Rampage Jackson - Future WWE'er?

[IrishCanadian25]

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson seemed just like "one of the guys" last night on Raw. Sadly, the ongoing McMahon stigma about allowing anyone even close to competition having any sort of plug on his show prevented Rampage from being "himself," but anyone who has seen him on "The Ultimate Fighter" and UFC knows the guy is a mountain of personality. He's like a more accessible version of David Otunga.

He said, after Big Show taught him the choke slam, "I Want In." Well then...

If QRJ's contract runs out and he decides to leave it behind - would Rampage have a shot at becoming the next Ken Shamrock? Would he leave the lighter schedule of the UFC - fighting maybe 3 times per year - for the day in, day out grind of the WWE? Is the possibility of movie deals with WWE Films enough to mitigate that?

Personally, if Rampage joined the WWE - I'd be front row ready to go...

 

[airvar]

I'd be real down with this..

He just clicked, not as Mr. T, but has himself , and he definatly has the IT factor, Mic work, and the in-ring skills were so much more then what i expected.. And it's not like he dosen't have "the look" I mean he sure as hell should look credible, he is an actual MMA monster.

 

[Ferbian]

While I'm not sure whether Rampage would ever consider joining WWE, I definitely see him being able to fit in, the moves he performed last night made him seem legitimate, he certainly knows the way it would function due to his ability to perform take downs for example.

I could definitely see him getting some kind of position like Ken Shamrock, perhaps with a better push or some more significance.

And I think he could very well adapt to the schedule of WWE, while it may be tougher on the body and more work hours, I still think he could be doing fairly well in there.

Quinton would be a great asset to WWE, he has great charisma in a very funny way and he has everything possible to make it in the WWE both in ways of getting over, and being able to perform.

 

[Dave]

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson seemed just like "one of the guys" last night on Raw. Sadly, the ongoing McMahon stigma about allowing anyone even close to competition having any sort of plug on his show prevented Rampage from being "himself," but anyone who has seen him on "The Ultimate Fighter" and UFC knows the guy is a mountain of personality. He's like a more accessible version of David Otunga.

He said, after Big Show taught him the choke slam, "I Want In." Well then...

If QRJ's contract runs out and he decides to leave it behind - would Rampage have a shot at becoming the next Ken Shamrock? Would he leave the lighter schedule of the UFC - fighting maybe 3 times per year - for the day in, day out grind of the WWE? Is the possibility of movie deals with WWE Films enough to mitigate that?

Personally, if Rampage joined the WWE - I'd be front row ready to go...

Man, would this be something.

I noted, last night, that Rampage just seemed like he belonged there. He seemed really comfortable with everything and looked as though he was having a lot of fun with things. You are right though, he would be a very welcomed character in the WWE, if Vince could get over his fear of the UFC having any sort of plug on WWE TV. I have been a fan of Rampage since I saw him on the Ultimate Fighter 10 and he would be one of the most entertaining people on the roster if he did decided to switch allegiances and move onto wrestling full-time.

However, I don't think that he ever would. For one thing, I don't think his fans would ever forgive him for moving to the WWE when he could continue to fight with the UFC. We all know of the stigma that exits between fans of the UFC and the WWE. Brock Lesnar is a key example of the attitude that MMA fans have towards pro-wrestling and I think that would be a major stumbling block for Rampage. Other than that, I think he likes to fight in the UFC. He gets two or three fights a year and gets to train at his own leisure. We all know that he has not always been the most fit competitor in UFC and his weight is likely to balloon sometimes.

The other thing is that he gets paid a lot more in the UFC as one of the main event guys, than he ever would in the WWE. So he would be working more for less money and I don't think he is stupid enough to buy into that. It was a lot of fun to see him in a WWE ring last night and I can still hope that he could end up with the WWE but I don't think he realistically will.

 

[Super Hans]

He has the personality,look and character ready and raring to go so why not.I have not seen Raw yet but from what i hear he was a natural,anybody who watched last years TUF would have come to expect that.I think he would be bigger than Ken Shamrock as he is a legit celebrity and the UFC is 100x bigger now than 10 years ago,we all know vinny mac loves the media attention and this would draw a storm of that.

From the sound of Rampage's twitter he had a ball of a time last night and he mentioned that he would love to make a movie with Ted!
I think the likeliehood is that he could be the WM celeb next year for a programme as a trial run,see how he likes it on the road and how it takes its toll on him and then maybe 3 years down the line he could make it permanent.

 

[BWEEZY2009]

I agree 100%

I saw that twitter post and immediately thought this.

Rampage has the personality to do anything with Entertainment. Yes he's a fighter at heart, but I could easily see him retiring (again) before 40 to make his way to Entertainment (movies, tv)

Also I always thought Tito Ortiz would somehow end up in Sports Entertainment (outside of refereeing TNA main event) But he also has the personality to get over as a wrestler. But i do recall him making fun of Shamrock for being a "fake" fighter in their pre-fight hype

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Rampage has professional wrestling written all over him. He's a decent size guy, 6'-1", fights 205, but probably walks around at 220+. He got around 240 for the A-Team, so putting on size and muscle isn't difficult for the guy.

If he really believes his best MMA days are behind him, I don't see why not. He's only 31 years old, so it's not like he's coming in as an old guy. I think he could find great success as a pro wrestler. He has the physicality, the mic skills, and the personality. It would take him a while to become a decent wrestler (pro wrestler, that is), but his personality could carry him through. Also, he's relevant with todays audience, and has something to bring to the table in that regard.

IF he's done fighting, which I'm not sure he is, I hope he would go with wrestling as opposed to making movies. A lot of these guys get one movie role, and believe they are the next Brad Pitt. Wrestling, with occasional movie appearances, would make more sense. I think he would at least be entertaining, and that's the minimum.

 

[Judah's Lion]

He has the personality,look and character ready and raring to go so why not.I have not seen Raw yet but from what i hear he was a natural,anybody who watched last years TUF would have come to expect that.I think he would be bigger than Ken Shamrock as he is a legit celebrity and the UFC is 100x bigger now than 10 years ago,we all know vinny mac loves the media attention and this would draw a storm of that.

From the sound of Rampage's twitter he had a ball of a time last night and he mentioned that he would love to make a movie with Ted!
I think the likeliehood is that he could be the WM celeb next year for a programme as a trial run,see how he likes it on the road and how it takes its toll on him and then maybe 3 years down the line he could make it permanent.

why so late? why wait till next year's Mania? couldn't this be an option for this year's Summer Slam? have Dibiase and Rampage do an angle. could even make it a lumberjack match if you wanted to and use all the legends that were involved last night, plus the actual Million Dollar Man that was absent but would be an obvious choice. so you've got these legends surrounding the ring and Dibiase trying to make a name for himself against Rampage who is trying to also make a name for himself in a new arena. give Ted the win but a not-so-convincing win so as to make Rampage weak. then give Rampage an incredible angle and feud of training in wrestling and MMA to come back and beat Ted. this could build for months and make both men very legit if done right.

i loved Shamrock, but Rampage could be so much bigger. not just because of his look and mic skills and personality (Shamrock kinda lacked all three) but also, as noted earlier, UFC and MMA is so much bigger now. the stories and matches and angles and feuds could be awesome. plus, with a couple of wrestlers crossing brands and going to MMA, isn't about time that some MMA guys come to wrestling (a little tongue in cheek, but still...!)?

 

[Rayne]

I wouldn't dismiss the possibility. Rampage has said on only a few (thousand) occasions that he's only in MMA for the payday, and he would be a happy man if he could stop getting the bejesus beaten out of him on a regular basis to make his money. UFC is notoriously cheap; they have no competition right now, so they can be. Rampage made $250k for fighting Rashad Evans, and you have to take out of that some pretty substantial fees for training team and management. Rampage hasn't fought in a while, but he typically fights twice a year.

Even if we pretend Rampage Jackson doesn't have anyone else to pay after he gets done with a fight, I'd be very surprised if he couldn't pull in $500k a year in the WWE, and that's before we talk about the cut he'd get from merchandising... which would likely be a better percentage than most WWE stars get. If you bring your name and star power with you, you get to call shots like that.

Rampage already has the personality for it; he wouldn't have to go through the painful "watch me try to interview" phase that Shamrock did. Jackson is a riot on the mic. That's not to say he wouldn't need work to be able to cut a convincing professional wrestling promo, but he already has the tools.

I'm not holding my breath for it to happen, but it would be a surprisingly logical step for Rampage Jackson. Make your money and get out.

 

[Chargersfan1901]

The thing that would be cool about Rampage joining the WWE, is he honestly doesn't need a gimmick. He's ruthless, strong, charismatic, he's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. He's one of the few guys who doesn't need a gimmick, or at least much added to him. Plus, almost everyone knows who he is, so it's great marketing to just have him.

 

[maar130]

I think if he really wants to and is given a change, he could enjoy his time there and we as fans would enjoy his work.


Thing is the schedule because lets face it, even if he is a charismatic guy and a good fighter, the schedule will be grueling, so he better gets ready for that.

Since he has a track record of being in the MMA world, that wll give him the plus of Ken Shamrock as a submision machine, even though Rampage is mostly known as a striker.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I honestly don't think his acting is good enough. Yes, the man who's just starred in a Hollywood blockbuster isn't good enough at acting to be in World Wrestling Entertainment. Look at my face. This is my serious face. I wear it while I am serious.

Then again, the guy from District 9 was also cringingly bad and I previously thought he was alright. Maybe there was just something in the air last night.

 

[darksideon]

The pop he got for staring down virgil (virgil for god sakes) shows people want to see rampage. As what's already been said he's only in mma for the money and has stated he doesn't really like fighting, so if he was a big draw for the wwe his ppv bonuses would be huge.

 

[JohnnyDrama]

as awesome as that would be i dont think he would want to do this, i think he's a big family man and leaving behind his kids and wife (i think he's married) for 300+ days out of the year might be hard for him.

but he did do a pretty decent spine buster lol i think he should stick with fighting. maybe acting if he still wants to do it.

 

[Schizophrenic]

I would like to see it and I think others would as well. But I will place money on how long it would take for the same people who are looking forward to it to start complaining because he is "getting a push he doesn't deserve" and things of the such.

Could Rampage work in WWE? Oh yeah. Guys has charisma and a great look about him and the moves can be taught. Hell I'd rather watch Rampage in WWE than Otunga or Cottonwood and I would be happier to see him in the ring as well. I'd love to see it, we will just have to play the waiting game for right now.

 

[Widdows]

I'd love him to join WWE, just notwith Vince over seeing his creative run, or else he's just going to be humbled and embarressed in typical Vince fashion.
Bt a big MMA name could bring some of their fans over and have a new found interest in WWE.
And yes I agree, he did look like one of the boys.

 

[kurt_angle_no1fan]

Brock made the cross over the UFC and took alot of fans UFC's way so why cant Rampage join the WWE and do the same? Surely it would only increase WWE's fanbase and maybe eridicate the stigma even some of the hardened UFC fans have with WWE being "fake".

Rampage would be a great addition. A few months practising in the ring and he would be ready - he is already the real deal in terms of look, personality and "gimmick".


Rampage does need to go back to school though - his grammar and spelling is appalling (I saw his tweet).

 

[PsychoWard]

First I'm so glad I ran a search, because I wanted to make a thread on this after watching some re-run of rampage and loving his personality.

ORJ- Would definitely fit the wrestling entertainment role. He bleeds charisma. If you ever watched the ultimate fighter you would know what he could bring to the table.

He has the quick on the fly one liners, but he can mix that into his mean streak persona. It wouldn't take him long to fit into the WWE mold other than toning down his swearing...etc.

He has the skills already to compete with the other talent. Lastly as Vince would say, "he Loves the MONEAA." If its the right price he would just ship to entertainment. His career would move forward, without risking his body as much as MMA does. Wrestling can still take its toll, but Full contact definitely has more risk as you get older.

I totally agree with IC that he just fits!

It would also be great to have a long drawn out teaser before he debuts. I believe the last time the WWE did that was with Jericho's return.

You know if the IWC noticed his talent, you know Vince did as well!

 

[The Doctor]

I definitely think he would fit. He has charisma, the look, and already has legit fighting skills so I'm sure gaining some pro wrestling won't be too difficult. He can also act, as evidenced by the good job he did in The A-Team and when he hosted RAW. I think he could be a WWE superstar and do a darn good job at it. He'd probably be a draw for the MMA-watching audience, as well.