Even when Quinton "Rampage" Jackson wants out of a life where he's frequently in the news, he can't seem to escape the news.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion made waves in March when he openly called out the UFC and said he was looking forward to leaving the promotion he has called home since 2007. Earlier this month, he signed to fight Glover Teixeira at UFC 153 in what most believe will be his last fight with the promotion.
But UFC president Dana White said Jackson wanted his departure to come even sooner – before White stepped in.
"Me and Rampage had this conversation and he said, 'Cut me from my contract right now,'" White told a small group of reporters after the UFC 149 post-event news conference this past Saturday in Calgary. "And I said, 'Dude, we've had your back every step of the way, we've honored every contract that we've ever had with you – honor yours.'
"He said, 'That's true. You're right. I will honor my contract.'"
Jackson took issue with his employer not long after a UFC 144 loss to Ryan Bader in Japan, where he still is a big star thanks to his days with PRIDE. But Jackson said a knee injury before the fight hampered his weight cut, and he came in heavy and forfeited 20 percent of his purse to Bader.
After the loss, Jackson admitted to having doctor-prescribed testosterone replacement therapy to help his knee heal, but also railed on the UFC for the matchups he has been given of late, as well as the amount of money he's making.
"The UFC talks about being in a billion homes," Jackson told "Inside MMA" in March. "They're making all this money. Yet I'm making less money than I used to make with the UFC. The UFC is getting bigger, which means I'm getting bigger, but I'm making less money. Why? So I just don't want to be with them no more. I think the flavor is done. … I don't want to have to fight for somebody no more if they're not really appreciating me."
Jackson had been linked to a fight with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua before undergoing knee surgery. Rua then was linked to a fight with Teixeira that never materialized. Teixeira now gets one of the dream fights he talked about after his UFC debut win over Kyle Kingsbury in May.
Jackson also spoke out earlier this month after Chael Sonnen's loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 148, starting a brief war of words with Sonnen, the two-time middleweight title challenger.
As for Jackson and the likelihood he'll leave the UFC after the Teixeira fight at UFC 153 in October in Rio de Janeiro, White, who has had a relationship with the star fighter that has oftentimes bordered on contentious, said if "Rampage" wants to leave, he can leave.
"Rampage loves us one minute and hates us the next, loves the sport one minute and hates it the next," White said. "I don't dislike or hate him. It's up to him. It's his life. It's not one of these things where I'm like, 'Oh, God, Rampage, don't do this.'
"It's Rampage's life. If you decide you don't want to be here anymore, we're not going to hold you down and keep you do it."
UFC 153 is expected to take place Oct. 13 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. Jackson (32-10 MMA, 7-4 UFC) vs. Teixeira (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) likely will serve as the co-main event on the pay-per-view.
Source: UFC boss says he had to ask Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson to honor last fight on deal