What are the consequences of making Dana White angry? Ask UFC fighters Muhammad Mokaev and Francis Ngannou, who have experienced firsthand what it’s like to face the head honcho’s infamous wrath. The UFC CEO isn’t just at the helm—he’s the embodiment of a fighter’s barbaric mentality and has been the driving force behind the promotion’s rise since 2001. It is safe to say that he has become a polarizing figure, admired by personalities and fighters alike. However, for others, such as Quinton Jackson, and Jake Paul, the UFC boss is seen as someone who will carry animosity until judgment day.

In a recent episode of the JAXXON podcast, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson recalled how White’s wrath played out in 2010 when he was filming The A-Team movie, an adaptation of the popular 80s television series. For the unversed, Jackson and Rashad Evans were meant to headline a fight night in Jackson’s backyard at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. ‘Rampage’ was essential to this bidding as the city had not been a historical stronghold for the promotion. However, Jackson’s aforementioned filming schedule conflicted with UFC event dates, delaying ‘Rampage’s return to the Octagon.

During this time, the former champ even went as far as to temporarily retire and decide to pay complete attention to his acting career. He lambasted his critics on his blog and wrote, “I’m done fighting. I have been getting negative reviews from the dumb–s fans that don’t pay my bills or put my kids through college.” As a result, the UFC CEO was furious and threatened Jackson with a $5 million lawsuit if he didn’t fight Evans. Ultimately, the lack of preparation and training camp forced the Irvine native to take the fight, leading to injury.

The former 205lbs champ went on to explain, “As soon as I finished with the movie, I went straight into training camp. Dana was suing me for $5 million, and he made me go straight into training camp. It took me six months to shoot that movie, and I couldn’t train. I had the tattoos and wigs on and stuff. So I went from six months with no training. Then Dana told you, and I’ve never had anyone punch me in my kneecaps,” he recalled.

However, the UFC and Jackson later made up and made history as UFC 114 sold over 1 million PPV buys on the back of a successful season of TUF with the duo as coaches. This is important that the bout did not have any gold on the line. This ultimately reflects the value and popularity Jackson brought to the promotion.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time that the Memphis export and White clashed. Their long-standing feud spans over a decade and has been well-documented in the public eye, starting with the UFC CEO’s objections to the former champion pursuing acting roles and the subsequent decline of his Reebok sponsorship. To understand Rampage Jackson’s breaking point with both the UFC and White, we need to reflect on events nearly a decade ago. Last, Jackson opened up about the turning moments that led to his fallout with the company and the Las Vegas resident. Let’s take a closer look.

Quinton Jackson discloses when his relationship with the UFC and Dana White soured

In 2009, Dana White asserted his financial authority when the media questioned Quinton Jackson’s return to the UFC, saying, “Rampage is under contract with us, and this is where he makes his money.” ‘Rampage’ eventually returned, but his UFC career after the Rashad Evans fight took a different trajectory. The reason? The Irvine native was unhappy with the UFC. The promotion had altered its policies, forcing fighters into exclusive sponsorships with UFC-chosen partners, eliminating their freedom to choose independent sponsors.

Additionally, the UFC now shared revenue from these sponsorships, a shift that sparked frustration among many fighters, including Jackson, who dubbed the change the “sponsors tax.” During a recent appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Jackson further opened up about his breaking point with the UFC and Dana White.

He revealed that he was the one who brought Reebok into the UFC, only for the company to later partner with the promotion, leaving him with nothing. “I left the UFC because they stole my Reebok deal. That was my mot——-ng deal. I brought Reebok… Reebok sponsored me, and I was going to wear them on my shorts. Dana White was like, ‘You can’t wear Reebok. We don’t have any relationship with Reebok.’ I was like, ‘I’m an independent contractor, you don’t need no relationship with my sponsor, what the f–k do you mean?'” Jackson explained.

What’s your perspective on the relationship between Dana White and Quinton Jackson? With various versions of their stories circulating, who do you believe is really behind their ongoing feud? Share your thoughts in the comments below.