Quinton Jackson is expected to be the heaviest of his career when he steps on the scale to weigh in ahead of Saturday’s Bellator 237 headliner against Fedor Emelianenko.
That’s apparently not a bad thing, though. While “Rampage” has come in increasingly higher in weight since moving up to heavyweight three years ago, this is apparently the most powerful and functional he’s ever been after not fighting since September 2018, which is the longest layoff of his storied, 20-plus-year career.
From all indications, Jackson (38-13 MMA, 5-2 BMMA) truly did put in the work. He linked up with Sam Calavitta, the strength and conditioning coach from The Treigning Lab in South California. Calavitta said Jackson put in 12 hard weeks, and although he’s notorious for not wanting to train hard, apparently not a single shortcut was taken ahed of the showdown with Emelianenko (38-6 MMA, 2-2 BMMA).
“I have to tip my hat to him because he stepped into the gauntlet with the toughest and the most brazen guys he could step in with in the garage where there’s nothing but sweat and soul-searching,” Calavitta told MMA Junkie. “Early on, he probably questioned why he was there. But I think he knew deep down that we were very sincere to help him. He came to us and said, ‘I would like to get back to my former self.’ He wants to end his career on the note he started it and he felt as though we were the people who could do it.
“He gave me his word he would do everything he said and I gave him my word we would take his body as far as we could. Since then his improvement is probably the greatest physical transformation I’ve ever seen in 12 weeks. Absolutely amazing what he’s been able to turn around there. He stuck with it.”
Calavitta claims that, during his time with Jackson, the former UFC champion had a massive “body composition change.” He lost plenty of fat, but replaced it with 24 pounds of body muscle over the course of 12 weeks.
When Jackson weighs in on Friday, Calavitta said the fighter should be the heaviest of his career. That will no doubt generate discussion within the MMA community, but given the makeup of that weight, Calavitta said he’s comfortable that’s exactly where Jackson should be.
“My idea for someone in a weight class is to bring them in as big and strong as they can,” Calavitta said. “We’re going to bring him basically around 260. He’s a big man. He’s come such a tremendously long way. I don’t want to weight to be an issue. You can’t hurry the weight and if you try to do that all you end up with is a bunch of saggy muscle. We’ve been gradually bringing it down then bringing it up in muscle. It’s just about teaching the body. He’s done an incredible job. He’s going to come out big, strong and very good shape.”
Calavitta said he connected with Jackson through manager Tiki Ghosn, who also works with other Calavitta clients such as T.J. Dillashaw and Juan Archuleta. Calavitta said Jackson turned over all responsibility to him, from crafting a training routine to controlling the daily diet.
History indicates the matchup with Emelianenko won’t require all three scheduled rounds, but if a full 15 minutes is needed, Calavitta said Jackson can push without having concerns about his gas tank.
“I have no doubt he can go three rounds and I have no doubt he has the power,” Calavitta said. “He knocked a guy our in practice the other day with a double jab. His movement is fantastic. A lot people don’t truly understand body composition. He’s at his best.”
Although Calavitta said he has Jackson firing on all cylinders for the heavyweight division, a change in strategy is going to come in the future. At 41, Jackson certainly only has a limited number of fights left in the sport.
Jackson apparently wants to get back to light heavyweight – where he had his best wins and claimed UFC gold – before all is said and done. Calavitta said he intends to help the fighter with that process.
The focus right now is all on beating Emelianenko at Bellator 237, but Calavitta said he’s already thinking about how he’ll take more than 50 pounds off Jackson’s frame. He’s confident it can happen, though, because while Jackson’s work ethic has been a topic of discussion in the past, Calavitta said it’s been a non-issue since their relationship began.
“His ultimate goal is for me to take him back down where he started at 205,” Calavitta said. “It’s going to be a process. I think to do it correctly it would take about a year. But we’re definitely heading in the right direction and he’s all on board. He has worked his ass off for us and give us everything he has.
“Whatever people have said about his work ethic in the past, I didn’t see that. I saw a man who is driven and has been a champion and wants to be back in the top and is willing to put in the work.”
Coach: 'Rampage' Jackson will weigh around 260 for Fedor fight, but wants to end career at 205
