The main event at this Saturday’s UFC 114 is a long-awaited grudge match between former Light Heavyweight champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad Evans. The fight is occurring after nearly three years of squabbling that has bubbled over into media interviews and a season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Unfortunately, the fight was long delayed due to injuries and Jackson’s departure from the promotion to shoot the “A-Team” movie.
Jackson and Evans go at it verbally (Josh Hedges, UFC)
While both are adept at promoting a fight through soundbytes and trash talking, the pre-fight hype reached a sensitive area when Evans called Jackson out on various comments and behaviors that he felt reflected badly on his race and played into negative black stereotypes. Taking umbrage with Jackson’s repeated promise of “black on black crime” as well as other comments made in relation to the fight, Evans finally called Jackson out on what he perceived to be racist behavior during a media call last week.
Jackson responded to a reporter’s question by joking that he didn’t understand the words “detrimental” and “advantageous,” after which another reporter asked Evans what it was about Jackson that made him so upset and lose his composure so quickly.
“You [Jackson] say ignorant stuff, and you perpetuate stupidness” Evans said in response to the question . “You’re not stupid. Stop acting like you’re stupid. Stop acting like because you’re black you’re stupid.”
Jackson was so taken aback by the comment that he went completely silent, which is pretty telling considering the fact that anytime Evans took a breath during the rest of the call, Jackson would immediately interrupt with rants and insults. The silence hung heavy in the air for a good five to ten seconds, with a reporter finally breaking it by thanking Evans for his answer.
Evans, not wanting to let Jackson off the hook, continued with his assessment.
“I’ve talked to this dude. This dude is pretty smart, he knows what’s going on. But he just does a…’oh, it’s comedy.’ But why perpetuate that stereotype that you’re stupid? Why perpetuate that stereotype that you can’t read?”
An uncharacteristically nervous Jackson, having had several minutes to digest the accusation, half-heartedly said “I didn’t say that, I never said that” in a voice that cracked in an apt representation of the shattering of the veneer that gave him comfort and confidence. He then jumped back into Rampage mode, his voice changing in tone and cadence. He tried to steer the conversation back to their respective fight records and, that route failing, started tossing homophobic slurs towards Evans.
Some may have heard the exchange and interpreted Jackson’s silence and wild deflection as him being too “in character” to have a serious conversation or defend himself. Others see his silence as not so much a moment of confusion as one of shock that Evans had, accurately, called him out on his act. Regardless, it raises not just questions of where Jackson falls in terms of his behavior but also how it might be affecting an entire segment of the population that has thus far eluded the UFC’s most ardent promotional efforts. Continue reading →
