The UFC & Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson have reached a deal for the former light heavyweight champion to return to the octagon.
Jackson left the UFC a few years ago to pursue his acting career and went on to sign with Bellator MMA.
“It hasn’t really hit me, but it sounds like most people are happy for me to come back,” Jackson told UFC.com. “I feel like I can put on some exciting fights. I don’t feel like there are a whole lot of people out there putting it on the line the way I do.”
Jackson seems to be very aware of what he can bring to the UFC.
“I just want to come back and come to the big show,” said Jackson. “The thing about ‘Rampage’ is, ‘Rampage’ always comes to excite the fans. I just want to give them exciting fights.”
Bellator President Scott Coker isn’t happy with the UFC’s decision to bring back Rampage:
“Let us be clear that ‘Rampage’ is under an exclusive contract with Bellator. We will protect our contractual rights,” Coker said on the social media site.
This is definitely the best move for Rampage. He may only have a few fights left in him and the UFC gives him the best chance to grow his brand. Bellator would’ve paid him as much as the UFC but fighting there wouldn’t provide him with future movie opportunities & endorsement deals.
This also seems like a power move by the UFC. They are letting Bellator know that they are still the “Big Brother” of the MMA world and that no fighter is off limits.