UFC 144 Results: 5 Fights to Get Rampage Jackson Back on Track

For the first time in his legendary career, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson finds himself coming off back-to-back losses.

While there certainly isn't any shame in losing to Jon Jones, Jackson's UFC 144 unanimous decision dud to Ryan Bader brings his career to a crossroads.

Does Jackson want to continue his career in the UFC or pursue other endeavors?

This is a question that only Jackson can answer. Bader deserves a lot of credit for coming up with an effective game plan and actually implementing it on fight night, but the story of the bout is Jackson's flabby physique and lackluster conditioning.

In a post-fight interview with MMAjunkie, Jackson talked about an injury sustained during camp that limited his ability to train effectively.

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If I'm going to be critically honest, I'm not surprised I lost the fight. I almost didn't make it to the fight, but I didn't want to pull out for the Japanese fans. I injured my knee pretty bad, and my doctor told me not to fight. But it wasn't real serious. I didn't need surgery or nothing, but he told me it wasn't a good idea to fight. I decided to fight anyway.

"

There is no reason to question the legitimacy of Jackson's claims. He is a future Hall of Famer, and quite frankly, he's never had issues making weight in the past.

Still, there is reason for concern when considering his overall motivation in fighting. Against Jones, fans saw the most dedicated Jackson ever, but then there are the bouts against Keith Jardine, Matt Hamill and Bader.

Fighters are always dealing with injuries in camp, but as a professional athlete, you have to find a way to work around the injuries to get the most out of your training. If you can't run, there's always swimming and biking.

Jackson is expected to continue his MMA career, and he vows to come back a better fighter after this loss.

Here are five fights to get him back on track.

Stephan Bonnar

For whatever reason, Stephan Bonnar has been seeking a fight with Jackson for quite awhile now.

If Jackson is looking for an opponent who isn't afraid to exchange in the pocket, Bonnar would be the perfect candidate.

This would also make for a great fight for MMA fans in general. Jackson's hooks versus Bonnar's titanium chin would be quite the showdown.

Phil Davis

Phil Davis is a solid opponent to help Jackson maintain relevance in the deep light heavyweight division.

It could also work in Jackson's favor, considering Davis and Bader are quite similar stylistically.

A lackluster effort certainly wouldn't cut it against Davis, who has demonstrated world class wrestling and conditioning throughout his short UFC tenure.

Rich Franklin

At the official weigh-ins for UFC 144 on Fuel TV, Franklin hinted at the possibility that Jackson's failure to make weight may have been due to him taking Bader lightly.

Jackson heard about Franklin's comments through a friend, and he was rather upset with the former middleweight champion.

"Rich Franklin needs to watch his mouth before I smack him the next time I see him," said Jackson (via MMAjunkie.com).

A bout against Franklin makes the most sense for Jackson at the moment.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua's UFC record is 4-4, a far cry from his dominant days in Pride.

In April 2005, Rua manhandled Jackson at Pride Total Elimination in the opening round of the Middleweight Grand Prix.

Jackson has been seeking a rematch with Rua for a long time. There surely won't be any lack of motivation against an opponent of Rua's caliber.

Forrest Griffin

Forrest Griffin and Jackson have a quite a bit of history with one another, stemming from a controversial decision in July 2008.

Jackson lost his UFC light heavyweight title to Griffin in a bout many fans believed deserved an immediate rematch.

The UFC wasn't really in the immediate-rematch-giving mood at the time, and after Griffin lost the belt in his first defense, the second bout was swept underneath the rug.