Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson on Wanderlei Silva and Why Acting Is Easier Than Fighting

Posted Dec 05, 2008 8:00AM By Michael David Smith (RSS feed)

Filed Under: UFC

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has had a long year.

At the start of 2008, Jackson was the Ultimate Fighting Championship's light heavyweight champion, he was a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, and he was one of the most popular and successful fighters in mixed martial arts.

Did You See That?

The field clears a fence during the New Season Handicap Steeplechase during the at Ludlow Racecourse on September 16, 2008 in Ludlow, England.

Emanuele Canonica of Italy helps his caddie in the rescue of a pigeon from the water around the 18th green during the first round of the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 16, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

A multiexposure image showing Britain's Andy Murray returning to Croatian Marin Cilic during a last sixteen tennis match at the Madrid Masters in Madrid on October 16, 2008. Andy Murray won 7-5, 7-6.

English football fans dressed in armours and tunics play in a friendly match against Belarus fans in Minsk on October 15, 2008 before the start of the Belarus vs. England 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier of European group 6 match.

Travis Brigley (R) of Hamburg fights with Matt Keith (L) of Ingolstadt during the DEL match between Hamburg Freezers and ERC Ingolstadt at the Color Line Arena on October 14, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko returns a ball to US Robby Ginepri during a second round tennis match at the Masters in Madrid on October 15, 2008.

A golf ball which has been enveloped by the tree over many years is pictured during the pro-am for the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 15, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Andy Murray of Great Britain plays football during his training session prior to his thrid round match tomorrow at the Madrid Masters tennis tournament at the Madrid Arena on October 15, 2008 in Madrid, Spain.

Samuel Peter from Nigeria gets a punch from Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine during their WBC heavyweight boxing world championship fight in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. Klitschko won the fight after round nine due to technical knock out.

Herbert Knosowski, AP

Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi (lower) fights with China's Hong Yan (red) during the semi-final of the 72kg class of the Women's Wrestling World Championships in Tokyo on October 13, 2008. Hong defeated Hamaguchi and will face Bulgaria's Stanka Zlateva in the final.

Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

But Jackson lost his title belt in an epic battle with Forrest Griffin on July 5, and 10 days later he was arrested and charged with felony evading, hit and run and reckless driving, and shortly after that he was hospitalized for a mental health evaluation. Many of Jackson's fans worried that he would never be back.

But he is back, working with new trainers and preparing to fight the opponent who has beaten him twice, Wanderlei Silva, at UFC 92 on December 27.

In a phone interview, I talked to Jackson about fighting Silva again, his preparation, and why he hopes to have a career as an actor.

The first time you fought Wanderlei Silva you lost by first-round TKO and the second time you fought him you lost by second-round KO. What's going to be different this time?
The only thing different is now I'm ready to fight him and the first two times I wasn't. The first time I fought Chuck (Liddell) right before I fought Wanderlei and that wore me out. The second time I had all kinds of personal things going on and most people would have backed out of that fight, but I wouldn't back out of a fight.

Your most recent fight was also a loss, a decision to Forrest Griffin. Did you think you won that fight?
I didn't know at the time because when I'm fighting I don't even know what's happening. But looking at it now I think I should have won.

After losing that fight you split with your trainer, Juanito Ibarra, and now you're at the Wolfslair MMA Academy in England. How is training different for you now?
Here at Wolfslair we just do things differently. I'm training a lot harder. My last trainer was a control freak and I don't think he knew what he was doing in certain areas. Now my training is a lot better because I have experts training me in every area, not just one guy acting like he's the expert in everything. Now I've got experts training me in Muay Thai, jiu jitsu, nutrition, everything. My training is stress free because it's with people who are doing it the right way.

When you head into this fight, are you going to have a specific game plan for how you're going to approach Wanderlei, or do you just have to let the fight come to you and react to whatever happens?
Most of the time I do have a game plan, but he'll have a game plan as well and I'll have to adjust in the fight. I'll have a game plan, but fighters have to be ready because everything's not going to go according to my game plan. I'll just have to fight the way I fight.

How much do you weigh right now and how hard is it for you to cut weight and get down to 205 pounds by the day before the fight?
I don't like to discuss how much I weigh right now, but I don't cut weight, I just diet really good most of the time.

When I look at you and I look at Wanderlei, I think you're a bigger 205-pounder than he is. Do you think you'll

have a size advantage?
I don't know if size is an advantage. People think size is an advantage but it can be a disadvantage if you're fighting the right person. But I don't worry about that.

Let's talk about the media attention you've gotten. You were recently profiled in The Atlantic. What did you think of that?
I don't even know what The Atlantic is.

Really? You have to know the reporter who interviewed you for the profile.
Yeah, I'm over here in England and I'm not even thinking about that. I'm not thinking about anything except Wanderlei.

A lot of the attention from the media has been about the incidents over the summer. What can you tell your fans who are concerned about that?
Everything's all good.

Are these still things you can't talk about?
Yeah.

The main event at UFC 92 is between Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans for the light heavyweight title. If you win that night do you think you deserve a title shot against the winner of that fight?
I haven't even really thought about it. I'm focusing on one thing and that's Wanderlei. I don't care what else is going on that night.

Who's the toughest opponent you've ever faced?
Myself.

What do you mean by that?
Most of the time I lose, I'm fighting myself.

So what do you have to do not to beat yourself?
Just be mentally prepared. That's how I'm going to be.

Some people say the UFC plays hardball with its fighters, and that the fighters don't get very good contracts. What do you think?
I have really good relationships with the UFC. I'm very thankful to be in the UFC.

You've fought in a lot of organizations -- you had 17 fights in Pride, you fought for King of the Cage and Gladiator Challenge, and Dana White has said the reason the UFC bought the assets of the World Fighting Alliance was to get your contract. How has fighting for those other organizations compared to fighting in the UFC?
UFC's the best.

You're 30 years old. How much longer will you fight?
I'm not sure.

Randy Couture is still fighting at age 45. Will you keep going as long as Randy?
Hell no.

Well, how long then?
I don't know. I'm not psychic. But I like doing movies and acting. To be honest, as soon as acting pays me more than fighting, I'll be an actor.

Why?
It's easier than fighting.

Because in acting you don't get punched in the face?
I don't mind getting punched in the face. It's the getting in shape that bothers me. You've got to understand, it's three months of work for a 15-minute fight. A lot of people don't understand all the pressure and all the -- I guess you could probably say stress or whatever that goes with training or fighting. I don't think anyone would ever know unless they've trained for a fight. You've got fans you don't want to let down, and then you've got fans who cuss you and you wish you could slap them. Whether you win or lose a fight you've got fans who say stuff. When you're a fighter, people look at you a certain way, they treat you different. Acting is easy. Fighting is reality.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-05-2008 @ 12:38PM

Drew said...

Nice interview, Midsy.

12-05-2008 @ 2:00PM

Eric said...

Michael,

I know that this wasn't an "in person" interview, but what kind of impression did you get of Rampage?

From the interviews that I have seen since the Liddell fight, Rampage doesn't seem to be the same funny - comfortable - politically incorrect guy that everyone found so interesting ...

My guess is that the pressure has really gotten to him (even before the post-Griffin meltdown), or that he is embarrassed by some of those interviews that everyone actually liked and consequently is more tight lipped.

Have you noticed the same thing, and if so what do you think?

12-05-2008 @ 8:02PM

Michael David Smith said...

Thanks for asking, Eric. I thought Rampage was a little reticent to open up too much, especially after I asked about the incidents over the summer. I found him to be a likable person, but also a quieter person than he used to be.

12-05-2008 @ 6:11PM

Frank said...

Rampage is still funny. He is still politically incorrect. The main thing about Rampage is that he is honest. He would make a great actor. Might have to take a few acting classes but I would definitely go to see whatever movie he is in. He is good for the UFC.

12-05-2008 @ 10:22PM

Jen said...

Rampage is a cool guy, and i think he has most his shit together... money does crazy things to people

12-05-2008 @ 10:51PM

ken said...

Rampage is done if he loses. 0 and 3 to a guy means your done. But even thou hes 0 and 2 doesnt mean he cant win. If Rampage comes in with the right mind set he can win. he beat chuck liddell twice and chuck beat wanderlei. He also beat Dan
Henderson who lost a desicion to wanderlei and the next fight Dan knocks him out. But this is a must win for
Rampage. Other wise hes done.

12-06-2008 @ 2:00AM

Jim said...

Jackson is and has been, a respectable, stable, and influential force in the UFC. I thought it was an excellent interview. I believe what some of the readers observed about a difference in his personality, is a maturing process and a sense of inner peace. I think he's a guy that's given his all, accomplished a great deal, and is now contemplating the next chapter, outside the cage! I wish him all the best, in what ever he chooses to persue!

12-06-2008 @ 12:26PM

Sean Dobbs said...

I agree with Eric, Rampage just doesn't have that easy-going spirit he use to have. It's probably because when he went on a "Rampage" with the police he hit a car and the PREGNANT woman inside had a miscarrage about a week later, now was it due to Quinton's actions probably....But they obviously are going to say it had nothing to do with what happened so no formal charges on that but he gonna have that in the bck of his mind forever.

12-06-2008 @ 10:49PM

kermitforney said...

. . actually Sean, her doctor said that her miscarriage had nothing to do with the incident.

12-06-2008 @ 10:39PM

Champagne said...

@ ken... i believe your wrong on the losing three times to someone and ur out philosophy... heath herring lost for the third time to nog. and he fought Kongo in his next fight...

12-09-2008 @ 4:24PM

RJ said...

RAMPAGE,

Join the TFA you will be a big star there!

12-07-2008 @ 11:26AM

v-man said...

I think when Jackson gets his head straight, he'll be one of the greats in his class, hopefully he won't go away like Tyson did a while back.

12-07-2008 @ 11:50AM

ray said...

3 and hes out??? i dont think so. its not like hes fighting underdogs. the guy has fought the best of the best and the griffin fight could have gone either way. i think rampage was just to laid back in the griffin fight and let griffin take the fight. rampage has a huge heart and i think he had an issue fighting someone he considered a friend. not that he would ever admit it but i do think he was just not intense enough against griffin for a reason. after 2 loses he takes a fight with the best fighter in the ufc????? the guy has no fear and by far not out if he does lose.

12-07-2008 @ 3:37PM

tommy said...

great interview, I like him for some reason, what movies has he done though..

check this out sports fans you wont regret it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=827_VOqfUUY

12-08-2008 @ 3:07AM

Omar said...

Rampage is one of my favorite fighters and all around great guys. The talent is imense he just has to find the right camp and group of guys. The fact that two of my top 5 favorite fighters are fighting. also these to market themselves so well its crazy!

12-08-2008 @ 10:56PM

john holmes 17 said...

rampage's interviews in the public eye are probably the exact opposite of rampage at a party, etc. he's still funny enough to be a comic. if he loses, which i'm sure he will cause wandy's a horrendously bad style match-up for him, it won't lesser him as a fighter, it just means wandy's style and aggression is just too formideable for him, just as is chuck liddell is too formideable for tito. wandy will always have page's number as liddell does tito's. wandy will ko rampage way faster, way more violent, way more bloody and gruesome, and way more barbaric.