Training Style

“I do heavy speed boxing, work on my takedown defense and studying submissions.”

UFC History

Made his debut at UFC 21 where he defeated wrestler Royce Alger. Jackson knocked out Alger in 1:19 of the second round. Jackson did a good job countering Alger but eventually got taken down. Jackson got back to his feet but was taken down again. Alger got mounted position and let loose a barrage of punches but Jackson kept his cool and avoided the full force of most of the shots. Jackson got back to his feet and hurt Alger with a left hook. Alger tried to take Jackson down again but Jackson stopped him and nearly landed a big knee. Alger looked very tired at the end of the round. In the second round it was clear that Alger was worried about Jackson's punches and started flinching as shots were thrown. Alger got a takedown but Jackson got to his feet again. Jackson launched a flurry of punches, ending with a left that dropped Alger and ended the fight.

At UFC 23 (UFCJ II), Eugene defeated Pancrase fighter Keiichiro Yamamiya at 3:12 of the third round by KO from a left hook. Most of this match was fought standing, with Yamamiya being the faster boxer but Jackson landing the heavier blows. Jackson recorded his second straight UFC knockout. At UFC 25 (UFCJ III), Jackson lost to Pancrase fighter Sanae Kikuta in 4:38 of the first round by arm bar. Eugene was extremely sick before the fight and was laid up in bed until right before the fight. “I shouldn’t have stayed in bed like that. If you see, he didn’t take me down. I fell down when I stepped. I was in bed one hour before I got into that ring. I should have been up jump roping, bouncing around. Sick or not. I knew I was going to fight, so sick or not I should have been up moving around so at least my legs would be alive. Get all of that lactic acid out and be ready to go. I blame it on me never being in that position before. I can’t take anything away from him because he may well have won anyway. He was very formidable. He had good conditioning. He came game. If I’m going to use sickness as an excuse, I shouldn’t have fought.” At UFC 27 (9/22/00), Eugene lost to Jeremy Horn by armbar in 4:32. “I feel I made a mistake that got me caught. I tried to do a submission on a great submission fighter...that was dumb! Hopefully, one day I'll get a chance to do that one over.”

UFC 33 Victory in Vegas
Almeida def. Jackson - Sub.(triangle choke) 4:06 1st Rd.


UFC 35: Throw Down - Eugene defeated Keith Rockel by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:46 of round 2
Received: Tapout of the Night Award


UFC 38: Brawl at Royal Albert Hall, July 13th
Eugene Jackson losses by KO to Mark Weir

More Information

I did some Kung Fu. I ran around with Kung Fu for a long time. I thought I knew something and really didn’t. When we got the gym and started wrestling around with the wrestlers we started figuring out whoa! You need to know a lot more. One day a friend had the Internet and said, “Hey, they’ve got one of those mixed martial arts things here.” I went and tried that and ever since I’ve been in it.”

When asked if when he first saw the UFC if he thought he would one day compete in it he says, “You know how you say, “One day I’d like to do that”, but did I think I was going to do it? No.”

Eugene’s MMA record is 10 and 4. He is 5 and 2 in Pancrase style matches.

Eugene works 12 hours a day and tries to train two to three hours a day. “If I didn’t have to work I would be at least 35 to 40% better as a fighter. Somebody like a Frank Shamrock gets to sleep 10 to 12 hours of sleep a day. If I can get 6 hours in I’m lucky. He doesn’t have to worry about getting up and punching a clock. It changes all the dynamics.”

Eugene usually trains at the Gladiator Training Academy. “It is more of a mixed martial arts gym where one discipline doesn’t reign. We try to have instructors here that are solid in what they do. A solid boxing team, a solid Thai boxing team, a solid wrestling team. Therefore, you are not getting someone who knows a little of everything but is not good in anything.”

When asked about how he met trainer Tim Lajcik he says, “He came to the gym, which at the time was just a boxing gym, and I challenged him to wrestle one day and he just whupped my tail. We never left each other from that day.”

Eugene lost quickly to Vanderlei Silva in Brazil, but Eugene felt it was due to him employing the wrong strategy. “I tried to go southpaw, which I’m not, because I was more worried about his knees and leg kicks and I wanted to feel where he was. When I threw a sloppy jab at him trying to get him to kick so I could try a takedown he came straight through with a right hand. It broke my nose and my nasal passage. I tapped quick because I would rather be able to come back and fight another day rather than be completely destroyed in a third world country. I’d definitely like a rematch. He won. Period, but I still feel he didn’t fight “me” yet. What makes this such a great sport is that it is not always the stronger or more skilled fighter who wins. You make one mistake and it’s over. If you lose you come back and train hard everyday. On fighting at 185: “It's closer to my natural weight. I walk around at around 190 lbs. I had to struggle just to get to 195 lbs.”