After an ugly breakup, the UFC seems to have mended fences with former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. It’s surprising, it’s confusing, and it’s almost certainly going to be entertaining.
It remains unclear whether or not Jackson will be able to go back to the UFC freely. According to Jeff Sherwood and C.J. Tuttle of Sherdog.com, Bellator, a rival MMA promotion, claims it still has Jackson under contract. But assuming Jackson eventually is able to return to the UFC, who could he fight?
With plenty of name brand value, a championship pedigree and what will be a great deal of hype entering the promotion, he will have his pick of the litter. There are plenty of options for him. Here are a few.
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has won a lot of fights in his career—22 to be exact. Few of them, however, were as impressive, as emphatic or as scary as his 2005 win over Rampage. A fight between two of the last men standing from the legendary Japanese promotion makes a fair bit of sense.
Given Rua‘s recent struggles and Jackson’s “I don’t care about the belt” approach to the game these days, they are largely in line for fun fights that are ultimately irrelevant to the title picture (but still fun). That makes this a strong, nostalgia-filled fight that would work nicely as a Fight Night main event or a UFC on Fox. It could also be a potential pay-per-view co-main event.
Granted, things could get a bit odd with the timing. Between Bellator‘s likelihood to get litigious over Rampage and Shogun’s commitment to coaching on the fourth The Ultimate Fighter Brazil, their schedules might just be on diverging paths. Either way, this would be a fun one.
Fabio Maldonado
While Fabio Maldonado does not qualify as an aging legend in the same vein as Rampage and Shogun, Maldonado is a fighter who has gained a bit of prominence in the division. While he is by no means a star and is not championship material, he is a safe bet to put on an exciting fight. That makes him a strong candidate to face Jackson.
Maldonado is actually on a four-fight winning streak at 205 pounds (with a heavyweight loss to Stipe Miocic thrown in, just to keep things honest) and currently owns a spot in the rankings. He is most certainly deserving of a name-brand opponent, and his fan-friendly style would mix well with Rampage.
These two would combine for a serious slugfest, and that is always welcome. While the fight itself lacks the drawing power of a matchup between Jackson and Rua, it would still be deserving of a spot near the top of any given card.
Roy Nelson
Ol‘ Rampage has never liked cutting weight. You can’t blame him, of course, but what that ultimately means is an occasional foray to heavyweight is a serious possibility. It is worth noting, too, that he has a pre-made grudge match waiting for him opposite Roy Nelson.
Jackson and Nelson have a history that dates back to The Ultimate Fighter 10, and there were actually gears turning to make this fight happen in Bellator in 2013. While it never came to fruition, a Jackson vs. Nelson fight remains an interesting possibility if the UFC is willing to afford Jackson that freedom.
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