The event will be headlined by a Heavyweight bout between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson against former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Muhammed Lawal. The co-main event features another Heavyweight bout between Sergei Kharitonov and Chase Gormley.

Bellator 175: Rampage vs. King Mo 2 will be held on March 31, 2017 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The event will air live in prime time on Spike TV.

Bellator 175: “Rampage vs. King Mo 2” (Spike TV):

Heavyweight: Quinton Jackson (37-11) vs. Muhammed Lawal (20-6, 1 NC)
Featherweight: Emmanuel Sanchez (14-3) vs. Marcos Galvao (18-7-1)
Heavyweight: Sergei Kharitonov (23-6) vs. Chase Gormley (14-5)
Lightweight: Steve Kozola (7-0) vs. Jake Roberts (7-1)
Featherweight: Noad Lahat (10-2) vs. Lloyd Carter (10-8)

Bellator 175 “Prelims” Card (Spike.com):

Welterweight: Joaquin Buckley (6-1) vs. Justin Patterson (9-1)
Heavyweight: Prince McLean (8-8) vs. Adam Maciejewski (13-6)
Lightweight: Damian Norris (7-2) vs. Tom Shoaff (8-2)
Light Heavyweight: Matt Paul (2-1) vs. James Bochnoviv (5-1)
Bantamweight: Nate Williams (25-15) vs. Manny Vazquez (9-2)
Lightweight: J.D. Hardwick (2-0) vs. Tim Cho (4-2)
Welterweight: Tom Holder (Pro Debut) vs. Josh Streaker (Pro Debut)
Bantamweight: Cory Galloway (8-7) vs. David Garcia (4-3-1)
Lightweight: Brian Akins (1-0) vs. Mike DeLaVega (1-2)
Featherweight: James Esposito (0-1) vs. Asef Askar (Pro Debut)
Bantamweight: Max Fuentes (2-0) vs. Brandon Shelhart (3-1)

Following the Bellator 170 post-fight press conference last night, the promotion announced the long-awaited rematch, which is currently scheduled for Bellator 175 on March 31st. Unlike their first match at Bellator 120 in 2014, the rematch will take place in the heavyweight division. However, a location for the Spike TV event has not been determined yet, but is expected to be announced shortly.

In their first match at Bellator 120, Rampage won the fight via unanimous decision. Since the win, the former UFC light heavyweight champion has picked up two consecutive wins over Fabio Maldonado and Satoshi Ishii, while Lawal remind busy fighting opponents such as Phil Davis, Cheick Kongo, Dustin Jacoby, Brett McDermott, and Linton Vassell, just to name a small few.

Stay tune to Yell! Magazine for much more Bellator 175 updates to come.

If you want to watch this entire episode, then we highly suggest to sign to UFC Fight Pass.

Honestly, I think Jon Jones is bad for the sport, because when he fights people, he injures us. He kicked my knee backwards. My knee has never been the same. He’s doing it to a couple of other guys. I saw him rip one guy’s shoulder out of his socket (Glover Teixiera). We just try to do the same thing he’s trying to do, earn a living and do the sport that we love. We don’t go in there and try and injure people. – Rampage Jackson

Guess who’s fighting at the Bell Centre in Montreal this Saturday night? You guessed right if you said “Rampage” Jackson, who’s back on the UFC 186 fight card and he will face Fabio Maldonado inside the Octagon. How did this happen? Well, on Tuesday, a judge in the Superior Court of New Jersey’s Appellate Division overturned Bellator’s injunction against “Rampage,” allowing him to compete in the UFC once again.

The fight between “Rampage” and Maldonado remains as the co-main event for UFC 186, but according to the UFC it will take place at a catchweight of 215 pounds.

The thing that Rampage always brings is intensity. He comes in and tries to finish you and I love that about him, He’s taking on Maldonado, another guy who loves to stand, loves to trade toe to toe, and those are always fun fights.

The main event at UFC 186 is a UFC flyweight championship bout between current Champion Demetrious Johnson and top contender Kyoji Horiguchi, which was originally scheduled as the co-main event.

UFC fans who have been looking forward to seeing “Rampage” Jackson return to the Octagon at UFC 186 later this month will be disappointed to hear that the former UFC light heavyweight champion lost the preliminary injunction hearing filed by Bellator MMA in the Burlington County Superior Court of New Jersey on Monday.

This forces “Rampage” off the UFC 186 co-main event against Fábio Maldonado in Montreal, which is slated for April 25, 2015, at the Bell Center. “Rampage” previously claimed that Bellator MMA breached its contract by failing to provide him with pay-per-view buy rates for Bellator 120 and failed to properly promote his past events in the organization.

Now, Bellator MMA has full control over “Rampage” again, preventing him from competing in the UFC until his contract is up:

We are pleased by the judge’s ruling and look forward to having Rampage fighting for Bellator again soon.

“Rampage” is clearly upset about the situation and already had a few words to say on Instagram today. It sounds like his future in MMA may be back to a complete halt.

A photo posted by Quinton Jackson (@rampage4real) on Apr 7, 2015 at 10:59am PDT

The UFC announced an updated fight card and released ticket prices for UFC 186: Dillashaw vs. Barao II at the Bell Centre on Saturday, April 25th. The organization will be returning to Montreal with two championship title fights, including the highly anticipated rematch between the world’s No.9-ranked pound-for-pound mixed martial artist, UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw (12-2, fighting out of Sacramento, California), and No.1 contender Renan Barao (35-2, 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The new co-main event will feature UFC flyweight champion and the world’s No.3 ranked pound-for-pound fighter Demetrious Johnson (21-2-1, fighting out of Parkland, Washington) against No.8 ranked Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan). Tickets for UFC 186: Dillashaw vs. Barao II will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, February 28th, at 10 a.m. EST.

Dillashaw and Barao’s first bout earned “Fight of the Night” honours at UFC 173 in May 2013. The 135-pound Champion Barao entered the Octagon with an impressive 32-fight unbeaten streak and three successful title defenses since becoming champion in 2012. However, Dillashaw dominated Barao throughout four rounds and earned a fifth round TKO victory. The two were slated for a rematch at UFC 177 in August 2014, but Barao was forced to cancel due to issues with his weight cut. With Barao out, Joe Soto, who was originally scheduled to fight on the undercard, stepped in to challenge Dillashaw for the title. After four rounds, Dillashaw landed a head kick to earn another KO victory in the fifth round to defend his title for the first time. Dillashaw has won seven of his last eight, with three by submission and five by KO. Meanwhile, Barao was back in action in December 2014, and earned a “Performance of the Night” arm triangle choke submission victory over Canadian Mitch Gagnon. Barao is a dangerous submission specialist and has won 15 of 35 by submission and 8 by knockout.

Johnson is the first and only flyweight champion in UFC history, winning the belt in 2012 against top competitor Joseph Benavidez. Currently on an eight-fight unbeaten streak, “Mighty Mouse” owns eight wins by submission and four by knockout, proving the range of his dangerous skill set. Johnson will look to defend his belt for the sixth time against rising contender Horiguchi, who is currently 4-0 in the UFC and on a nine-fight win streak. Horiguchi, who has five first-round finishes and nine wins by knockout, will be on a mission to bring UFC gold to Japan for the first time. The UFC 186 co-main event also marks the introduction of the 125-pound division to La Belle Province, as it will be the first UFC flyweight tilt ever to be held in the Province of Quebec. The Bell Centre faithful will see firsthand the speed and agility the flyweights bring inside the Octagon as they demonstrate why the division is like no other in the UFC.

The previously scheduled bout between welterweights Rory MacDonald and Hector Lombard has been removed from the card and updates for both fighters will be provided when available.

The Ultimate Fighter Nations winner Chad Laprise (10-0, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) has also been added to the card. Laprise will face American Bryan Barberena (10-2, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz., USA) in a lightweight bout.

Other confirmed bouts for UFC 186: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO II include:

– Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-10, fighting out of Irvine, Ca., USA) will make his return to the Octagon® after a two year absence. He will face No.13 ranked Fabio Maldonado (22-7, fighting out of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) in a battle of heavy handed strikers at 205 pounds

– No.9 ranked Englishman Michael Bisping (26-7-0, fighting out of Manchester, England) will face a tough test in finishing specialist and No.11 ranked C.B. Dolloway (16-7, fighting out of Tempe, Az., USA) in the middleweight division

– Veteran power-puncher Yves Jabouin (20-9, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) fights undefeated Thomas Almeida (18-0, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a bantamweight fight sure to produce fireworks

– Patrick Côté (21-9, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) will meet knockout artist Joe Riggs (40-15, fighting out of Glendale, Az., USA) in a welterweight showdown

– John Makdessi (12-3, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) will face 12-6 Abel Trujillo (12-6,1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, FL., USA) in a lightweight bout

– In a battle of The Ultimate Fighter® alums, judo black belt Olivier Aubin-Mercier (6-1, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) clashes with David Michaud (8-1, fighting out of Glendale, Az., USA) in a lightweight tilt

– Welterweight Nordine Taleb (10-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) meets Brazil’s Claudio Silva (11-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

– World champion boxer Jessica Rakoczy (1-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nv., USA), originally from Hamilton, Ontario, makes her return to the Octagon® after becoming The Ultimate Fighter® runner-up in 2013. She will meet another striking specialist and fellow Canadian, Valerie

– Letourneau (6-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fl., USA by way of Montreal, Canada), in a strawweight bout. Both women have dropped a weight class and enter the newest division in the UFC

Source: UFC

The UFC makes its return to Montreal with a highly-anticipated re-match between the world’s No.9-ranked pound-for-pound mixed martial artist, UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw (12-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Ca., USA), and No.1 contender Renan Barao (35-2, 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at Bell Centre on Saturday, April 25.

Dillashaw and Barao’s first fight earned “Fight of the Night” honours at UFC 173 in May 2013. The 135-pound champion Barao entered the Octagon with an impressive 32-fight unbeaten streak and three successful title defenses since becoming champion in 2012. Barao was considered the heavy favourite against Team Alpha Male’s Dillashaw. However, Dillashaw dominated Barao throughout four rounds and earned a fifth round TKO victory via head kick and punches. The underdog prevailed and Dillashaw won the bantamweight belt and was awarded a “Performance of the Night” bonus.

The two were slated for a re-match at UFC 177 in August 2014, but Barao was forced to cancel due to issues with his weight cut. With Barao out, Joe Soto, who was originally scheduled to fight on the undercard, stepped in to challenge Dillashaw for thetitle. After four rounds, Dillashaw landed a head kick to earn another KO victory in the fifth round to defend his title for the first time. Dillashaw has now won seven of his last eight, with three by submission and five by KO.

Barao was finally back in action in December 2014 when he earned “Performance of the Night” with an arm triangle choke submission victory over Canadian Mitch Gagnon. Barao is a dangerous submission specialist and has won 15 of 35 by submission and eight by knockout. Come April 25, the former champion will look to leave it all on the line to bring UFC gold back to Brazil.

In the co-main event, Canadian welterweight standout Rory MacDonald (18-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) will take on former Olympic judoka Hector Lombard (35-4-1, 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fl., USA). MacDonald, 25, has won three straight, including an impressive third-round TKO of Tarec Saffiedine in October 2014. He owns eight wins in his last nine fights, with his only loss in that stretch coming via split decision against Robbie Lawler, the newly minted champion. Currently ranked No.2, MacDonald is hungry for a title shot and hopes a win over Lombard will solidify his spot in a championship bout.

Lombard is also riding a three-fight win-streak and is currently ranked No.5 at 170-pounds. The 36-year-old Cuba native owns 22knockouts and four submission wins. Since turning pro in 2004, Lombard has only lost four fights, all by way of decision. His heavy-hands and agility pose a threat to his opponents but he has yet to face a Top five contender like MacDonald since dropping to welterweight in October 2013.

Veteran Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-10, fighting out of Irvine, Ca., USA) will make his return to the Octagon after a two year absence. He will face No.13 ranked Fabio Maldonado (22-7, fighting out of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) in a light heavyweight match-up. Jackson, who is currently on a three-fight win-streak, last competed in the UFC in January 2013 when he lost to Glover Teixeira via unanimous decision. Meanwhile, Maldonado, who has won four of his last five, is coming off a TKO victory over Hans Stringer at UFC 179 in October 2014.

In addition, No.9 ranked Englishman Michael Bisping (26-7-0, fighting out of Manchester, England) will face a tough test in finishing specialist and No.10 ranked C.B. Dolloway (16-7, fighting out of Tempe, Az., USA). Both middleweights are coming off a loss and will look to get back on track to continue their climb up the rankings.

UFC 186 Fight Card

T.J. DILLISHAW (C) vs. RENAN BARAO (#1)
RORY MACDONALD (#2) vs. HECTOR LOMBARD (#5)
QUINTON JACKSON vs. FABIO MALDONADO (#13)
MICHAEL BISPING (#9) vs. C.B. DOLLAWAY (#10)
PATRICK COTE vs. JOE RIGGS
OLIVIER AUBIN-MERCIER vs. DAVID MICHAUD
JESSICA RAKOCZY vs. VALERIE LETOURNEAU

Source: UFC

The story of “Rampage” Jackson leaving Bellator MMA and re-signing with the UFC came as a surprise for all of us. After nearly a week since his departure from the smaller MMA promotion to the big leagues again, Jackson’s manager, Lee Gwynn, explains below why his former UFC light heavyweight champion made the official decision to leave Bellator MMA last week.

Lee Gwynn’s Full Explanation:

[sic]

There are a lot of rumors over what has happened with the Bellator split, so I would like to give the key points to the dispute to avoid confusion. Quinton Jackson ended his contract with the UFC at the beginning of 2013 with the Glover [Teixeira] fight. We then entered into negotiations with several promotions one of them being Bellator under Bjorn Rebney. Bellator was a fairly new Viacom entity and Bjorn used this position to attempt to construct a very interesting and lucrative deal. Bjorn included in the deal a Bellator contract, a Paramount movie deal, a Spike TV reality show provision and a TNA pro wrestling contract. This in effect created an entertainment contract instead of the normal fight contract. In hindsight I think that Bjorn was over zealous with the Viacom networks’ assistance he could rely on. Bjorn also submitted a significant pay-per-view model that was crucial to the deal.

The first nine months was fraught with multiple problems but we considered them to be startup issues in a new way of doing business. The Tito Ortiz fight was cancelled and Bjorn persuaded us to enter into a tournament to promote the King Mo fight, culminating in a PPV fight with King Mo. The PPV was not successful for our payment structure and we immediately informed Bjorn that the problems had grown too many and that we wished to restructure our position. Bjorn was removed as CEO within two weeks of this position. We were expecting a meeting on the Wednesday with him. On the Tuesday morning we found out in the press that he was gone.

Scott Coker took over the company and attempted many times to resolve the problems and simplify the contractual situation. Scott just focused on Quinton fighting and getting him paid well for it. Scott couldn’t rebuild the trust in the company as too much had taken place, and Quinton had lost too much time waiting for these hollow promises. Over a period of four months we have been bouncing between Scott trying to make things happy, and Viacom legal failing to resolve the many impossible breaches promised by Rebney. The one decent part of the entertainment contract was a provision to terminate if breaches cannot be resolved. We were obliged to give a 45-day notice listing the breaches. At the end of the period the contract allows us to terminate in writing to Bellator/Viacom. During this process, Scott Coker attempted to resolve the issues but was unsuccessful. We actually gave Bellator/Viacom 70 days in total. At the end we terminated in writing and informed all parties that we would now be seeking promotional opportunities as a free agent.

The UFC was spoken to and indicated an interest in doing business. They were very careful in reviewing our legal position. Our law firm, the UFC lawyers and an outside law firm all agreed that the termination was legitimate. I know Quinton’s announcement came as a surprise to the fans and it may have looked like this thing happened quickly. The opposite is true. This dispute has been running since June 2014. The final termination process took 70 days to finalize.

We are very happy to be back in the UFC and expect some great fan-favorite matchups. These will be revealed as always by the UFC. However we expect to be fighting in late March/April.

Scott Coker has indicated that a legal position may be taken by Viacom in relation to this but to [paraphrase] him from a recent interview, ‘This all begins by Bjorn Rebney giving Quinton a very crazy contract, he would have promised Quinton anything he wanted to get him for the show.’ Scott is being honest here and we believe that once the entire thing is reviewed by Viacom that common sense will prevail.

According to Bellator President Scott Coker, “Rampage” is still under contract with Bellator, but Gwynn said that the dispute between “Rampage” and Bellator has been running since June 2014 and they gave the Viacom-owned organization 70 days to resolve the issue before seeking opportunity as a free agent.

Source: MMA Fighting

If you skipped Saturday night’s UFC event on FOX Sports 1 this weekend, then you probably missed out on the special Quinton “Rampage” Jackson announcement. The former UFC light heavyweight champion who left the Zuffa-owned banner in 2013 for Bellator and Spike TV, has officially re-signed with the UFC. That’s right! As of now, Rampage will no longer be competing under the Bellator roof.

Shortly after the big announcement was announced, Bellator president Scott Coker made it clear on Twitter that “Rampage” is still under an exclusive contract with Bellator MMA. However, “Rampage” claims that Bellator has been in breach of his contract in an official statement that he released on Sunday.

There’s no word yet on when he makes his return inside the Octagon, but it sounds like his plan is to be active in early 2015.

Official Statement From “Rampage” Jackson:

After five months of grueling negotiations and gray-area contract talks with Bellator MMA and parent-company Viacom, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson officially terminates his contract with the up-and-coming promotion citing multiple breaches since the removal of president and founder Bjorn Rebney. Jackson exercises a clause in the agreement that allows for a 45-day window to satisfy any contract dispute. Bellator MMA, failing to fulfill the requests of Jackson, was put on notice, failed to respond and eventually notified that negotiations were officially terminated.

Jackson’s UK-based fight manager and Wolfslair Academy founder Anthony McGann confirms, late Saturday night, that “Rampage has indeed signed with the UFC.” Details of the deal have not been made public. Jackson was available for comment late Saturday night from his Laguna Hills, California, training center, Rampage Family Fitness, and provided the following: “I went to the UFC and we put a deal together that worked out for both of us. I’m excited to be here. The UFC had nothing to do with me leaving Bellator. I was done with Bellator when I made the final call and they still didn’t do what they had to do contractually. I wish those guys the best but I’m where I belong.