More from Jackson on the Silva Bout
Lutfi Sariahmed Jan 7, 2010
Greg Jackson joined Wednesday's Savage Dog Show. Here are some bits
that didn't make Thursday's feature.
On Evans' performance against Silva: “Rashad had an amazing performance. He's such an incredibly tough guy. He dominated the first two rounds and he really gassed out in the third round and to his credit he was really able to fight through it, stayed in there, he got hit pretty hard at one point and I just had so much admiration for his ability, even when he was gassed out and so tired to fight through it and to get hit really hard and stay calm and not get finished -- it was just amazing. I was really impressed and really happy with it.”
On Evans’ return to wrestling: “It's opponent specific. Some opponents are going to want to kickbox, some are going to want to take it to the ground. Thiago obviously is a very, very hard puncher and to sit mid-range and try to slug it out with him wouldn't seem healthy. I'm not saying Rashad couldn't do it. I have all the faith in the world in him; I'm just saying the smartest thing to do would be to get in tight, get him down and work in a place where Rashad is really strong.
On Evans’ issues in the final round: “I don't think it was a lack of cardio. Sometimes you just hit a wall. You set such a high pace. You're doing takedown after takedown that sometimes you hit the wall. I don't think it was a lack of cardio at all. He trained through injury as, at times, a lot of fighters do and was still able to put on a great performance in spite of that. The important thing I think is that sometimes, like it happened to Leonard Garcia, every once in a while you just hit the wall, especially when you're setting an amazing high pace like he was doing. He was just all over him and when you set that kind of pace you're always in danger of just hitting that wall and if you could still fight through it the way he did, then it's not something to be feared because you're the master of it and that's very important.”
On Silva's third-round rally: “First and foremost, I was concerned that he was going to be OK. I didn't want him to get hurt. As soon as I saw that he was all right I didn't want him to get hit with another big shot. So I wanted him to close the distance or get on his bicycle and move but not just sit there in that same range. I knew he was really tired, so I was putting my faith in him at that point that he can survive and not get caught again. I wanted him to stay in motion. I didn't want him to stay in range for another shot. I wanted him to get out or get inside so he wouldn't be right at the end of his punch because that's what really worried me.”
On Evans' performance against Silva: “Rashad had an amazing performance. He's such an incredibly tough guy. He dominated the first two rounds and he really gassed out in the third round and to his credit he was really able to fight through it, stayed in there, he got hit pretty hard at one point and I just had so much admiration for his ability, even when he was gassed out and so tired to fight through it and to get hit really hard and stay calm and not get finished -- it was just amazing. I was really impressed and really happy with it.”
On Evans’ return to wrestling: “It's opponent specific. Some opponents are going to want to kickbox, some are going to want to take it to the ground. Thiago obviously is a very, very hard puncher and to sit mid-range and try to slug it out with him wouldn't seem healthy. I'm not saying Rashad couldn't do it. I have all the faith in the world in him; I'm just saying the smartest thing to do would be to get in tight, get him down and work in a place where Rashad is really strong.
On Evans’ issues in the final round: “I don't think it was a lack of cardio. Sometimes you just hit a wall. You set such a high pace. You're doing takedown after takedown that sometimes you hit the wall. I don't think it was a lack of cardio at all. He trained through injury as, at times, a lot of fighters do and was still able to put on a great performance in spite of that. The important thing I think is that sometimes, like it happened to Leonard Garcia, every once in a while you just hit the wall, especially when you're setting an amazing high pace like he was doing. He was just all over him and when you set that kind of pace you're always in danger of just hitting that wall and if you could still fight through it the way he did, then it's not something to be feared because you're the master of it and that's very important.”
On Silva's third-round rally: “First and foremost, I was concerned that he was going to be OK. I didn't want him to get hurt. As soon as I saw that he was all right I didn't want him to get hit with another big shot. So I wanted him to close the distance or get on his bicycle and move but not just sit there in that same range. I knew he was really tired, so I was putting my faith in him at that point that he can survive and not get caught again. I wanted him to stay in motion. I didn't want him to stay in range for another shot. I wanted him to get out or get inside so he wouldn't be right at the end of his punch because that's what really worried me.”
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