Greg Jackson Talks Most Memorable Moment Of Career and Happiness in MMA

The preeminent and most highly sought after coach in the sport today, Greg Jackson , first opened his school in 1992.

Fast forward to 2010, eighteen-years of training and coaching has led to Jackson’s many achievements and the vast respect earned by many in sport today.

In 2009, Fighters Only Magazine held the World MMA Awards and Jackson was the recipient of Best Coach and Best Gym.

Jackson ’s stable of fighters in his Albuquerque, NM. gym features a dynamic list of athletes who rank among the who’s who in the sport.

With that being said, it was a recent fighter and fight at UFC 115 that presented Coach Jackson the greatest moments of his career.

Former WEC champion and current UFC welterweight Carlos Condit (25-5) stepped into action against Rory MacDonald on his turf in Canada.

By some accounts, Condit dropped the first two rounds of action to the Canadian. However, it was what happened between rounds two and three that changed the outcome of the fight.

As the round ended and Condit sat in his corner. Coach Jackson entered the Octagon and presented a motivational speech to Condit that not only changed the result of the contest, but also gave Jackson the greatest moment of his career.

“I’ve done this for 18 years and have done hundreds of fights. I’ve saved some fights that could’ve gone against us and I feel like I’ve made the wrong decision a few times that if I would’ve prepared a little differently things could’ve been different.” Jackson said.

“What was cool about that was is that everything clicked between the 2^nd and 3^rd rounds,” he explained. “I thought we did very well but because we were in Canada I felt like we were probably down on the judges cards. It was one of those things where we needed to win and finish that 3^rd round.”

Jackson spoke and Condit listened as he implemented what the legendary coach had to say and stopped MacDonald via TKO with seconds left in the fight. Perhaps, the filmmakers in Hollywood could not make for a better finish and Jackson himself believes the same.

“It’s basically out of a Hollywood movie where you give a fighter a motivational speech like I did where you need to go out and finish this,” he explained. “Carlos was receptive and kind of woke up and it was great because I felt like I helped Carlos win that fight. Usually, we’ve done all our preparation but my role is limited because I’m there suggesting things to do but this time it was different. The moment where the chips were down and Carlos came through and I felt like I had a part in that. To achieve victory and you just can’t describe that, helping someone achieve their dreams. It was just a great day and it’s a beautiful thing.”

With that being said, Condit along with many other elite fighters in the sport call Jackson’s New Mexico gym home. Each consider one another to be like family and Jackson himself would agree.

“I think so, I think we have a unique blend of fighters that really care about each other and coaches that really care about one another. The organization that we have all together has been evolving and I feel that we’re getting better and better,” Jackson explained.

“These are my friends and I call these coaches all the time. There’s a big communication in there and we all know how the fighters are doing. We’re all friends and I think that’s at the core of it, that we’re all buddies and everyone really cares about each other.”

For Jackson he got into the business of fighting for many reasons but the aforementioned ‘caring for one another’ is at the top of the list and helping people achieve their dreams is what he enjoys most.

“I got into this business to help people and that’s what I got into it for. I was raised by some children of the sixties that pounded in my head, you’re happiness is by helping people,” Jackson explained the happiness he receives today. “I like being a happy person and that lives on now in my life with martial arts. If I can help people and make a positive difference in peoples lives that’s everything to me. I don’t care much about the money, just as long as I can take care of my family and take care of all my employees then I’m happy," he said.

"What I care about is helping people out and when it goes well, I do things right, and the fighters dreams come true, then it’s a high I can never duplicate.”