This fight has been years in the making. It was teased by Triller as Jackson and Briggs coached team MMA and team boxing, respectively, during the Triad Combat event. Nothing came to fruition then but it finally goes down this Summer.

A broader sense of a schedule in Qatar is there for the burgeoning promoters. Events are tentatively targeted for August/ September and then also November/ December. Plus, it’s not just boxing they want to promote. But SDK and Hossama also mentioned desires to promote mixed martial arts this calendar year.

Brian Rose will also be vying for gold on this card. This is against Apichit Pimsen as the IBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight title is on the line. This card is continually taking shape beyond the anticipated main event.

The themes of team boxing vs team MMA are strong here as the event grows. Even with the promoters, SDK is ardently team MMA and Hossama is unabashedly team boxing as are Rampage and Briggs, respectively.

Rampage vs Shannon Briggs Promoters

The broader team around the event that the promoters wanted to give credit to includes Nahla the event manager, Keith & Kim from Fite TV, Stephen from IBA, Cosmin from PlatinumList.NET, Saf from Apex.

When asked if there was a certain level of excitement getting to finally be the one promoting this fight that so many have talked about for years now, SDK told us that “Yes of course and I think one of the selling points for us was also the chemistry between both fighters. Rampage and Champ (Briggs) is unbelievable on the screen and off the screen also the chemistry is phenomenal. I think that both have been very professional boxers. I’ve dealt with some boxers in the past as well and combat sports, I think I’ve never worked with anybody who is this professional and this easy to work with.”

“Because you know how the boxers are and stuff but think that both have been being very professional and being very easy to work with. So of course I think this chemistry which has been, I think three or four years been going on, and you know the very famous (laughs) Shannon memes has been as we know, has been the talk of the town.”

“Of course, I think that was one of the mega-selling points for us. Because I think this fight has been in talks, the fans wanted to see this fight, and I think we’re just trying to make it happen.”

Quinton Jackson vs Shannon Briggs

When asked if he had a final parting thought to end our chat, Hossama Khan added “I would just say two things, you know. Once again a big thank you to my team for taking all my tantrums and always supporting me in all those conditions. So that is one thing that I really want to say. Secondly, to wrap this up, I would say, you know, I hope that fans get the time to watch this exciting event and it’ll be an amazing event.”

“I want you to come because when Team Boxing wins, I want; when an ambulance is picking up Rampage to take him to the hospital, I want my champ Shannon Briggs to give a live interview from the ring. So an exciting time for Team Boxing.”

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Rose has a lot of connections to the former UFC light heavyweight champion headlining the card and the roots run deep between the two.

‘Rampage’ let him stay at his house rent-free in the past and has helped Rose out tremendously over the years. Rose said he’ll never forget that and mentioned how Jackson was still helping him out by introducing him to the promoters (SDK and Hossama Khan) of this event. In addition to helping get him on this card, Rose is working with Rampage’s team a lot ahead of this event.

Surprisingly but also understandably, Brian Rose is also riding with Rampage in this fight which is kind of curious in the context of these MMA vs Boxing crossover fights. Usually, you have boxers predicting boxers will win and the inverse for MMA fighters watching mixed martial artists in these bouts but Rose’s loyalties to Rampage’ clearly run deep.

Brian Rose

Brian Rose vs Apichit Pimsen

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This prizefight has been discussed for years and Zab Judah facilitated setting up this bout finally. Briggs actually worked for Zab’s dad doing demolition in Brownsville at 16 as a homeless teenager.

The Brownsville connections also extend to Mike Tyson and Briggs intends to set up a gym there. Not only to honor the legacy of world champions from that 1.8-mile Brooklyn, NY space like Briggs, Tyson, and Riddick Bowe but to create a space to generate many new world champions for the future.

Shannon Briggs

Zab Judah introduced him to Hossama Khan (one of the event promoters) with an appearance at a meet and greet leading to eventual contractual agreements for this contest.

Triller and their Triad Combat show teased this match years ago with Jackson and Briggs captaining a team MMA vs team Boxing event, respectively, with hybrid rules inside a triangular ring.

Considering that context, when Briggs was discussing this bout, he told Cageside Press’ Dylan Bowker on Bowks Talkin’ Bouts that “I’m gonna make an example of him to all the MMA fighters. He should never have took this fight.”

Briggs did praise Rampage’s work ethic leading into this fight however. It’s not lost on Shannon Briggs that Jackson will be a very powerful fighter inside the ring. The bombastic bruiser playfully claimed each man needs the KO here. Just to stave off the residual embarrassment of being knocked out by the other, more than the glory of the win itself.

‘The Cannon’ laughed and said Jackson’s pro debut in boxing will be his last fight in the sport. It has been years since Briggs fought and per his account, many fighters ducked him and he ardently wanted to compete this whole time.

Rampage Jackson vs Shannon ‘The Cannon’

Beyond his accolades as the former WBO and lineal heavyweight boxing champion Briggs has done K1 and garnered a kickboxing win in that outing.

To that point, he seems intrigued in an MMA bout with Rampage as a rematch and when asked about that idea, Briggs said, “I asked SDK and Hossama [the promoters] ‘can we do a contract now saying that the second fight will be in Qatar in MMA?’ I know the world would want to see him choke me and beat the sh*t out of me and have me sh*t on myself. I know that.”

“He would love that, choke me so bad that I can’t breathe, and put me unconscious. The world would want to see that but I got a trick for them, champ, I’mma kick his ass in MMA too. I could fight bro. I could fight. I’m a street fighter, I could fight. So he gonna see and I’m fast.”

“Once I knock him out in boxing, he gonna try to, in an MMA fight, he gonna try to wrestle me. When he go to wrestle me, I’mma punch him so hard in the top of his head. They gonna have to have the fight in the hospital; in the waiting room of the hospital. That’s; I told SDK and Hossama they should build a hospital right next to the fight.”

Rumble of Titans: Duel in Desert

Shannon Briggs was frequently talking about MMA pies during our chat, which was his preferred language for a “can”/lesser opponent. When Francis Ngannou vs Tyson Fury was mentioned, Briggs felt like he would have knocked out Ngannou and wasn’t sure why Fury underperformed there to such a degree. He also does not highly favour Ngannou’s chances against Anthony Joshua during their Friday fight.

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Rather, Rampage will be the coach of Team MMA, as a roster of mixed martial artists take on Team Boxing, led by Shannon Briggs, in a hybrid of the two sports. The two coaches went head-to-head in a virtual press conference earlier this week, with Jackson giving his take on why Team MMA will be successful.

“I think team MMA will be more victorious because we’re more versatile,” Jackson told members of the media. “Boxers, all they do is throw punches. That’s all they know how to do. But MMA, we know how to do a whole lot of other stuff. We find ways to win.”

Much of the press appearance saw the two boisterous personalities overshadow Triad Combat itself however. Instead, there was plenty of jawing about a potential fight between the two.

“He’s just talking. That’s all he’s good at. I’m going to start calling Shannon the ‘Meme Queen.’ That’s all he’s good at is talking. Talk is cheap. Talk is cheap,” a fired up Jackson stated. “I want to put my fist in his mouth to shut him up. And when I beat Shannon, please sign a contract Shannon, and say if I beat you in boxing, you can’t say ‘let’s go champ!’ no more. We’re all tired of hearing that, for real.”

When Briggs asked what he’d get should he beat Jackson in MMA, Rampage retorted “if you beat me in MMA, name your price.”

The 43-year old Jackson (38-14 MMA) has not fought since his 2019 loss to Fedor Emelianenko. Briggs (60-6-1, 1NC) last competed in 2016, when he knocked out Emilio Zarate. Although he has never competed in MMA, Briggs does have a win in kickboxing dating back to a 2004 K-1 appearance.

Briggs got his own response in after Jackson repeatedly told him that he talked too much. “Yeah I talk a lot, because I back it up. Ain’t a wrestler, a wrassler in the world that can beat me. Ain’t one. Ain’t a wrassler that ever lived that can beat me.”

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