UFC 135 Fight Card: The Top 5 Moments of Rampage Jackson's Career

At UFC 135 Quinton "Rampage" Jackson will finally have the chance to get "his" belt back as he takes on Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title. 

Since losing the light heavyweight title to Forrest Griffin in 2008, Jackson has been 4-1, with his only loss coming to Rashad Evans back in May of last year. 

Over Jackson's 12-year career, he has many memorable knockouts, quotes and moments that have made him one of the top fighters in MMA today. 

Here are the top five defining moments of his career. 

Facing Kazushi Sakuraba at Pride 15

In Jackson’s first MMA fight on a big stage, he faced off against Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba.

Jackson came into the fight 10-1, winning eight straight.

Sakuraba tried multiple submission attempts, including an arm bar; as Jackson was trying to escape the move, he picked Sakuraba up and nearly threw him outside the ring, before slamming him to the mat.

Although Jackson would go on to lost the fight by submission, he showed just how tough and powerful he could be. 

Slamming Ricardo Arona

Although knocking Chuck Liddell earned him the UFC title and the Wanderlei Silva KO earned him revenge, the KO that Jackson is most famous for is the slam on Ricardo Arona.

Jackson and Arona met at Pride Critical Countdown in 2004.

After catching Jackson with a few up-kicks, Arona put him in a triangle.

Jackson then picked up Arona, lifted him high in the air, and slammed him in one of the most memorable and vicious knockouts in MMA history. 

Defeating Chuck Liddell twice

Two years after making his Pride debut, Jackson faced off against Chuck Liddell at Pride Final Conflict 2003.

Liddell was one of the UFC’s best fighters and represented the organization in the Pride Middleweight Grand Prix.

Jackson would get the better of Liddell, causing his corner to throw in the towel three minutes into Round 2.

Four years later, Jackson and Liddell met again, this time for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 71.

Jackson would once again get the better of Liddell, knocking him out under two minutes in the first round to win the UFC light heavyweight title.

The Wanderlei Silva Trilogy

In one of the most brutal and violent feuds in MMA history, Rampage met Wanderlei Silva on three different occasions.

In their first two fights, Jackson and Silva met over Pride championships. Silva brutally stopped Jackson with knees in both fights.

Jackson would get his revenge at UFC 92, knocking out Silva cold with a counter left hook in the first round.

Jackson and Silva’s feud will be remembered as one of the most violent, with each fight ending in a brutal knockout. 

Unifying Pride and UFC Titles

When Dan Henderson came to the UFC, he held both the Pride middleweight and welterweight titles.

In an attempt to unify the Pride and UFC 205-pound titles, Henderson challenged Jackson at UFC 75. 

For five rounds, Jackson threw his hardest shots at Henderson. Although he couldn't pick up the knock out, Jackson won the fight by unanimous decision, winning what he had tried to get years earlier in Pride. 

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