Mike Jackson ställdes mot CM Punk under UFC 225, en match han var förhandstippad att vinna. Han vann matchen relativt enkelt men blev kritiserad av UFCs VD, Dana White, för att inte försökt avsluta matchen. Nu svarar Mike Jackson kritiken genom MMAFighting.com.
It was one of those things, I was confused. All I kept hearing was I was taunting and showboating. Look, that’s not my character, that’s not my style. So I was confused by all of this. And then I hear what Dana White is saying, he’s running his mouth. Look, I know Dana is emotional. He’s like a little girl sometimes and he gets in his feelings. But when you have a platform like that, you need to take a step back, you know? And I just didn’t understand it.
Jackson förklarar varför hans matchplan såg ut som den gjorde.
Plan B was to just beat him up. And I told everybody beforehand all I want to do is beat him up nice enough where he doesn’t want to do this anymore. And that’s what I did. I never wanted to hurt the guy. What I learned through all of this is that Dana White and MMA fans, you guys are savages, man. They wanted me to give this dude some severe CTE. And I was like, this guy has a family to feed, he has someone to go home to and I would feel bad. I sent him to the emergency room with just the bumps and the bruises and the cuts on his face. And they wanted me to give this dude like severe brain damage. And I’m not about that life. I guess fighting isn’t really meant for me, I don’t have that savageness like I used to when I was younger.
Jackson ville utnyttja sina 15 minuter i oktagonen och fortsatte.
We’re both entertainers and I went out there and entertained. I don’t know if I’m gonna fight in the UFC, so I wanted to get my 15. If I couldn’t know him out in the first round and get the highlight reel, I wanted to maximize my time in the Octagon. And I did that with 15 minutes.
I respect Phil 100 percent — before, after and during the fight. It’s like I never wanted to hurt this guy. But Dana White and the MMA fans, they wanted this dude dead.
Jackson har numera ett MMA-facit på 1-1, där hans första match slutade i förlust mot Mickey Gall, samma fighter som snabbt avslutade CM Punk. Om Jackson någonsin kommer fightas för UFC igen är högst otroligt, om vi ska tro Dana White.
