Although there was a great deal of uncertainty surrounding his status, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson will make his long-awaited return to UFC Saturday when he faces Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 in Montreal.
Jackson had been blocked from fighting Maldonado due to an injunction filed by Bellator, but he won his appeal, which means the 215-pound catchweight bout will go off as planned. Rampage has long been one of the most outspoken stars in MMA, and that has held true during the confusing lead-up to UFC's latest event.
Maldonado has held his own in that regard as well, which is partly why there is so much intrigue surrounding the bout. Jackson's UFC return is big in its own right, but Maldonado certainly hasn't taken a backseat.
With the time for talking nearly over, here is a look at what both fighters have been saying prior to UFC 186.
What Rampage Is Saying
Now that Jackson is back in the big leagues after a 3-0 run in Bellator, he fully intends to make his return a successful one. That will be easier said than done against a fighter of Maldonado's ilk, though.
The 35-year-old from Brazil has won four of his past five fights, and he is a knockout artist, with 13 of them to his credit. That makes Maldonado an extremely dangerous competitor, but Rampage prefers that type of style, according to Martin Domin of the Daily Mail:
[Maldonado is] good on paper. He's a stand up fighter; on paper it's the type of fight I love so it should be a good show for the fans. But I've heard he's been doing a lot of wrestling so we'll see what happens. ... I'm tired of fighting guys who are cowards, who just want to take you down and lay on top of you. In fights like that, the fans lose. I am a true definition of a fighter, you know what I'm saying. My style is a brawl, a street fighter. I like the excitement of the surprise of what he's going to bring at me.
Jackson is a true throwback in that he would rather throw fists than grapple. MMA is getting away from that in many ways, but the 36-year-old star refuses to change.
Another thing that sets him apart from other fighters is the fact that his preparation for fights does not include breaking down film on his opponents, per Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun (h/t the Toronto Sun).
"I don't like to watch my opponents' tapes, I like to be taken by surprise," Jackson said. "I feel like I'm the definition of a fighter. I'm a brawler, a street fighter. I grew up fighting in the streets, I had to beat up the bullies who tried to bully the kids in my neighbourhood."
It can be argued that Jackson's tactics may give Maldonado a distinct advantage, but he has carved out a hugely successful career by doing things a bit differently.
That hasn't changed in his second UFC stint, and it should make for both an unpredictable and exciting contest Saturday.
What Maldonado Is Saying
Maldonado may not have the same star power and name recognition as Rampage, but the well-traveled veteran can change that by spoiling Jackson's return to UFC.
While Maldonado has taken on some high-profile opponents over the years, there is little doubt that Rampage tops the list in that regard. According to Fox Sports: UFC, this is a fight that the Brazilian has craved for a very long time:
He is finally getting his wish, and it will be interesting to see what his game plan is. Maldonado has traditionally been a brawler, much like Jackson, but Rampage mentioned that his counterpart has been dabbling in wrestling.
Even so, Maldonado's comments seem to suggest that he intends to engage in a veritable street fight with Jackson, according to Portal do Vale Tudo (h/t Lucas Rezende of BloodyElbow.com):
No doubt it's a huge fight. I'm going all out. It only took me a second when Alex Davis asked me if I wanted it. I will concentrate and try not to do what I did against [Stipe] Miocic, I will focus more. I'll give my best and I hope it doesn't last only one round, because I want a really grueling fight for the both of us. I want a lot of blood on Saturday night.
Maldonado obviously wants to win, but he also seems to be focused on pulling off a great show for the fans, much like Rampage.
There is no question that Maldonado has a reputation for putting on some exciting fights whether he wins or loses, and all signs point to that being the case once again Saturday.
Prediction
Due to the circumstances surrounding this fight, it truly feels as though it could go either way. Neither man was sure that the bout would even happen until recently, and that makes for an extremely interesting dynamic.
Rampage will undoubtedly be motivated to win his first fight back in UFC, but that factor could generate a ton of pressure as well. Maldonado is the one who has nothing to lose, which should allow him to take some chances and throw caution to the wind.
The manner in which Jackson and Maldonado have been talking suggests that the fight could be stopped early with a knockout, but seven of Rampage's past 10 fights have gone to the scorecards, so don't be surprised if they both manage to hang in there regardless of how brutal the clash is.
Jackson has some momentum entering this fight on the heels of three consecutive victories, and he will use that to confidently dissect Maldonado en route to a unanimous-decision win.
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