Rampage Jackson in the A-Team Will Benefit the UFC
by Michael Rome on Sep 5, 2009 9:00 AM EDT
in MMA News
84 comments
Over the last few weeks, there has been a heated internal debate at the UFC over whether they should delay Rampage Jackson vs. Rashad Evans in order to allow Jackson to play B.A. Baracus in The A-Team. It appears the side in favor of the delay won the day. The Vancouver Sun reports that Jackson is now in Vancouver for filming:
Rampage will take the role played by Mr T in the 80's TV series. The character of BA Baracus made Mr T famous, and his "I pity da fool" line became a pop culture landmark...[Jackson] was spotted on Robson Street Friday afternoon, signing autographs for fans.
Jackson will star as a coach on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series on Spike TV starting September 19, in which he and Sugar Rashad Evans coach opposing teams of heavyweight MMA wannabes, including former NFL football players and YouTube internet streetfighter Kimbo Slice.
But the movie role will take a toll on Jackson's UFC career, with his main event at UFC 107 rumoured to have been switched to a BJ Penn/Diego Sanchez lightweight title fight. The previously announced Evans/Jackson Ultimate fighter finale will be pushed back accordingly.
It was clear to me yesterday when BJ Penn was added to UFC 107 that Rampage was off. Their plan for this fight is to do a UFC Primetime special, and they wouldn't have BJ Penn in a main event while focusing completely on Rampage Jackson vs. Rashad Evans.
Assuming this is true, I think people are overreacting to the news. Filming apparently ends in late November, the delay probably won't be that long. Rampage and Rashad could fight as soon as the Superbowl show, or in March at the latest. In exchange for a 2-3 month delay, the UFC, Rampage, and Rashad will all benefit from the press that will come with this role. The "A-Team" will be a big budget feature with other huge industry names, and both Rampage and the UFC will get a large amount of media attention.
Personally, I expect the movie to bomb at the box office. But even so, Jackson will get a lot of attention for the role when the movie comes out, and in the off chance the nostalgia hard sell works, he could become an even bigger star and PPV draw. In a perfect world for the UFC marketing machine, Jackson films the movie, beats Rashad, and then challenges for the title around the same time the movie is released. There's no guarantee it works out that way, but the potential benefits outweigh the negative effects of delaying the fight. The "UFC Primetime" special will more than make up for any steam lost as a result of the delay, the fight will still be a huge draw.
In the end, fans lost one big fight on that card and got another. The fight will still probably take place a few months later, Rampage Jackson will get a huge opportunity, and the UFC will likely reap some of the benefits as well.
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I just think it’s a shame that Rampage is missing out a whole year of his prime, he ain’t getting any younger.
Agreed, luckily BJ decided to fight again soon rather than sitting for eight months like he usually does otherwise we’d have no fights in December or January.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 9:56 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Also will give Rashad some funny ammunition for the Primetime show.
Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com
He needs all the help he can get in that department againt Page.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 10:24 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The only question is how far are they going to go?
If they timed the fight to around the movie release, and had the show sponsored by the movie and had Rampage come out in full BA Baraccus mode it would be pretty cool and generate a lot of hype.
Maybe if the fight was in Japan.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 11:09 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
That’s not a guarantee. I would give Rashad a decent chance against Rampage.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
I concur
Rashad is faster than Page IMO.. Has better wrestling and wont stand herky jerky like Jardine did..
I’d honestly say this fight is a toss up right now.. I used to not like Rashad, but he has made me a fan. He has improved a lot since TUF 2..
Right now I think this fight goes the distance.. It’s a matter of who out wrestle’s who in the fight..
8-29-09
Keith Jardine is now known as "The Dean of Antihistamine" because he is always sleeping early in fights..
Come on, when was the last time either of these guys actually used their wrestling? Everyone knows this is gonna be a boxing match and Rampage is a much much better technical striker than Rashad. Rampage via KO in round 2.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 12:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Rashad is faster than Rampage, and has KO power. I think Rampage wins it, but I don’t think its a lock by any means.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
Rashad is faster how? In the 40 yard dash? Because if youre saying his punches are faster I think you’re wrong.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 12:25 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I don’t think I’m wrong. I haven’t seen the fight in a while, but as I recall Forest out-struck Rampage.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
Outstruck, no, outkicked, yes.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 6:15 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, and Rampage has a better chin to boot!
for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.
Are you saying that Rampage will lose via head kick?
Rampage has a better chin to boot
:)
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
by mythbuster on Sep 5, 2009 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I see what u did there
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 3:29 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The fight'll be fine
Anyone remember how long the Serra-Hughes fight took to materialize? They were in the 170 mix at the time and still put on a decent scrap when it happened. The division and the fight will be fine. There should be a pretty funny movie coming out of all of it.
True
tho much of the hype did wear off. I wonder how well the Hughes-Serra fight would have done had it been when originally scheduled? The UFC did their best to renew the hype, but I don’t think it had nearly the impact it would have had otherwise.
Well, that being said, much luck to Rampage. Guys been fighting forever now, and he gets to make a movie (something most of us would do too, I bet). I wish him the best.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
“The UFC did their best to renew the hype, but I don’t think it had nearly the impact it would have had otherwise.”
Well it went from headlining the biggest card of 2007 (UFC 79) to being the co-main at UFC 98, obviously it wasn’t nearly as important by then.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 12:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I pitty da fool who postpones black on black crime!
for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.
Drink milk and stay in school!!
for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.
If he does well in acting, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on other big time movies, and less time in the cage :’(
Rampage really is a character. I would love to see a sitcom based on Rampage, starring Rampage!
for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.
you think
every A-Team fan will tune in to see B.A. Baracus fight in the cage.
i can see Rampage his entrance before me, golden chains,BA-mohawk,A-Team theme trough the speakers:
he survives as a soldier of fortune.
If you have a problem – if no one else can help – and if you can find
him – maybe you can hire: Rampage…
by lvl on Sep 5, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Long Shot Nostalgia?
I don’t think it’s far off the mark to say this movie will do well. Dukes of Hazzard, Transformers, etc were all nostalgia pulls. Even if the movie isn’t “good” it’ll still generate a ton of money and press.
GI Joes bombed, so the A-team movie has like a 50/50 percent chance of doing good.
for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gijoe.htm
- in the box office opening weekend and a global pull of 266 million doesn’t sound like a bomb to me :D
Oh, and in other news
I can’t wait for Rampage’s “Treat yo momma right” song comes out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_rBidCkJxo
So they take a fight that’s been simmering for a while, then they do TUF to get everyone pumped for the fight, then they fucking postpone it. What a joke.
I disagree it is good for the sport for so many MMA fighter to take on acting. You don’t see basketball, football or baseball players taking a year off to shoot a movie. It shows lack of commitment to the sport and I think it degrades the integrity of it as well. I believe people will question why MMA fighters are acting? Are they acting in the ring as well? Maybe it is just like WWE?
I am a huge MMA fan and I have absolutely no desire to see any of them try act in any movie.
First off, if anybody has the train of the thought you just laid out…well there probably was no helping them anyway.
Second…
To be fair he’s taking off two months to act, not a year. The rest of the time was to heal injuries and shoot TUF (which Dana Asked him to do).
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 2:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
"I believe people will question why MMA fighters are acting? Are they acting in the ring as well?"
I think they’ll see the quality of acting they produce in the movies, and realize that the stuff in the ring is real.
thats absolutely
100% the MOST ignorant, and retarded shit ive ever heard from a “huge fan”
"he's the best punchy face man in the buisness"
by blubber_guard on Sep 6, 2009 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions
The one person who should be mad about this is Rashad Evans. First: his stint as coach of the Ultimate Fighter is almost wasted. The point of the job is too build hype for a fight. Well, all the excitement that may be generated by the show will have started to dissipate. It won’t be completely gone, but there’s a big difference between fighting in March and fighting a week after asking what Rampage wants on his tombstone. You want to strike while the iron is hot, not when it’s lukewarm.
Second: Rashad won’t even benefit from the movie. Post production takes months, so the film will not be released until next Summer, just in time for a Rampage-Lyoto fight (if both of them win, of course) So Evans has to change his training schedule, post pone the fight and thereby possibly lose ppv buys, and then, after all this bending over backwards, doesn’t even get anything out of it.
Plus the movie will stink.
I don’t agree with all your points but the overall premise that Rashad is getting screwed I do agree with. Hopefully the UFC offered him
some sort of compensation to push the fight back, like a larger base salary and win bonus for the fight.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 2:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Why does everyone think Rampage will win?
I understand he’s in the top 3 of MMA fanboys, but Rampage has a lot to worry about with Evans. Their most common opponent is Forrest Griffin, and Evans was able to better adapt in that fight than Rampage and won the title. It’ll be close, and I might even pick Rampage, but Rashad Evans is a legit top 5 LHW and has tremendous power and hand speech, a slippery stand up that thrives on counter punching and a good takedown game.
How about Chuck Liddell who Rampage destroyed twice while Rashad lost the first round to? Let’s not try and go the route of MMA math on this one, there’s not enough evidence to prove a lot either way as they have both changed their styles considerably in the last year or so.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 2:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I wouldn't count that fight
given that Evans retired Chuck that night (yeah, I know about the shogun fight too). he was losing the first round but I think that was his plan, so chuck could get careless…
I disagree, you don’t intentionally drop a round in a three round fight.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 6:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
You’d be surprised how many people said Rampage intentionally lost a round (3?) to Forrest. The round where Forrest sat on him for about 4 minutes of the 5.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
How about Chuck Liddell who Rampage destroyed twice while Rashad lost the first round to?
And then used his speed and timing to KTFO Liddel in one of the scariest KOs evah?
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
Yeah, the UFC and rampage/evans fight could benefit from this,
BUT, UFC 105 loses a big time main event which i hope they fill up with a pretty decent match up.
I don’t begrudge Rampage for this because he’s had a long career already, but Rampage is getting shafted – he’s perhaps peaking and should get as much action as possible.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Sep 5, 2009 2:52 PM EDT reply actions
Rampage is getting shafted or Rashad is,
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Sep 5, 2009 3:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Well, poop.
I don’t begrudge Rampage for this because he’s had a long career already, but Rashad is getting shafted – he’s perhaps peaking and should get as much action as possible.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Sep 5, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Kid Nate
I believe you wrote the blog about Dana possibly blowing another network deal. Do you still feel the same way now that this info has been published?
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