The last three weeks have been very good to Dexter Jackson. On Wednesday, things got even better when Jackson inked an exclusive contract with Weider Publications.
"It's been a long time coming," Jackson said. "I really just wanted to be a part of the team. I've always wanted to be with Weider. I'm at a good point in my career right now, nearing the end of it. So I wanted to finish [the last few years] off the right way."
Jackson is coming off the most successful three-week run of his nine-year professional career, notching three wins in his last three contests to start the 2008 season. Jackson started things off by winning his third Arnold Classic on March 2nd in dominating fashion, when his combination of conditioning and newfound size - he had added seven pounds of muscle since the 2007 Mr. Olympia without sacrificing any of the trademark razor-sharp conditioning that led to his nickname, "The Blade" - had many saying the 38-year-old Jackson had never looked better. Jackson followed up that win with consecutive victories in Australia and New Zealand.
"I was bigger than I've ever been in-season or in the offseason," Jackson said. "My trainer Joe McNeal and I put together a game plan. In 2006, I took 10 weeks off after the Olympia, but I had to do that because my joints were just killing me. So I had to take as much time off as possible to let my joints heal. But in the meantime I was losing muscle, and it took me a while to put that muscle back on and get back to where I was. After the Olympia this year, I took a week off and then it was right back in the gym. I was able to squat and do all the other heavy lifting I was accustomed to doing. I was 233 pounds [at the Arnold Classic], so I put on about seven pounds. I was really into doing what I had to do this year."
The wins, combined with the improvements Jackson made in the five months since the Olympia, have stamped Jackson as a serious threat to unseat Jay Cutler at the 2008 Olympia. However, Jackson says there is still plenty of room for improvement between now and the Olympia on September 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Check flexonline.com later this week for an in-depth interview with Jackson where he breaks down his chances to win the 2008 Olympia.
DEXTER JACKSON IFBB CONTEST HISTORY
1999
Arnold Classic, 7th
Grand Prix England, 4th
Night of Champions, 3rd
Mr. Olympia, 9th
World Pro Championships, 4th
2000
Arnold Classic, 5th
Grand Prix Hungary, 2nd
Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd
Night of Champions, 8th
Mr. Olympia, 9th
Toronto Pro Invitational, 2nd
2001
Arnold Classic, 5th
Grand Prix Australia, 3rd
Grand Prix England, 4th
Grand Prix Hungary, 3rd
Night of Champions, 2nd
Mr. Olympia, 8th
Toronto Pro Invitational, 2nd
2002
Arnold Classic, 3rd
Grand Prix Australia, 2nd
Grand Prix Austria, 2nd
Grand Prix England, 1st
Grand Prix Holland, 3rd
Mr. Olympia, 4th
San Francisco Pro Invitational, 3rd
GNC Show of Strength, 6th
2003
Arnold Classic, 4th
Maximum Pro Invitational, 3rd
Mr. Olympia, 3rd
San Francisco Pro Invitational, 3rd
GNC Show of Strength, 1st
2004
Arnold Classic, 3rd
Grand Prix Australia, 1st
Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st
Mr. Olympia, 4th
San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st
2005
Arnold Classic, 1st
San Francisco Pro Invitational, 2nd
2006
Arnold Classic, 1st
Mr. Olympia, 4th
2007
Arnold Classic, 2nd
Grand Prix Australia, 1st
Mr. Olympia, 3rd
2008
Arnold Classic, 1st
Grand Prix Australia, 1st
New Zealand Pro, 1st
