Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson Full Fight | PRIDE Final Conflict 2003
Watch the full fight between Wanderlei Silva and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at PRIDE Final Conflict 2003 on November 9 at the Tokyo Dome. In the PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix final, Silva survived Jackson's early ground-and-pound before finishing him with knees at 6:28 of Round 1.
The victory secured Silva the 2003 Grand Prix championship and marked the beginning of one of MMA's fiercest rivalries. What started in Tokyo would eventually span four fights across PRIDE, the UFC, and Bellator.
PRIDE Final Conflict 2003: Silva vs. Jackson in the Grand Prix Final
Both fighters had already competed earlier that evening. Silva, the reigning PRIDE middleweight champion, defeated Olympic judo gold medalist Hidehiko Yoshida by unanimous decision in his semifinal. Jackson earned his place in the final by stopping UFC star Chuck Liddell, whose corner ended their semifinal at 3:10 of Round 2.
PRIDE's middleweight division operated at 205 pounds, equivalent to today's light heavyweight limit in the UFC. Silva was already the dominant force in the division, while Jackson had established himself as a dangerous challenger with powerful wrestling, heavy punches, and an ability to overwhelm opponents on the ground.
Their rivalry had been brewing long before the tournament final. Jackson repeatedly called out Silva, and their confrontations outside the ring added considerable tension to a matchup between two of the promotion's biggest names.
How Wanderlei Silva Finished Rampage Jackson
Jackson made the stronger start, securing a takedown and attacking Silva with punches from top position. The American controlled much of the early action, forcing Silva to defend from his guard. A referee stand-up, despite Jackson's offensive work, changed the direction of the fight.
Back on their feet, Silva found the openings he needed. The Brazilian attacked with kicks before closing the distance and securing his trademark Muay Thai clinch. Jackson absorbed repeated knees to the body and head, continuing to fight even as Silva's combinations began to take their toll.
Referee Yuji Shimada finally stopped the contest at 6:28 of Round 1, awarding Silva the tournament championship by TKO. The finish became one of the defining moments of Silva's PRIDE career, showcasing the relentless clinch striking that made "The Axe Murderer" such a feared opponent in Japan.
From PRIDE 28 to UFC 92 and Bellator 206
Their first meeting was only the beginning. Silva and Jackson fought again at PRIDE 28: High Octane on October 31, 2004, with Silva's middleweight championship on the line. Once again, the Brazilian finished Jackson with knees, this time scoring a knockout at 3:26 of Round 2.
Four years later, Jackson finally gained revenge at UFC 92 on December 27, 2008, knocking Silva out with a left hook at 3:21 of the opening round. It was a dramatic reversal after two devastating defeats in Japan.
The rivals met for a fourth and final time at Bellator 206 on September 29, 2018. Competing at heavyweight under the Bellator MMA banner, Jackson stopped Silva by second-round TKO at 4:32, leveling their head-to-head series at 2-2.
All four encounters ended by knockout or technical knockout. Yet their first fight at PRIDE Final Conflict remains essential viewing: a championship tournament final, two elite competitors fighting for the second time that night, and a brutal finish that helped define an era of Japanese MMA.
Rampage Jackson has remained in the headlines long after his rivalry with Silva ended. In 2025, his son, MMA fighter Raja Jackson, violently attacked professional wrestler Stuart "Syko Stu" Smith during an independent wrestling event. Rampage publicly condemned his son's actions, and Raja later pleaded no contest to felony battery in 2026, receiving a 90-day jail sentence. The controversy became another difficult chapter in Rampage's life outside the cage. Read more about the incident in our Raja Jackson arrest and wrestling assault coverage.