Bellator MMA recently passed on both Fabricio Werdum and Quinton Jackson.
I’m sure that comes as troubling news for aging (or unsuccessful) UFC fighters who were hoping to phone in their twilight years for Scott Coker and Co., simply because they have a “name.”
Jackson, who turned 42 earlier this year, has dropped three of five since rejoining Bellator MMA back in June 2016 and hasn’t competed since getting finished by Fedor Emelianenko last December in Japan.
“Rampage Jackson, he’s another legend,” Coker told MMA Junkie. “When he fought his fight in Toyko, that was his last fight with Bellator. We haven’t even talked to him or engaged in any kind of conversations. He’s a complete free agent to sign wherever he wants to. If you look at the direction the company is headed, it’s heading in a different direction.”
In his last three fights for Bellator MMA, Jackson (38-14) weighed 253, 254.4, and 265, a far cry from the 205-pound limit he was committed to under the UFC banner. These days, “Rampage” appears to be more at home on Cameo.
As for Werdum, he was offered an Emelianenko rematch right out of the gate, but didn’t like the terms of the agreement and instead opted to try his luck in the PFL heavyweight tournament next spring.