“I chalk this fight up to being Buster Douglas against Mike Tyson!”
Boxingtalk recently caught up with UFC Light heavyweight contender Marvin Eastman as he prepares to face Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 67. Eastman talks about how he feels he must knock Rampage out as well as defend against Rampage’s trademark slams. You don’t want to miss what he had to say about spoiling Rampage’s UFC debut. Check it out!
PC: How are you doing? How has training gone for your fight at UFC 67 against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson?
ME: Everything is cool right now. I’m just winding down. Yesterday was the last hard day and today was just technique a little bit and the next couple days will just be touching everything up and keeping your chops tight, you know? I’m good!
PC: Who are some of the people you are training with to get ready for Rampage?
ME: I got my buddy big Eric Pele; he’s a 300 pounder. I have Roy Nelson who is a Jiu Jitsu expert and grappling specialist. I have another guy named Dan Evensten; who is like 6’5 – 6’6 about 260. One of my other buddies, J.R. Smith, who is a smaller cat came out to train with me. I’ve had some wrestlers from Arizona State come out and work with me. I have a pretty solid crew.
PC: It’s been 2 plus years since you’ve been in the UFC. How does it feel to be back?
ME: It’s cool, you know? You never want to have to leave like I left. 2 times I had the opportunity to fight there. It was good timing for somebody else and bad timing for me. I was dealing with personal problems both times man. The bottom line is, it’s my responsibility to make sure I have all that stuff taken care of when I go in there. The first time I was having some major family issues with the ex at the time and it was a little too overwhelming for me. Instead of fighting off of reaction, I had to think and when you think in a fight, it’s too late. The second time I was prepared good, but I ended up using some people for an extra body and ended up putting somebody in the game that shouldn’t have been in there man. I ended up taking a knee to the head and didn’t trip off of it. I was training with Tito and we were training some double legs and I shot a double leg and he tried to stop the double leg by jumping in the air and I caught a knee to the chin. It was a double shot and I ended up with a concussion. You know by being involved with boxing, if you get a concussion, it don’t take a hard shot for your lights to go out and that’s what ended up happening. I didn’t realize it until after it happened. I was suspended for 3 months by the New Jersey Athletic Commission and I had to clear it with them and that’s the way it is. It’s my responsibility as a fighter to recognize that. I’ve been hit and dazed several times and could just shake it off, but when you actually get knocked out, it’s like whoa! I’m just ready to do my thing and get back in there and make it happen. He’s the perfect opponent for me because he’s not going to get in there and run. He’s going to come straight at me and that’s good. We could thump each other and see who’s got the best standup.
PC: How did this rematch with Rampage come about?
ME: We were in a different organization at the time and the UFC bought that organization and they acquired the contracts and we were going to fight on this other show and we found out they acquired it so they set a date and we’re fighting on this show. For me, it’s perfect because they showcasing him and I already have a win against him, so I’m just supposed to be a stepping-stone for him and that’s fine. They could do what they want to do because none of them cats can fight for him. He has to fight for himself. The pressure is on him. There’s no pressure on me. He’s supposed to walk right through me so I ain’t trippin. I’m going to go in there and put my chips down. I have fought with some of the best standup fighter’s in the world; kickboxers and in a cage. The bottom line is, we’ll see what happens on Saturday.
PC: This is obviously a showcase fight for Rampage. What will it mean for you to spoil his UFC debut?
ME: Oh, most definitely. That’s what’s going to happen. I don’t expect nothing else. I’m going to come in there and do what I have to do. I’m a stepping-stone and they’re trying to get a rematch between him and Chuck because he beat the crap out of Chuck. I aint nobody’s opponent, know what I mean? I am a world-class fighter and a world-class athlete. He respects the game, but I respect the game too, but all the other people don’t. Bottom line is, the critics and all the other people can’t fight for him and nobody could fight for me. It’s fine because the pressure is on him to perform well. He’s the headliner and sometimes that pressure will make you overdue it. In a nutshell I chalk it up to being Buster Douglas against Mike Tyson. The odds on that fight was 42-1 and so be it. That’s a fight he was supposed to win and I’m going to keep it tight. I feel comfortable; I feel good. I have multiple weapons and I’m going to use them all.
PC: You haven’t fought since July and that fight ended in a draw. I know you weren’t happy with your performance. Is that more incentive for you to get at Rampage?
ME: The thing about the draw is that the guy didn’t want to fight. He came in and threw a punch and then takes off running. I understand, but this is mixed martial arts. You supposed to get in there and scrap. I had to chase the dude around and he was running around like a chicken with his head cut off. Even if he did run, at some point I should’ve stopped him and cornered him and made him fight. I don’t make any excuses about it. It’s my job to corner this guy and make him fight. I can’t talk about what he did. I have to talk about what I didn’t do. In my opinion, sometimes you have to go for broke. It was a couple of times I got frustrated because he was running around so much and when someone gets you frustrated like that, you have to keep your composure. He was so happy for a draw because of who I am. It was great for him, but for me it was disappointing. Quinton just happens to be the right time and he’s the right opponent. I don’t have nothing to prove to nobody else. I have to prove it to myself.
PC: Rampage is known for his crazy slams, but you have a very extensive wrestling background. Both of you guys like to bang as well. Where do you think the fight will end up?
ME: I think it’s whoever imposes their will on the other one. He likes to brawl, he likes to pick you up and slam you, but I’m a wrestler that happened to learn how to kickbox. There aint nothing that he’s going to do on that grappling level that I ain’t never seen. I’m a wrestler that learned how to kickbox and stand up fight. I’m not a kickboxer that learned how to wrestle. I’m a wrestler by trade. That’s what I do, so them crotch lifts and high crotch throws and slams…I mean please. I respect his game, but that’s what I do. I been wrestling since I was 7 years old. I have 2 sons that’s wrestling and my youngest son has won multiple state championships and 2nd in nationals. The oldest one is a state champion, so we have been doing this thing for years. My brother’s and all, so I aint worrying about that. I just happen to learn how to kickbox and standup. I’ve had a professional boxing match and about 13 or 14 kickboxing matches, so it helps me on both ends. I’ve fought against multiple world champions, so I’m comfortable either way. I think it’s going to come down to whoever executes their game plan right and I think I have the perfect opportunity to do that against a perfect opponent like Rampage. He fits my style.
PC: Both of you guys have very aggressive fight styles. Do you think this fight will go to the scorecards?
ME: I look at it like this man, because he’s the marquee guy and the star; they’re not giving me any gifts. I feel like I have to knock my man out or I have to make it so convincing that they can’t go the other way. I just can’t see them giving me a decision. They’re spending money on him. They are highlighting him and trying to market him, so they’re not going to give me a decision just off of gp (general purposes). He might as well be the champion because that’s what they are spending their money on. I don’t do predictions. I let all these other cat’s do the predictions, but I know I’m going to win this fight. He’s a helluva opponent. I don’t have not one bad thing to say about him, but I’m pretty damn good with these things too. I plan on letting them fly Saturday night too. If I have an opportunity at a KO or I can open up a cut and they stop the fight, then so be it. I prefer it not to go to a decision because I know they’re not going to give me no decision.
PC: I appreciate your time Marvin. Is there anything you want to say in closing?
ME: I just want to say thank you to all my buddies that helped me get down and train. I have my brother here backing me up and he’s been in my corner helping me get ready. All the cats at UNLV, John Lewis Jiu Jitsu, L.A. Boxing for allowing me to use their facilities and a sponsor of mine Beatdown.com. Everybody check my website out at beastmantv.com check it out. I appreciate the people that have been there to support me. Brother’s like you who’s doing their thing on the internet because you don’t have to ask for this stuff. I appreciate the fact that you would spend 2 seconds just to chop it up with me. I got much love for that; I appreciate that in every way.
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