ONE of the most popular fighters in MMA, Quinton Jackson is on a mission to regain the UFC light heavyweight title after
losing it to Forrest Griffin in his last fight.
Jackson has just signed a three-year deal with the UK-based Wolfslair MMA Academy after splitting with previous
coach Juanito Ibarra and will prepare there exclusively for British fights.
Fightnewz.net found the American superstar in determined mood after he jetted in to the Widnes stable for some
training.
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: Why did you decide to sign with the Wolfslair, Quinton?
JACKSON: "Wolfslair is a great team. It’s a great group of guys. Michael Bisping trains really hard and he always
comes down to help me train for my fights, why not return the favour?
"I learn a lot when I train with Bisping and I really like it here in
England, I really do.
"I like the people, how nice they are. Most of the guys I hang out with are from Liverpool and they joke around just
like me.
"It fits my personality. All we do is joke around and laugh and train and have a good time.
"I like the culture - never mind the weather. The weather is okay when there’s good people around.
"It can be the best weather ever, but if you’re around shitty people, you know what I’m saying? It cancels
it out.
"I stay at my manager’s crib (Anthony McGann) when I’m here, he is a nice guy and puts me up in his
house.
"It’s nastiness over here too at the Wolfslair, they don’t play! I’m getting kind of used to it.
They train for three hours at a time in one sitting.
"I’m not really used to that, but I’m kind of getting used to that now.
"They train hard and it’s cold here - it’s going to make me a nastier person!
"Michael Bisping and Paul Kelly have got fights coming up, so I’m also here to help both of them train.
"I’m in regular shape at the moment - man on the street shape, I’m in good enough shape."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: There's rumours of you fighting Wanderlei Silva for a third time in your next fight.
JACKSON: "Some good rumours about Wanderlei, huh? I just know we are trying to work it out, that’s all I
know.
"I would love to fight Wanderlei for a third time - three times a charm!
"I’ve got to fight him more than once to right those two wrongs.
"But I’m just looking forward to going out there and continuing my career and making some money.
"The fight I’d love to have is Forrest, but I’ll take Wanderlei, I want Wanderlei too.
"To me, it’s whatever and whoever steps in the Octagon next with me is going to have a hell of a time.
"As soon as possible you will see me back, this year."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: Where did things go wrong with you and Juanito?
JACKSON: "I can't talk about that because of contracts. I get sued if I talk about that. "
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: What are you going to be working on in training? You've never been much of a kicker for instance.
JACKSON: "I’m working on a lot of new stuff. I’ve kicked before but I’m the type of fighter I
do what I want to do.
"Sometimes I don’t want to kick. I know how to kick but I’ve never been a head kicker or high kicks or stuff
like that.
"It’s not my fighting style, I’m kind of like a street brawler. And how many street brawlers do you see kick
to the head?
"That’s not my style. It’s a good technique but for me, I’m a street brawler, I come from the streets.
"You don’t see anybody kicking on the streets where I’m from, especially not to the head!
"A lot of people don’t understand that, so I just keep quiet about it."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET You seem to have a fresh determination after losing the belt to Forrest Griffin.
Jackson: “The Forrest fight was a wake-up call for me. I really know that I have to finish fights and really train
to finish fights even harder.
“If I see somebody slacking in my training camp now: get the fuck out!
“If they are slacking in training me, they’re fired. Because I’m the one out there fighting.
“My last trainer said he hurt his ribs so he couldn’t hold pads for me. And my muay thai trainer’s
hand was broken, so he couldn’t hold pads for me.
“This person was my manager and my trainer and I wanted to have one of my other friends hold pads for me and he
said, ‘No’.”
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: You always say you hate training, why is that?
JACKSON: “I fucking hate training but it’s part of my job. The main reason why I hate it - I
don’t know why God made me a fighter, he has his own reasons.
“But when I’m out there training, from day one, every step of the way and every time I do one thing there
is always some small ache or pain that bothers me and keeps me from doing it.
“If somebody is trying to teach me a new technique, one day my wrist will be hurting on the one day I need to use
my wrist for the technique.
“But it will never bother me after that. I get these little setbacks. I might stub my big toe, then the next day
we’ll do something where I might need to be up on my toes.
“It happens to me all the time. But when I fight I don’t feel any aches or bruises, none of it there."
FIGHTNEWZ.NET: You're obviously a UFC fighter now but you really made your name in Pride. How fondly do you look back
at your time in Japan?
JACKSON: "I had some great times in Japan with Pride - the Igor Vovchanchyn fight, Ricardo Arona.
“I love the Japanese people and culture. It leaves a warm feeling in my heart every time I think about Japan.
“I’m an international fighter, you know what I’m saying? I have to honestly say that I like fighting
overseas better than I like fighting on my own soil.
“Because never have I been booed overseas, never. I knocked out Chuck Liddell and the whole arena booed me on my
own soil.
“I got booed against Marvin Eastman too, just because there was a bit of stalling. Every fight can’t
be all-action all the time, come on!
“The fight was exciting enough, I still finished the fight.”
