Legacy FC 33's Leonard Garcia on why he and 'Cowboy' don't have Greg Jackson in corner

Tonight, Leonard Garcia headlines Legacy FC 33. And like his teammate, Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 45 headliner Donald Cerrone, Garcia won’t have head trainer Greg Jackson in his corner.

Garcia said he and “Cowboy” opted to have training partners corner them rather than the famed trainer, though he said Jackson understood their rationale.

“Those are the guys that really know what we’re doing,” Garcia told MMAjunkie Radio while discussing his cornermen for tonight’s event. ” … It’s kind of hard to stick somebody in there who hasn’t really been watching (every training session) and expect him to know everything his training partners know.”

Garcia (18-11-1), a UFC and WEC vet, looks to continue his post-Zuffa success when he puts his Legacy FC featherweight title on the line against Damon Jackson (8-0). Their bouts airs on AXS TV at Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas.

Garcia said he spent his entire nine-week training camp at Jackson’s famed academy in Albuquerque, N.M. The massive camp is home to some of the sport’s biggest names, so Jackson’s time for individual fighters is obviously limited. However, Garcia said he and Cerrone, who scored a head-kick knockout of fellow lightweight contender Jim Miller on Wednesday, are still part of Jackson’s daily training sessions and lean on him for his expertise.

“We’re still Jackson (fighters),” Garcia said. “There’s just no point in making Greg come out (to the fight) if he doesn’t have to, and if he didn’t watch the full camp, I don’t believe he’s qualified. Of course, he’s a smart guy, and I’m pretty sure he could figure it out on the fly. But whenever I have the guys who have been there with me every day and have seen where I’ve made my mistakes and where I haven’t – when I have those guys in the corner – I feel like it’s an advantage.”

“But we train there every day. I love Greg. He’s my head coach. If Greg wanted to be in my corner – if he asked me – I’d absolutely have him there.”

Garcia said he’s been Jackson-less for his past few fights, and he obviously hasn’t missed a beat. Since a five-fight skid prompted his UFC release in 2013, Garcia has regrouped and won three straight bouts (all via stoppage) with Legacy FC. Most recently, he knocked out Kevin Aguilar to claim the Legacy FC title.

He’s confident his winning streak will continue tonight. He said his opponent, Jackson, was similar to Cerrone’s, Miller. They worked with specific training partners who could mimic their opponents’ style. The game plan obviously worked for Cerrone, who provided a pep talk to Garcia afterward.

“It makes you believe in the things you were working on,” he said. “That’s where (winning) becomes contagious. I went through everything (Cerrone) went through, neck and neck, side by side. It’s like he told, ‘Believe in your cardio. Believe in your wrestling. Believe in all that. Because I did, and look what happened.’”

Garcia, who was previously dogged for his brawling style, hopes he can put in another well-rounded performance tonight and prove to UFC officials that he deserves another chance. Sharing a fight card with Cerrone, one of his best friends and training partners, at an upcoming UFC event is an obvious goal, he said.

He’s the big name for tonight’s card, and viewers will tune in largely due to him. Years ago, that pressure may have gotten to him. Now, he said, he embraces it.

“At the end of the day, the added pressure and all those things are something I learned to put behind me,” he said. “If you want to be in the UFC, you’ve got to win all your fights. Being a well-rounded fighter is my only goal in this one. I want to show everyone what I’ve been working on and make a statement tonight.”

And for the undefeated Jackson, who hopes to improve his own stock by taking out a big-show vet?

“He’s a young kid,” Garcia said. “He’s still coming up, and he hasn’t fought anyone who’s pushed his buttons like I will. … If he’s not ready for that – and I don’t think is – it’s going to be a long night.”

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