• UFC

Rampage tells Sonnen to quit UFC

ESPN staff
July 17, 2012

Rampage Jackson has laid into Chael Sonnen, telling the former middleweight challenger he should stand by his word and leave the UFC.

Sonnen issued a stunning loser-leaves-town offer to champion Anderson Silva last year, promising to quit the promotion if he lost a rematch.

"I'm calling you out Silva, but we're upping the stakes. I beat you, you leave the division. You beat me, I will leave the UFC forever," Sonnen said. The rematch was granted, although Sonnen withdrew his offer, and Silva maintained his unbeaten record to keep a firm hold on his middleweight belt at UFC 148.

Sonnen is considering retirement, but former champion Jackson believes his fellow American would not be missed.

"He sucked… he should stick to his promise to leave the UFC," Jackson said in an interview with MMA Elite. "He should go somewhere where people like his interviews and love the way he is, the way he talks shit on everybody. I can't stand that boy. F*** Chael."

Jackson, who recently agreed to fight Glover Teixeira at UFC 153 in Rio De Janeiro, also aimed his criticism at rival Forrest Griffin, who he believed did not deserve a decision win over Tito Ortiz at UFC 148.

Ortiz dropped Griffin twice, but Griffin threw a far greater volume of strikes in a unanimous 29-28 decision.

"Tito won," Jackson said. "Even Forrest knew he won; that's why he ran out the cage like a little crybaby like he always does."

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