Ten days ago at Bellator 170, Bellator announced that a rematch between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal would take place at Bellator 175.
This will be the last fight on Jackson’s contract. Jackson thought he was able to leave the Viacom-owned company due to clause in his contract and had re-signed with the UFC at the end of 2014. Bellator fought the case and Jackson received a temporary injunction to fight at UFC 186 in April 2015 against Fabio Maldonado.
He won the fight by unanimous decision but ended losing the court case and had to return to Bellator. “Rampage” returned this past June and defeated Satoshi Ishii by unanimous decision.
With his final fight looming, Jackson even though he didn’t get into details, feels he may have to finish out his UFC contract.
“If the TV stuff takes off, I’ll retire from fighting,” Jackson said on The MMA Hour (h/t BloodyElbow.com). “If not, I’ll finish up my contract (with the UFC), finish up my stuff and then retire.”
If things don’t go the way he wants and has to return to the UFC, the former light heavyweight champion doesn’t want to be like every other fighter in the company. He wants to be his own man.
“I don’t want to look like all the other fighters,” Jackson said. “I’ve been proud to not be or act or look like any other fighters. I don’t want to have to wear the same outfit that the other fighters wear. I don’t want to blend in. I’m nothing like the other fighters. I don’t really want to look like them. I don’t want to wear the ugly-ass shorts they wear.”
Bellator 175 takes place on March 31 at a site to be determined. Jackson won the first fight in 2014 by a controversial unanimous decision when many people felt Lawal won the bout.
