I got my first 'mind your business' admonition from Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson today.
Beyond that, the video above is the entire media scrum at today's UFC 135 workouts for Quinton Jackson. Many topics were discussed including his personal sacrifices and dislike for opponent Jon Jones. I was more interested in who he'd already faced.
I asked Rampage today to tell me who is the most creative or versatile fighter he's faced to date.
"Huh...the most creative or versatile to date...I don't know, man. That's a good question," says Jackson. "I didn't really think about that."
To help produce an answer I tried to drill down. Was there a moment he remembered in a fight where he was confused or had to make quick adjustments to deal with the unexpected?
"Well, Matt Lindland was very tough when I fought him. I had to change some things up, but I don't know how creative he was. You basically know what Matt Lindland's going do. But he was a tough fighter. I can't remember off the top of my head. I've had so many fights, man, I don't know."
This is telling to me. Opposition as you progress don't need to be analogous but there is obviously a benefit to familiarity. Perhaps it was a moment where he wasn't prepared to answer, but I'm not sure I can find a response any better than Jackson. Jackson has faced a lot of looks in his career, but none seem to have meaningful similarities to Jones. That portends difficulty.