Pride offered Rampage bonus to lose (Sherdog article)

[CJC1981]

Prior to making his PRIDE debut against Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) in July 2001, Quinton Jackson (Pictures) said PRIDE executives offered to pay him a $2000 bonus if he lost by knockout or submission and did not tap.

Speaking with MMA Today before his UFC light heavyweight championship winning performance, Jackson said he signed to fight for $10,000, but alleged that PRIDE executives, whom he said "screwed" him over, offered $12,000 if he was finished in the ring by the Japanese star.

"I'm never the type of fighter that would lose for money," Jackson said. "I don't do that. But they told me, 'If you win this fight, you get $10,000.' But they told me -- these are like the two people from PRIDE who got fired recently, I don't know if the president of PRIDE knew about it -- but they told me themselves: 'If you lose by knockout or submission and you don't tap, you get $12,000.'

"I said, 'But what if I knock him out?' and they said 'You get $10,000.' Then I understood what was going on. This was my first time fighting in the big show in Japan and I learned sometimes they wanted the other guy to win."

After slamming the smaller Sakuraba several times and nearly lifting out of the ring over the top rope, Jackson, who took the fight on short notice, finally succumbed to Sakuraba after getting caught in a choke.

"I knew it was going to be tough for me to win that fight, so I went out there and gave it my best anyways to get my $10,000," Jackson said.

DSE recently relinquished control of PRIDE when it sold the company to UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta.

[CJC1981]

Makes you wonder how many times they have done this in the past. Stuff like this could really hurt mma.

[DeBaie]

Makes me wonder..

ie. Randy vs. Tim

Still mad about that, Tim did not even throw a JAB!

[CJC1981]

I've never seen any evidence that would lead me to believe the ufc would be involved with fixing fights. Pride however, was alleged to be involved with the Japanese mafia, and judging by this article they may have been more corrupt than once thought. Hopefully this kind of corruption won't be a problem now that the Fertittas own pride.

[rockinred]

Happens everywhere, all the time, and in every sport. I doubt mma will be any different... money talks... all you can hope is a person's pride doesn't let them succumb to the dollars.

[Panzerfaust]

Dana will be doing the same thing if not flat out working fights before long. He is no better than any boxing promoter, he just knows that corruption in boxing is publicly known so he pints the finger all the while scheming himself.

It is already obvious he protects his boys (Liddell, Franklin, Hughes) the best he can.

He really thought he was catching Rampage off guard by not giving him another fight and instead matched him up with Chuck anyway which played right into Rampage's hands. Doh!

He has also protected Franklin until Silva bashed him and now Franklin gets a late replacement in Okami when the fighters listed for his opponent were Okami or Filho. It would look bad for Filho to come in as a unknown and squash Franklin.

And then there is the Lindland thing..one of the best yet never seems to get a fight in the UFC, simply because he wont take Dana's shit.

Rampage made comments about those "two" particular people before, how they were ruining Pride in his opinion with their antics that were unknown to Sakikibara.

[CJC1981]

Dana will be doing the same thing if not flat out working fights before long. He is no better than any boxing promoter, he just knows that corruption in boxing is publicly known so he pints the finger all the while scheming himself.

It is already obvious he protects his boys (Liddell, Franklin, Hughes) the best he can.

He really thought he was catching Rampage off guard by not giving him another fight and instead matched him up with Chuck anyway which played right into Rampage's hands. Doh!

He has also protected Franklin until Silva bashed him and now Franklin gets a late replacement in Okami when the fighters listed for his opponent were Okami or Filho. It would look bad for Filho to come in as a unknown and squash Franklin.

And then there is the Lindland thing..one of the best yet never seems to get a fight in the UFC, simply because he wont take Dana's shit.

Rampage made comments about those "two" particular people before, how they were ruining Pride in his opinion with their antics that were unknown to Sakikibara.

Wow! I have a little higher opinion of Dana White than you do. At best he is a marketing genius, and at worst he's a mma tyrant and a bit of an a-hole. I doubt he would fix any fights. I hope not anyway. You can make an argument that at one time or another Liddell, Franklin, and Hughes have been thrown a softball (vernon white, nate quarry, royce gracie), but for the most part they each cleaned out the talent pools of their respective divisions. As for Lindland, I think most people agree that he deserves a title shot, but I don't know enough about the situation to blame that all on Dana White.
Offering a fighter money to lose a fight is way more serious a charge than building up a champ with an easy fight or two. As for Sakikibara being unaware of what was going on, ask yourself if you would give Dana White the benefit of a doubt if Joe Silva or another UFC employee got caught trying to pay a fighter to take a dive.

[Panzerfaust]

I also find it funny how as soon as Rampage is UFC champion, he brings up a supposed story from over 6yrs ago.

[CJC1981]

I also find it funny how as soon as Rampage is UFC champion, he brings up a supposed story from over 6yrs ago.

His timing is a little strange. I just assumed he didn't want to bite the hand that fed him until he knew he wouldn't have to work for them again.

[twosocks40]

His timing is a little strange. I just assumed he didn't want to bite the hand that fed him until he knew he wouldn't have to work for them again.

Good point. Can't trash talk the boss and expect to have a job.

Dana probably protects (if he does at all) champs like Franklin because he is well spoken and a good icon for the sport which is still growing and has plenty of opposition. He wouldn't want some trash talking dumbass with the belt going on fox news to promote MMA.........

[Panzerfaust]

Good point. Can't trash talk the boss and expect to have a job.

Dana probably protects (if he does at all) champs like Franklin because he is well spoken and a good icon for the sport which is still growing and has plenty of opposition. He wouldn't want some trash talking dumbass with the belt going on fox news to promote MMA.........

Well this sport is about finding out who is the best, not who is the best talker or spokesman. That babying shit needs to go, actually Dana needs to go, that ****er thinks he is as famous as the fighters and has to have his face in every goddamn picture possible. You can't look at a wei***n staredown without seeing that uncle fester looking mofo in the middle.

Oh god, and when his boy is fighting, he always looks at them like he is in love.

[rockinred]

Well this sport is about finding out who is the best, not who is the best talker or spokesman. That babying shit needs to go, actually Dana needs to go, that ****er thinks he is as famous as the fighters and has to have his face in every goddamn picture possible. You can't look at a wei***n staredown without seeing that uncle fester looking mofo in the middle.

Oh god, and when his boy is fighting, he always looks at them like he is in love.

lil animosity or something huh...lol

[Quil]

Franklin was originally supposed to fight Martin Kampmann before he withdrew and Okami stepped in. I don't see either fighter as a pushover, and I hardly think Franklin is being protected by fighting Okami.

[test_cyp]

I think too much is being made of the whole Dana White thing. He is brilliant for his marketing. With that being said, I don't think he protects anyone. The sport is too unpredictable as is. Dana is not in this for the few years while Franklin, Hughes and Liddell are in their prime. How is he protecting his boys? Liddell was about to be fed Wanderlai before the whole Pride contract issue, then Rampage? Putting him up against those two is not protecting anything. The UFC has done great in putting together match ups IMO.

[FRANk THe TANk]

dana white in so many ways reminds me of don king

[rar1015]

I think too much is being made of the whole Dana White thing. He is brilliant for his marketing. With that being said, I don't think he protects anyone. The sport is too unpredictable as is. Dana is not in this for the few years while Franklin, Hughes and Liddell are in their prime. How is he protecting his boys? Liddell was about to be fed Wanderlai before the whole Pride contract issue, then Rampage? Putting him up against those two is not protecting anything. The UFC has done great in putting together match ups IMO.

I understand what you're saying. The thing I hate is how every UFC event only has a couple of good fights and the rest are just a bunch of no name fighters, plus when you pay $40 for one you only get to see like 4-5 fights. They sometimes only show the highlights of the preliminary fights. The last one I ordered was Liddell and Jackson and that will be the last one I order until these fight cards get better fights and the show more fights. Until then, I will go watch them with my a couple of my buddies at the Buffalo Wild Wings by my house.

[$$TML 4 LIFE$$]

Dana will be doing the same thing if not flat out working fights before long. He is no better than any boxing promoter, he just knows that corruption in boxing is publicly known so he pints the finger all the while scheming himself.

It is already obvious he protects his boys (Liddell, Franklin, Hughes) the best he can.

He really thought he was catching Rampage off guard by not giving him another fight and instead matched him up with Chuck anyway which played right into Rampage's hands. Doh!

He has also protected Franklin until Silva bashed him and now Franklin gets a late replacement in Okami when the fighters listed for his opponent were Okami or Filho. It would look bad for Filho to come in as a unknown and squash Franklin.

And then there is the Lindland thing..one of the best yet never seems to get a fight in the UFC, simply because he wont take Dana's shit.

Rampage made comments about those "two" particular people before, how they were ruining Pride in his opinion with their antics that were unknown to Sakikibara.

Well # 1 Dana was just being smart....Chuck cleaned out the division. Rampage has fought top level his whole career he didnt need another fight inbetween. Unless u would of rather seen chuck vs the dean of mean. He didnt protect Franklin at all.....Silva annhilated Leben and then got a title shot immediatly. He wasnt protecting Rich or Hughes or Chuck he was throwing the best fighters that were signed under the ufc to fight his champions....

P:s Lindland is definetly 1 of the best but also dam boring

[test_cyp]

Sound like sour grapes to me.

Liddell was the #1 contender for two years, he stepped aside with a title shot with Tito, so Tito could fight Shamrock, which was good for the sport. This is why you probably seen a huge respect for him from Dana. Plus that and he was so dominant for a while.

[Quil]

Lindland is definetly 1 of the best but also dam boring

That's the biggest knock against Lindland, right there plain and simple. He's not an exciting fighter to watch. He wins, but just not exciting, and therefore, not as marketable.

[rooster101]

Makes you wonder how many times they have done this in the past. Stuff like this could really hurt mma.

your right. i know rampage, now for almost 10 years!! not only does he not lie, he would not go out of his way to lie. Im also good friends with kevin randleman , and he told me that, PRIDE payed him a good chunk of money to get submitted by krocop in there second fight. he also told me that krocops country would not air the first fight they had when kevin knocked his ass out. then he told me that race also played a part in that as well. kevin is the last black guy i know, to throw out a race card.

[D-Bo Dre]

I understand what you're saying. The thing I hate is how every UFC event only has a couple of good fights and the rest are just a bunch of no name fighters, plus when you pay $40 for one you only get to see like 4-5 fights. They sometimes only show the highlights of the preliminary fights. The last one I ordered was Liddell and Jackson and that will be the last one I order until these fight cards get better fights and the show more fights. Until then, I will go watch them with my a couple of my buddies at the Buffalo Wild Wings by my house.

So your telling me u watch MMA only to see "famous" fighters?? If you were a "real" mma fan you would'nt care who was on the card, u would just want to see a bad ass fight, with fighters leaving their hearts in the ring, octagon, or whatever.. Every classic fighter was a "no name" fighter at one point or another.. And if you realize, many of these "no name" fighters are the ones who put on a better show b/c they have something to prove..

[rar1015]

So your telling me u watch MMA only to see "famous" fighters?? If you were a "real" mma fan you would'nt care who was on the card, u would just want to see a bad ass fight, with fighters leaving their hearts in the ring, octagon, or whatever.. Every classic fighter was a "no name" fighter at one point or another.. And if you realize, many of these "no name" fighters are the ones who put on a better show b/c they have something to prove..

You must not have read my whole post. I said i will go watch them for FREE at a buffalo wild wings instead of paying 40 bucks to see 4 fights. I could care less if you think im not a "true" mma fan. I could also care less about who is on a fight card, i will still watch it no matter what. The main thing i was getting at was paying to see a couple of fights and not every fight thats on the card. Read the whole post next time.

[D-Bo Dre]

You must not have read my whole post. I said i will go watch them for FREE at a buffalo wild wings instead of paying 40 bucks to see 4 fights. I could care less if you think im not a "true" mma fan. I could also care less about who is on a fight card, i will still watch it no matter what. The main thing i was getting at was paying to see a couple of fights and not every fight thats on the card. Read the whole post next time.

Yeah, I follow u.. I just wanted to get my point across also.. And I know ur prob. a true MMA fan bro.. Its just sooo common to hear this sh*t over and over again on this board its getting annoying.. If you dont want to pay for the fight dont,, maybe they should join you at the Buffalo Wild Wings Place!! sounds good 2 me

ANyways, did u watch the fight night live the other day?? Now tell me, how did that look on paper? and how did it turn out?? not to bad huh?