Special : Rampage Jackson's Next Step : Bankruptcy?

1. Overview : In less than two weeks, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has gone from the top of the world to inside a jail cell and out. As such, Rampage has :

A. Lost his UFC light heavyweight title.

B. Lost his freedom and possibly his driver's license.

However, compared to what may happen next, A and B are nothing. Because if he doesn't watch out, Rampage has a good chance at :

C. Losing his money.

2. The Brain Infection : Rampage is clearly letting the fame and bling get to his head. Two years ago, he was fighting in the World Fighting Alliance, which has since been bought out by the UFC. Then, in UFC 71, Rampage knocked out Chuck Liddell to become UFC light heavyweight champion, and proved his mettle once again by successfully defending his title against Dan Henderson in UFC 75.

His consecutive wins against two of the world's greatest fighters sent him to the top of the world. Rampage's colorful personality and exciting fighting style always gave him a marketability. Now he had the big wins in the Octagon to prove it. As part of the fastest growing competitive sports organization in the league, Rampage's growth potential was nearly unlimited. However, it is only when you stay grounded and focused that you continue your success.

3. Don't be fooled : Losing his title against Forrest Griffin in UFC 86 didn't start Rampage's fall from grace. In fact, it was just a byproduct of something that was evident long before. When he was not underestimating his upcoming opponent, he was flaunting his "wealth" :

On the surface, Jackson might come off as a spoiled star. Consider the $20,000 he spent on his Adronicus Mastiff puppy. Or the $110,000 Audi R8, complete with signature "Rampage rims," parked in the driveway of his rented log cabin.

Rampage claimed he was "still the same guy," except three things :

"I just dress differently, got more money and drive different cars."

When he wasn't spending lavishly, he conjured illusions of grandeur, comparing his status to Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. :

"I'm hoping for '$30-million-Oscar-De-La-Hoya cheese,'" he said. "I think if MMA was at the same level as boxing, why not be one of those $30-million fighters? If I was boxing right now, and I was a champion the way I fight, I'd be making that money. I think I'd be one of the De La Hoyas or [Floyd] Mayweathers."

4. The Remedy : What Rampage Jackson needs right now is a class in money management and a wise advisor in professionalism. Players in the NBA and MLB, guys who make money that make Rampage look like a homeless man, go broke due to their poor financial skills. Even NFL players, the lowest paid amongst major leaguers, make more money than Rampage.

As the saying goes, infantrymen win battles; logistics win wars. If Rampage loses his title, then he can get it back by adjusting his training regimen. If Rampage loses his driver's license and has to spend some time in prison, he can get his freedom back with good behavior. However, once he throws all his money away on stuff that don't matter, he will wither away his entire support base (food, trainers, equipment, access) that made his stardom possible.

You don't have to have the most money to be champion; but you do have to allocate the dough to the right places. You will definitely not become champion if you are starving. You will not be physically ready nor will you have the psychological and emotional morale necessary to become an elite fighter.

5. Our Best Wishes : Here's to hoping that Rampage heeds the lesson. We don't want him to become like the Raging Bull Jake LaMotta, all fat and slobby, doing his standup comedy routine in some seedy club somewhere.

Sphere: Related Content