While reporter Karin Bryant considers Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (above) shoving his face into her breasts during a post-fight interview at UFC 130, “clowning around”, Yahoo’s Maggie Hendricks is less than amused, proposing Jackson’s serial abuse of televised media deserves a blackout.
His act is tired and old, yet we continue to interview the man and give him the publicity he needs to further his career, and that’s where MMA media is making the mistake. He thinks it’s funny to assault the people who cover his fights, who write about his movie, who give him a stage to show off the “Rampage” persona.
Let’s stop doing that. Take away his stage. Don’t ask him questions in press conferences, don’t cover his every move, don’t give him another chance to assault reporters. He may think his act is funny and cute, but there is one way to ensure that no one else finds it funny or cute. Don’t cover it.
I’m not sure how journalists would be doing their job if they were to boycott a Jackson press conference given that he’s still a headline attraction.. Publicly calling him out and providing the world with a viral video at least as embarrassing as this one, however, might be an efficient means of hurting his earning power.