Rampage joins Wolfslair
Man, that is a small photo. Probably the smallest I've ever used on this site. If you can't see it, it really is Rampage training at Wolfslair, I think.
Anyway, we had heard that Rampage had kicked trainer Juanito Ibarra to the curb. But who imagined he'd end up in England? Well, I guess we should have figured, since he and Michael Bisping are good friends. It'll be interesting to see what kind of fighter he turns out to be after some training there.
From fightersonlymagazine.com:
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson has joined the Wolfslair fight team, Fighters Only can exclusively reveal.
The Wolfslair is home to top British fighters Michael Bisping and Paul Kelly; gym owners Anthony McGann and Lee Gwynne confirmed earlier today that Jackson has signed a three-year deal.
"Wolfslair management has been advising Quinton over the past couple of weeks and he has decided to join the team with Michael Bisping and Paul Kelly," said McGann.
He said Jackson's former coach, Juanito Ibarra, "has resigned as Quinton's manager and will now be concentrating on his other up-and-coming prospects. The split was amicable and they have parted on good terms".
Jackson said he chose to join the Wolfslair "because those guys got it together. Michael Bisping took to me like a brother from the first time I met him. He and Anthony were very hospitable towards me when I first came to the UK.
"I feel like Wolfslair can make me go farther than I have been; I'm really excited about being able to travel there to train. The guys on the team, they like to laugh and joke around but they train hard and that's me, that's what I like to do."
Tongue planted firmly in cheek, Jackson explained how his signing with the Liverpool-based team was inevitable.
"What better team to join than one called Wolfslair? I'm a werewolf. It was my destiny. People don't understand destiny but I do. Wolfslair is the most perfect team for me."
"I went there when I was over for UFC 75 and I was so jealous - I was like 'look at this, they are called the Wolfslair!' And they had cool shiny t-shirts and Anthony didn't give me one on purpose - but I got one now!"
Jackson is in good humour throughout the interview. He is clearly excited about the deal and says he is looking forward to spending more time in Britain.
"I love England. The fans cheered me so good when I fought Dan Henderson, they made me feel real important.
"I like the tea, I like the 'birds' (English slang for women), and I like the culture. I'm looking forward to learning a lot more about British culture - because America really doesn't have one (laughs)."
In the UK, people from Liverpool are known as Scousers (the name comes from a type of stew associated with the city). It has a famously strong accent, often impenetrable to outsiders. But Jackson has grown familiar with it over the past few years.
"I'm cool with it, I'm even trying to talk like the Scousers," he said. "I understand some Liverpool accents... well, not Paul Kelly... I don't really understand shit he say (laughs). Paul Kelly is cool though, and he'll kick a motherfucker's ass."
Joking aside, Kelly, Bisping and the rest of the Wolfslair fighters and coaches were a big attraction for Jackson, according to McGann.
"After the Forrest fight, he felt that his training hadn't been quite right. He was deeply disappointed in his performance and he felt like he needed to change some things in his life," he explained.
"He came to us as we've all been friends for a long time. He feels that training in England can help him focus, which can be difficult in California because of his star status. He's relatively unknown in England."
The Wolfslair team will now be responsible for managing all aspects of Jackson's career, from fight preparation through to sponsorship deals.
His day-to-day training will largely continue to take place at the Huntingdon Beach facility owned by Tiki Ghosn.
"He will be training when he can in England and the Wolfslair will be running his camps up in Big Bear when he is preparing for his fights," said McGann.
"When a fight comes up, if he is fighting in England his full camp will be conducted here but if he is fighting in the States, especially Vegas, he likes to do his sparring at high-altitude, that is the way he has always done it. We'll be doing the first half of his camp in England and then we will conduct the latter half in Big Bear."
There is no word as yet of when Jackson will be fighting next, but the Wolfslair "are actively seeking a fight in the not too distant future".
