Shogun

I realize his record is still amazing, especially with the Coleman loss being a freak accident, but come on. He looked horrible in the rematch against Coleman, looked bad against Forest (gassed), and knocked out Chuck Liddell (so passe). Apparently knocking out Chuck earns you a title shot these days.

I hope he regains form and becomes a force again, but beating Marc Coleman and Chuck these days should not equal title shot.

by Zach Krantz on May 28, 2009 8:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

see

who else could it be?

Keith Jardine and Luiz Cane are the only other top LHW who don’t have opponents.

Henderson is fighting Bisping, Wandy is fighting Franklin and Griffin is fighting Anderson.

With Evans vs. Rampage and Machida just beating Thiago Silva (plus I cant remember who Thiago is rumored to be fighting next) there is no one left inside the UFC to fight Machida besides Chuck Liddell and there is no way in hell that will happen.

watchkalibrun.com

by Zak Woods on May 28, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ll say this….any man that loses his title the way he did to Griffin…go on a crazy stroll in his monster truck….get into legal trouble…then in his next fight back….takes on a guy that has brutally KO’ed him TWICE? Then knocks him out in the first round… There’s no way in hell Rampage is ducking Machida.

http://www.mmaforreal.com

by Kelvin Hunt on May 28, 2009 8:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

good point

I will second jebushchrist and say he is avoiding him. Though I voted for ‘who cares!’

watchkalibrun.com

by Zak Woods on May 28, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think Rampage is ducking Machida, but I would be interested to hear what he has to say about Machida now, after trash-talking him on several occasions before UFC 98.

by brad23 on May 29, 2009 2:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i think he is ducking machida

but on the other hand i think rashad vs rampage is a great fight that the fans want to see..
also that next season of tuf should be pretty dam entertaining. i just think he knows that he probably doesnt stand a good chance at beating lyoto so why not take a couple side fights and maintain his popularity and then see if someone else holds the belt in a few months…(of course i would never say rampage is ducking machida to his face! lol)

by baldspot23 on May 29, 2009 4:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

For me, I think it comes down to business for Rampage, meaning what fight will make him more money. Rampage probably has one of those “PPV elevator clauses” in his contract that increases his purse by the amount of PPV buys. The New Years show will likely do over a million buys (especially since either major draws Lesnar or GSP will probably be on the card), as opposed to Rampage/Machida, with a modest undercard, which would probably do closer to 700,000.

by Steve W on May 29, 2009 7:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs