Jackson vividly recalled his struggles with these restrictions: “In Japan, when I used to go there too, you can’t use the saunas if you have tattoos, right? You know how they’re strict with the rules. I’d be trying to go in, and they’d just be like, ‘No, no.’ You know why they did that? You know why that’s a rule, right? The Yakuza.”
The restrictions extended beyond just saunas, as Jackson explained: “They won’t let you in either ’cause of that. No, you can’t even go to the gym. Like, when I go there and I’m there for a bit, or for a long time, I can’t. I don’t like using the hotel gyms—they suck. So I go to the gyms, but I gotta wear, like, a long-sleeve shirt.”
Pride FC’s Business Practices and Rise to Stardom
Pride executives employed complex negotiation strategies that often left stars feeling manipulated. Jackson revealed that contracts prevented MMA stars from discussing their purse amounts, creating an environment of financial opacity. Despite these contract negotiations and hidden business practices, Jackson became a massive star in Japan. The country’s entertainment industry took a unique approach to stars, where personalities and marketability were as important as athletic performance.
Jackson’s initial experiences in Japan weren’t all negative. As he fondly remembered: “My first time going out there, I found—I was like, ‘There is a God, and He loves me!’ All those beautiful Asian women. And you know, they—oh, they loved me.”
But it wasn’t all good.
“Yeah, but Pride—they had in the contracts that we couldn’t talk about our purse.”
This caused Jackson to be unaware that he was getting shortchanged until Heath Herrig told him he should be asking for a lot more. And that wasn’t it.
“Yeah, there were good things and bad things about Japan. It was definitely shady sometimes. You could tell they wanted you to lose. I remember way back in the day—we didn’t have cameras on our phones yet—and we realized they were recording us training. Like, what are these guys doing?”
“Then we caught them, and all of a sudden, they didn’t speak English anymore. You catch them, look them in the eye—they spoke English before—and all of a sudden they’re like, “Oh, no,” and start blabbing off.”
Jackson’s journey began in the late 1990s with King of the Cage, where he quickly became known for his style and memorable slams. His nickname “Rampage” originated from a childhood video game, but it perfectly captured his intense approach. Before he even fully understood his own status in Japan, he was transformed into a larger-than-life character, complete with trading cards and massive popularity among fans.
The transition from combat sports to acting has been seamless. He continues to take on roles that leverage his charismatic personality, recently filming fight scenes with professional wrestlers and exploring various entertainment opportunities. His acting career has allowed him to remain in the spotlight while showcasing his versatility beyond the cage.
