‘Rampage’ Coming In At His Heaviest
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will be competing at his heaviest when he faces Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 237.
Jackson meets Emelianenko in a heavyweight headliner set to take place Saturday at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Ahead of the fight, the former UFC light heavyweight champion teamed up with The Treining Lab strength and conditioning coach Sam Calavitta.
Calavitta claims Jackson has put in the work during a grueling 12 weeks of preparation and as a result, his body has undergone a transformation with more muscle. So much so that Calavitta expects him to weigh in around 260 pounds.
“My idea for someone in a weight class is to bring them in as big and strong as they can,” Calavitta told MMA Junkie. “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.
“I have no doubt he can go three rounds and I have no doubt he has the power. 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.”
Despite competing exclusively at heavyweight in recent fights, Jackson does have plans on returning to his old weight class at 205. Calavitta has no qualms about that, though he acknowledged the process could take about a year.
But given how Jackson has put in the work these past few weeks, he doesn’t expect any problems.
“His ultimate goal is for me to take him back down where he started at 205,” Calavitta added. “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.”
It will certainly be interesting to see how a new, improved and focused Jackson performs on Saturday.
