Issue 070
December 2010
Fast-talking powerhouse ‘Rampage’ Jackson has KO power in both hands and a reputation for vicious slams. Here’s how to develop the attributes that saw him win light heavyweight gold – we’ll leave the smack talk seminar for another time.
Punching power
‘Rampage’ jokes that he gets his punching power by “putting his ass into it,” by which he means striking with his full body weight.
In the Gym
Using elastic cables tied to or around the waist, work the bag with power punches. Put your hip into every punch. When you take the resistance away, you’ll find you can deliver a much harder shot than normal.
In Action
Jackson knocked out Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 with a classic roll and left hook counter, putting his entire weight behind the shot that felled ‘The Axe Murderer’.
Mezger throws
A wrestler since high school, Rampage credits the sport as helping keep him off the streets and out of trouble.
In the Gym
Front squats and dumbbell thrusters, performed explosively, will replicate the demands of the crotch lift known as the ‘Mezger’.
In Action
When Igor Vovchanchyn tried to pull guard on Rampage to finish a guillotine, he got caught in a crotch lift and slammed on his head. Rampage used a similar lift to dump Matt Lindland on his head when they met in 2006.
Boxing
Back in the Pride days, Rampage was considered a wrestler with decent hands. Now, he’s one of the best boxers in the 205lb division. Former striking coaches Colin Oyama and Juanito Ibarra did much to further Jackson’s striking abilities, with the latter developing Jackson’s impressive countering skills.
In the Gym
Have your pad man slap you hard with the pads. Cover up and deflect the shot, or roll under and return with a Rampage-style short combination.
In Action
Check out Rampage’s fights against Dan Henderson (UFC 75) and Chuck Liddell (UFC 71) to see how he covers and uses head movement, rolling back in with powerful, accurate hooks.
Powerbomb
Slamming your way out of submissions isn’t the best escape you could perform, but Rampage has proven time and again that sometimes a little brute force goes a long way.
In the Gym
Cleans and snatches will build the power to execute the slam, but, once your strength’s been built up sufficiently, you can’t beat the real thing. Have your training partners lock in a triangle and lift them high above your head. Use a crash mat when training this move or you’ll run out of partners quickly.
In Action
No Rampage highlight reel is complete without multiple replays of his famous victory over Ricardo Arona. When Arona tried to lock in a triangle choke, Rampage performed a spectacular lift and slammed Arona unconscious.
