Jardine And Jackson on Middleweights

Keith Jardine and Quinton Jackson come from different schools of thought when it comes to getting the lay of the MMA land, sharing their thoughts during a recent teleconference for the upcoming UFC 96.

Jardine, along with his Greg Jackson teammates, liked to watch tape and break down opponents, whether they were his or others.

Jackson, on the other hand, watched little tape and relied on his coaches to provide him the Cliff's Notes of his opponents' strategy.

Both have been successful, but when it came down to the 185lb. division, and how hot prospect Demian Maia fit into the title picture, they didn't have much to say.

"You know, to tell you the truth, I don't even know," said Jardine. "But if you guys saw Nate Marquardt the other night, ever since he lost to Anderson Silva he's a different person. He's just been taking apart everybody he's fought. He just beat up a really good Wilson Gouveia. I think that he's ready for that title shot."

It was clear middleweight's weren't Jackson's thing.

"I don't even know who Demian Maia is," he said.

Jardine was quick to note where Marquardt fell short in his UFC 73 fight with Silva, though.

"As I saw it, he was too concerned with getting that takedown," he said. "He didn't need to do that. I think at the beginning of the fight he was doing all right on his speed. And he stepped up trying to get takedowns. I think the way he approaches fights, the way he attacks, the way he relaxes and attacks at the same time, it would be a far different fight."

Jackson, who lost his light heavyweight crown to Forrest Griffin, one of Jardine's greatest upset victories, said if given a choice between facing the TUF 1 winner or current champ (and Jardine teammate) Rashad Evans, he'd likely take on Evans.

So much for second chances.