You don't expect a 6-foot 1-inch, 205-pound fighter to be vulnerable, especially if he wears the UFC light-heavyweight belt around his waist, but that's exactly what Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is ... at least on this particular afternoon.

Jackson, one of the coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter 7," carries his muscular frame into a room that has been turned into a makeshift photo studio on media day and abruptly stops when he realizes that everyone is eating.

"I can come back later," says the champ, raising an eyebrow.

When told there's no need, he unobtrusively plops down on the couch and patiently waits. Wearing a dark coat over his Ultimate Fighter fight shorts and jersey, Jackson is in a great mood, relaxed and very open.

"There was a lot going through my mind at the time, and I did not know if I wanted to be a coach," he says, recalling when the UFC first approached him about taking the duties for the current season. "[Plus], I had some insecurity issues."

The insecurity issues being limited time on TV, no coaching experience and some concerns raised by others about that inexperience, all of which fueled his uncertainty and reluctance.

"Some people said I would not be a good coach," he says.

Which got his mind churning.

"What if I messed up?" he says. "I did not want the cameras there in case I did mess up. If I had to show somebody a move, maybe I would do it wrong so other fighters [watching] would see that I did not do it right. I am not a jiu-jitsu guy. I'm a wrestler, but I am not really good at showing wrestling moves. I'm good at fighting. Keep it real."

"When I get on the ground and do jiu-jitsu, I am going to get my ass tapped out. Put a wrestler in there, and he will take me down. Put me in there with a good boxer, and he will outbox me. It's the same with muay Thai. MMA? I'm good at that. In fact, when I do MMA, my MMA jiu-jitsu is right on point and my striking is right on point."

Point taken, but not by his trainer, Juanito Ibarra, who listened carefully and reminded him that he'll have a coaching staff.

"He told me they would be there for me when I need them," says Jackson, who then finally started to feel better about the opportunity.

A NEW LIFE

Opportunities, to be sure, aren't hard to come by for Jackson these days. Titles have a tendency to do that.

"Life is crazy," says Jackson, leaning back and running his hand across the top of his shaved head. "My life has changed a lot. It's so busy and crazy. Even when I'm not fighting, there is so much other stuff going on."

Things like a board of directors, clothing deals, movie offers and endorsements for shoes and energy drinks.

"I've gone from this planet to another" he says. "I am happy with how my life has changed; it's just sometimes I need some alone time. Besides, I feel I have a right to complain every now and then."

Which makes him no different than the rest of us.

When asked about his brutal honesty, Jackson pauses, looks down and finally says, "That's just the way I am. I am not afraid to tell the truth. I like to keep it real. When you worry about what people think of you, you imprison yourself."

The close encounter with fame is all new to Jackson, and he's still adapting.

"It all happened so fast, and I'm not used to it," he says. "Plus, I'm not sure how to react to it. Posing for photos with fans is cool, but I don't [always] understand why they want a picture of me. Sometimes I wish I were just a regular guy. Again, it's not that I don't like it. I'm just not used to it."

Another reason he struggles with fame is that it can throw him a wicked curveball.

"The last thing I fight for is fame," he says. "[But] if I meet a girl, I do not know if she likes me for me, being a fighter or my fame. I think I have a good personality to be a friend, but sometimes it's difficult."

His voice trails off, as he looks down.

THE MOST VALUABLE TITLE

Fame he does not fight for, but he does fight to provide for his four children and his parents, and speaking about them brings that wide, familiar smile back to his face.

"Most importantly, I want to be a good father," says Rampage, whose children are 1, 2, 7 and 8. "They have my blood and my genes and a belt will not do that [help them become successful]. The belt will sit in a corner and collect dust."

Ultimately, that belt may or may not sit in a corner collecting dust, but one thing is certain, having spent 25 minutes with the 6-foot-1, 205-pound fighter. While the title enables him to better provide for his family, the "title" that truly means the most is the one he gets for being a champion father.