Mike Jackson still just fighting for “shits and giggles”, but confident he’ll KO Pete Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 62: “Everyone knows I’m coming for the knockout”

Mike Jackson will be returning to the Octagon on Saturday for the second time in 2022.

Jackson fought Dean Barry in April, and he won by DQ due to Barry eye-gouging him. After the win, Jackson was unsure when he would fight again but will make a relatively quick turnaround as he’s set to face Pete Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 62.

“Honestly, I didn’t. I knew it was going to happen in these certain special moments. It has to be the right fighter because you have to worry about matchmaking from the athletic commission side,” Jackson said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “All these people say I won’t be a top fighter or in the top 10. Like what are you talking about? They don’t pay attention, I’m just doing this for fun. It has to be the right matchups and you never know.”

When Jackson got the offer, he admits he wasn’t too familiar with Rodriguez other than that they share the same management. But, after his coaches studied Rodriguez, Jackson accepted the bout.

“We are under the same management, I didn’t know much about him though,” Jackson explained. “I have a good solid team around me and they came back and watched him and said it was a dope fight for us. That is all I needed to know.”

Why Mike Jackson and his team are so confident is they know Pete Rodriguez is a striker and that is where Jackson excels. With that, Jackson has confidence he will get his hand raised and will find the KO to continue to piss people off by winning fights in the UFC.

“I feel I’m better everywhere, I have the better striking. I’m not trying to wrestle but if he wants to wrestle I feel like I’ll be better there too given my experience,” Jackson said. “I feel like I’m the better striker and grappler, ideally, everyone knows I’m coming for the knockout. In my combat sports record outside of MMA, 5-0 with five knockouts.”

If Jackson gets his hand raised, he doesn’t care what is next, as he has one fight left on his deal after this, but he makes it known he’s still just fighting for shits and giggles.

“It’s just about the shits and giggles and having fun and doing some cool shit. I’m doing something that is people’s dream,” Jackson said.

Do you think Mike Jackson will beat Pete Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 62?