Refocused Jackson Not Sweating Machida’s Style

It is no secret that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is not a fan of Lyoto Machida’s elusive fighting style, and he does not seem to be concerned with what the Brazilian will bring to the table for their UFC 123 light heavyweight clash on Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich.

“I’m not worried about anything. I trained really hard for this fight in all aspects. The fight is going to go the way it’s going to go,” Jackson said during a UFC 123 conference call. “I’m going to fight my fight and not worry about anything Machida does.”

Jackson was last seen in the Octagon against Rashad Evans at UFC 114 in May, when he dropped a unanimous decision to his coaching counterpart from “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10. Though the fight received considerable hype in the buildup, the combat itself was a letdown for many. While Jackson claims he had personal issues that led to the loss, it remains a performance Rampage does not want to repeat.

“I didn’t perform well against Rashad. I know why I lost that fight. I lost it a couple of weeks before the fight even started. Sometimes we fight even when we shouldn’t fight,” said Jackson. “I just trained my best and kept the fight date so the fans would be happy. I felt like I owed it to my fans. I always keep [my problems] to myself. That’s why I like training in the UK.”

The Pride Fighting Championships veteran typically trains at the Wolfslair Academy in Widnes, England. However, for UFC 123, the California resident decided to keep his training camp close to home.

“I just trained at my new house. I’ve been traveling a lot doing movies. Right after my fight with Rashad, I went on a tour [to promote ‘The A-Team’]. I just wanted to train and get to see my kids,” said Jackson. “It helped the kids out. It’s not always about me. My kids missed me. If you spend lots of time away from kids, they get used to not seeing you. So, I just wanted to be close to my kids.”

Jackson’s primary film obligation was a co-starring role in “The A-Team,” a responsibility that prevented him from fighting Evans at the initially proposed UFC 107. Jackson played the role of B.A. Baracus, the character made famous by Mr. T in the hit television show of the 1980s. Jackson staunchly defends his decision to do the film, as evidenced on the UFC 123 conference call. One reporter brought up basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal’s comment that he had not seen the movie -- because nobody had actually seen the movie.

“I don’t give a f--k what the mother--ker said. I did my job and got paid. I’m a fan of the A-Team,” said Jackson.

Six months after his fight with Evans was supposed to happen, the scrap finally took place in spite of Jackson’s personal issues. Now with no film obligation distracting him, Jackson claims the circumstances surrounding this bout are unlike those when he fought Evans.

“A lot of things are different. I’ve been more focused. I had a lot of time to train,” said Jackson. “After a long time off [shooting and promoting the film], your body goes into shock when you go into a hard camp.”

One factor that is not different is the type of opponent he will face: a counterpuncher. But while Evans is simply light on his feet, Machida’s unorthodox karate rhythm brings an extra helping of potential confusion to the table.

“I’d rather fight people who want to put on a show like me. I like watching guys like B.J. [Penn] and Matt [Hughes],” Jackson said. “I’m a warrior. We’re MMA fighters. We’re the best athletes in the world. I hate to see our sport turning into boxing, where people aren’t even fighting anymore.”

Whether Jackson likes it or not, he will step into the cage against the mobile Machida, and the fight could turn out to be a difficult style clash for the man who howls at the moon. Jackson will have to figure out the puzzle that only one man has solved before. As far as strategy goes, however, Jackson is remaining tight-lipped. When asked how he was going to fight the Brazilian, Jackson responded honestly.

“I don’t know, man,” he said. “That’s a bad question to ask a person like me. I wouldn’t even tell my mama that.”