There is a readiness to Quinton Jackson that hasn't always been as visible as it is in the here and now.

The MMA legend and Bellator star is live and present to field any and all questions that come his way over the next hour, and he'll do so in a manner true to himself with an approach free of the airs some in the fight business feel they need to put on.

Nevertheless, tranquility isn't exactly the read Jackson is projecting on Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly after the press conference for Friday night's Bellator 175 event concludes, "Rampage" is perched atop a stool on the 99th floor of the Willis Tower building and ready to go, but a touch of indifference lingers. Jackson does his best to ensure every encounter is of a genuine nature, but doing media has never been, nor will ever be, his favorite part of the job.

A thick and rolling gray of a March day in the city by the lake drapes over the jagged Chicago skyline and the sprawling scene playing out behind him becomes the perfect metaphorical connection for the time and place he currently occupies in his career.

Much like the skyscrapers that create the scenic view beyond the glass, Jackson remains a giant in the fight game. At any given time over the past decade there have been a handful of stars who could generate more headlines and mega-watt heat than Jackson across the MMA landscape, but in the same turn there are few who can claim the caliber of name recognition he carries.

Jackson is still quick with a joke and a few laughs behind it, but it's the "fight" which seems to provide the 38-year-old former champion his peace of mind these days.


May 17, 2014; Southaven, MS, USA; Muhammed Lawal (red gloves) fights against Quinton Jackson (blue gloves) during BFC 120 at Landers Center. Quinton Jackson defeats Muhammed Lawal by unanimous decision. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

"I love kicking ass," Jackson said. "One of the things I've always loved is beating up people. I know it sounds bad, but people need to understand I was the guy who always beat up bullies in junior high and high school. I never went looking for fights, but if someone started a fight with me, I loved to finish it. I kind of think of myself as a superhero, but I love fighting.

"Being a professional fighter you don't get in trouble for it. You get paid for it, and I love that part of it. I hate the training. I hate the training and really wish I was a superhero where I didn't have to train and I walked around a badass, but I'm human. I have to train, but I love kicking peoples' asses. If I get my ass kicked trying, so what? I tried my best."

While Jackson has enjoyed more success than most, the trust issues and pitfalls that come with notoriety and management disasters have done a number on him in recent years. Jackson has been engaged in contract disputes in and out of the cage, yet he's been open to the public every step of the way.

That said, the one thing that always made sense to him is the squared-up get-down, and the only thing on Jackson's mind these days is the actual fight, and he can focus on such things because he finally has the right people surrounding him in the roles they should have been the entire time.

"Tiki [Goshen] and I have been friends since around 2000 when I moved to California and started training with him at his gym," Jackson said. "We've been friends for a long time and I wish I would've known he had manager skills because I probably would've saved millions of dollars, but I'm happy to have him training and representing me. Him and Paul do a great job.

"It's really refreshing to know I really have a trustworthy manager and someone who really has your back because you guys really have no idea. A lot of fighters out there, be careful because sometimes your manager can be your worst enemy. Your manager will screw you before your enemy does. Trust me."


There was a time when fame and the spotlight were the ambitions that moved him forward, but Jackson in his current form doesn't care for those other trappings. He wants to keep things in a simple place where positivity reigns. Jackson's tolerance for negative aspects of the game is non-existent and choosing that approach has allowed him to truly keep it moving.

The west coast transplant loves nothing more than a good dust-up and that's what he's expecting in his highly anticipated rematch with Muhammed Lawal Friday, March 31, at Bellator 175. While both men are former champions and highly accomplished fighters, the dynamic between the two and the rivalry forged has created soundbite gold time and time again, all the while making their feud can't-miss television.

With the rematch quickly approaching Jackson took the time to appreciate the work his counterpart has put in to sell the fight and to provide the type of motivation that can be difficult to find at times. Trash talking is a special element from Jackson's perspective, and he believes fans should embrace the fighters who can keep things exciting all the way up to fight night.

"I think trash talking is a big part of fighting, and King Mo is good at talking trash," Jackson said. "I like it and he made me laugh today talking about how he's going to give me a Plan B. That killed me and was f*cking funny. I didn't even have anything to come back with. I love it because it's hard to find an opponent you can actually talk sh*t with who is good with comebacks.

"I think that's good for the fans and they should embrace fighters who can keep them entertained even before the fights start.

"Chael [Sonnen] and [Conor] McGregor are some of the best at it," he added. "Even though I think Chael should go into the WWE, Conor is brilliant. Some fans are just negative people though. They bring up your losses when they talk sh*t, and it's just weird. Fighters are allowed to talk sh*t and be who we are. Who cares if we win or lose fights? We get in the cage and we do it."


Photo Credit: © Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

And while Jackson carries respect for Lawal as a competitor, that's where the appreciation stops. The two former champions in other promotions don't care for one another on a personal level and their feud stretches back further than most in recent memory.

Lawal believes he won their first bout in May 2014 at Bellator 120 but was ripped off by the judges sitting cageside. Jackson couldn't disagree more, and he believes he'll prove once and for all who the better man is Friday night.

"He's talking a lot about how he has a game plan," Jackson said. "We game plan too. I'm a fighter, a real fighter and I was born a fighter. I know how a game plan can fall apart and not go your way. They can fold when you get hit in the face and things like that.

"I feel like King Mo is going to be in for a big surprise if he thinks I'm going to be anything close to how I was the last time we fought. I think I'm a better wrestler, bigger and stronger than last time. I might be a little slower because I'm bigger, but I think I make up for that with technique and power."

While a hard-knock upbringing put Jackson in a position where everything in his life has been fought for and earned, that hasn't stopped him from thinking about those who have shared the struggle of forging a life in the fight game. In his mind the lessons learned along the way provide the knowledge base that needs to be shared, and he's been willing to help the next generation of fighters on the rise any chance he can.

Yet, with Jackson's public persona, the spotlight hasn't always been put on the good he's done for MMA. Nevertheless, Jackson isn't concerned with how he's viewed by the MMA public at large because he knows what he's contributed to those who have needed guidance.

"I think if you want this sport to live on it's important to pay it forward and help other fighters," Jackson said. "Like I said earlier today, fighters need to stick together. Even though me and King Mo don't like each other and we are fighting, I still respect him because he's one of me. He's one of my comrades. If a fighter is doing the same thing I'm doing, I don't care how famous he get or how much money he's got. I'm never going to hate on another fighter.

"Tiki trains a lot of young fighters and I'm always trying to help because they are like us. I feel like fighters are Alphas and we are a little bit different than the rest of the human population."

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With superstardom already achieved around the world and a resume filled with great achievements already notched, Jackson's legacy in MMA is written. He's been a fighter who has always shown up to put on a show and he's competed against the very best in the world throughout multiple eras.

But Jackson knows his time competing inside the cage will eventually come to an end. Many of the faces he used to look around and see when his journey through MMA first began are now on the sidelines talking about the sport rather than still doing it. Yet, Jackson is still competing at the highest level in high-profile main-event tilts, and that goes to show the type of stock the man is made of.

As the media obligations wrapped up on Wednesday afternoon the natural light-hearted nature of Jackson returned as he joined his friends in the back and made his way out of the room. There would be no more questions on the day and no more barbs to trade with his rival under the Bellator banner.

The static created at the press conference would drift out into the gray of the day, and Jackson's smile on the walkout showed he was free of any presumed tension between the two because at the end of the day, a storied career has taught him the only thing that matters is getting it done on fight night when the talking stops and the fists start flying.

That's the element Jackson enjoys to the fullest and he was one step closer to making that walk.