Since stepping in for Thiago Silva, Matt Hamill has been relishing the opportunity to face Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 131.
Although Hamill is not the opponent that most fans or Jackson would have expected, he said he is just fine with being an underdog.
“Everyone thinks I’m not ready for Rampage,” Hamill said during a UFC 130 interview, courtesy of YouTube.
Hamill has gone an impressive win streak as of late, picking up five of his last six wins over such fighters as Tito Ortiz, Mark Munoz and Keith Jardine.
After defeating Ortiz, Hamill was deserving of a formidable opponent in his next bout, and it just so happens that his next opponent is Jackson, one of the most durable figters in the UFC light heavyweight division.
No one said it would be easy, but then again no one is giving Hamill much of a chance against Jackson.
However, Hamill believes he has as good a chance as anybody, and said he will not play into his opponent’s strengths.
“Everyone knows his gameplan. He doesn’t change. He loves to strike,” Hamill said of Jackson’s style.
“I got my mind open and I’m going to go out there and fight real smart and I’m going to avoid his knockout power.”
Since holding notable victories over fighters like Ortiz and Jardine, if Hamill is able to pull off a victory over Jackson, he said he would be right in line to receive a title shot.
“He’s the one so close to being a contender. So I feel like I want to be ready to be the contender,” Hamill stated.
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