Former UFC champion Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson has one win above the rest as he looks back on his legendary fighting career.
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's impact on MMA is undeniable, dating back to his tenure with Pride and clashing with some of the greatest fighters in the sport's history. He was a destructive force during his physical prime when he achieved some of the wildest results in martial arts.
Jackson has faced a host of legends during his career, including current UFC titleholder Jon Jones and heavyweight dynamo Fedor Emelianenko. He earned multiple titles during his career after coming from a rough upbringing in Memphis.
Although Jackson's move to the UFC came later in his career, he didn't waste much time making an impact in the Octagon. UFC 92 stands alone as Jackson's favorite memory of the cage match.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson reveals the most glorifying moment of his career
During a recent interview with Matt Serra, Jackson pointed to knocking out one of his old rivals as the fight highlight he will forever remember.
“My proudest moment is when I finally knocked out Wanderlei [Silva] in the UFC,” Jackson said. “Because I always thought I could beat him, but I just had the wrong sparring partners at the time. The guys I was sparring with were good fighters, but they weren't stand-up guys… the team I was on at the time; Most of my teammates were smaller guys, so I just didn't have the best sparring partners or the best preparation for the [earlier] fights.”
Jackson knocked out Wanderlei Silva with one punch in the first round at UFC 92, one of the most infamous knockouts in the history of the light heavyweight division. It was sweet revenge for 'Rampage' after they suffered two knockout losses to Silva during their stints in Pride.
Jackson and Silva clashed once more in their careers at Bellator 206 in 2018, with Jackson earning a second-round TKO victory. Both fighters retired from MMA shortly after the rivalry with two wins apiece.
The rivalry between Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Wanderlei Silva took place across three promotions
Silva was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last year after a long wait for induction. He defeated the likes of Michael Bisping, Keith Jardine and Brian Stann during his UFC tenure.
Jackson is closing in on a potential return to combat sports in boxing against another former rival. He was linked in recent years to a boxing match with legendary fighter Shannon Briggs, but the fight never materialized after allegedly tense negotiations.
The rivalry between Jackson and Silva was one of the first feuds in MMA history and one of the sport's most important. Years later, with tensions no longer present, Jackson is immensely proud of his long-awaited revenge.
Related topics
Comments