Interview: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

By Percy Crawford

Boxingtalk.com caught up with the always colorful Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to discuss his May 26th rematch against Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. Jackson discusses everything from Liddell's Dallas interview to his own crazy interview in Japan, fighting in Chuck’s environment (the cage) and much more. He also confirmed that the UFC has purchased Pride FC and much more. You don’t want to miss this interview. Check it out!

PC: How’s everything going Rampage?

QJ: I’m blessed man.

PC: The fight with Chuck Liddell is finally official, so people can stop asking you when you’re going to fight Chuck again. How do you feel about him being your second opponent in the UFC?

QJ: I don’t give a damn. I just wish the American public got to know who I was before they put me in there to fight for a title, but I know the business. I know how it goes.

PC: What’s the biggest difference fighting in the U.S. opposed to fighting in Japan that you’ve seen just from UFC 67?

QJ: I think the Japanese public know more about fighting and that’s why they respect fighters a little bit more.

PC: When will you begin hard a hard training camp for the Liddell fight?

QJ: 6 weeks out. You don’t want to over-peek. You have to know exactly what you are doing so you can be strong and that’s a wrap. (In a Rampage only voice) If you don’t know exactly what you doing, you in a boat load of trouble. Boat load of it!

PC: I spoke with Chuck the other day and he said, he likes you and all, but he’s going to enjoy going in there and knocking you out.

QJ: (Cutting in) that’s the same thing he said the first time. Tell Chuck to get some new material, that’s the same thing he said the first time; ol, half drunk ass.

PC: What did you think when you saw that interview he did in Dallas?

QJ: Man, I felt sorry for that boy. I’m gonna whoop him like he’s a boy.

PC: Will we ever see Rampage doing an interview like that?

QJ: You better not see Rampage doing an interview like that. You know what? I ain’t gonna lie. I think I did do an interview like that in Japan once. Ya’ll ain’t gonna ever get a chance to see it. It was after I fought Ricardo Arona and it was my birthday. I fought him on my birthday. The next day they had the nerve to do an interview with me early in the morning; like 7:00 in the morning. When I slammed him, I had cut my eye. We thought it was on his teeth. So they gave me an antibiotic and they told me, “Don’t drink while you on these antibiotics.” I’m like damn, it’s my birthday and I just had the slam of the decade; of the century, you know what I’m saying. I was like, “I’m about to celebrate my birthday.” I took the pills like an idiot. I forgot all about it and I got drunk that night. Mannnn, next thing you know I passed out in the club. They got pictures of me with straws up my nose and everything. Then they wake me up at 7:00 in the morning to do a damn interview. Man, I had one of them samurai hats on. The dude had to ask me, (in his best Japanese voice) “Are you ok?” You know how that white dude had to ask Chuck was he ok. I was like, “Yeah I’m ok. Stop waking me at 7:00 in the morning to do a damn interview.” See, Chuck knew he had that interview. I didn’t know, them Japanese folks don’t tell you a damn thing. You don’t know nothing you’re gonna do. They don’t tell you they gonna come knock on your door. What if I would’ve been in there butt naked with some straight Japanese pigs? What if that would’ve been the case? That was back in the day when I used to be wild you know? I don’t want people to know that I like fat Japanese chicks; with stretch marks from ear to ear. I don’t like people to know that I like the flabby labby. Yeah, that shit would get out, so don’t you tell nobody I like the flabby labby.

PC: Man, you know I can’t edit a Rampage interview. That’s just typical Page.

QJ: Well ok, you can tell ‘em.

PC: Both of you guys have improved since the first fight. What do you think the difference in this fight will be?

QJ: The difference in this fight will be that it’s in a cage. It’s in his environment. First time we fought, it was in my environment. It was in my house. He had one fight; well actually he had two fights over there in Pride before we fought. I’m going to his house now, but the thing is; the thing he don’t know is, I feel comfortable in other folk’s house. I take my shoes off; I take a crap in they bathroom and fix myself a glass of water. I feel comfortable at other folk’s house.

PC: In your one fight in the UFC, do you feel like you are used to the rules, as far as being able to use your elbows and not use soccer kicks and knees to the head when your opponent is down?

QJ: I started off doing that. That’s not nothing new to me.

PC: After the Eastman fight, you said you had the jitters. Do you think one fight was enough to calm your nerves considering you’re about to be in one of the biggest fights in MMA?

QJ: I don’t give a damn about that. A fight is a fight; you know what I’m saying? He a man just like I’m a man, I don’t care. I just be out there talking to my fans and stuff like that. I had a little nerve because the expectation was so high and I didn’t want the fight to be boring. It was my first fight in the UFC and I had a lot of ring rust. I was fighting somebody that had beaten me and I wanted to get him out of there in fashion. I’m ready dog. I’m going to train like I’ve never trained before. I’m going to have reputable sparring partners and I’m going to do my thang; like I always do. Win, lose or draw the fans will be happy, Chuck Liddell going to be happy because he made his money. I’m going to be happy because I made my money. Dana White should be happy, the UFC going to be happy, reporters going to be happy, the president going to be happy, the governator going to be happy, everybody going to be happy. My momma going to be happy, my daddy going to be happy, my cousin going to be happy, my brother going to be happy, my homeboy going to be happy, my homegirl going to be happy, my ex going to be happy, her ex going to be happy, my ex, ex going to be happy and you going to be happy. Everybody is going to be straight because it’s going to be a nice and exciting fight.

PC: What did you think about Dan Henderson knocking out Wanderlei Silva?

QJ: I knew it was going to happen. I was telling folk’s around me, real talk, Dan going to knock Wanderlei the hell out. They were telling me I’m crazy. Man I know what the business is. Dan got a hard right hand, even though he knocked him out with the left and Wanderlei’s brain was still scrambled from Cro Cop. They spar hard too. He probably got knocked out 2 or 3 times in practice too; for real. They don’t even use no gear. That’s why he looks so ugly. I want Wanderlei to regain his strength, get him a few more fights. That way when I get that belt, I’m going to use the belt to get back at him. Now that the UFC has bought Pride, I can get some payback on him. I want to get him, Sakuraba, Shogun; I want to get that referee. I want to get everybody. I want to whoop everybody ass. I’m going to call out the referee that stood me up when I was whooping on Wanderlei. I’m calling everybody out. I’m calling out the judges who than gave other guys decisions over me. I’m calling out everybody. I’m calling out everybody.

PC: Chuck says he’s willing to go up to heavyweight. Will you go up to heavyweight and fight or are you cool at light heavy?

QJ: I’m cool at light heavyweight. You know Chuck already anticipating an ass whooping. He talking about moving up to heavyweight because Randy Couture has the belt. I know what’s going on. He might get scared and move to heavyweight right before our fight. You never know.

PC: How much longer do you see yourself fighting?

QJ: I’m going to stick around as long as God will have me stick around. God is the one who controls everything.

PC: I appreciate the interview Quinton. You have anything you want to say in closing?

QJ: I just want to thank all the people that sponsor me, Throwdown clothing and Unbreakable mouthpieces. Keep it real baby, you know what I’m saying! Ya’ll keep taking care of Rampage and Rampage going to keep taking care of ya’ll. Peace!

(Source)