After Quinton Jackson lost a preliminary injunction hearing on Monday, thereby preventing him from competing against Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 later this month. The UFC has been quiet about the matter, until now. On Monday afternoon, the world’s top MMA promoter issued a statement, suggesting the judge’s decision in this case comes as a surprise.
“UFC has been advised of the New Jersey state court’s ruling in the matter between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Bellator MMA,” the statement reads. “The UFC organization was surprised about the ruling because Mr. Jackson represented to UFC on multiple occasions that he was free to negotiate and contract with UFC. The UFC organization is also surprised that Bellator sat on its alleged rights for months before taking action.
“UFC understands that Mr. Jackson is considering an emergency appeal, and UFC is also considering action to protect its rights and minimize damages regarding this matter. UFC 186 in Montreal, Canada will proceed as planned and UFC is currently evaluating its fight card options.”
UFC 186 is scheduled to take place on April 25th at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The event’s main card is set to air on pay-per-view. UFC did not specify if Maldonado will compete on the card against a late replacement.