Once news broke that Jackson had indeed re-signed with UFC, Bellator MMA President Scott Coker took to Twitter to explain that his promotion won’t lay down and let UFC and Rampage step over them:
Let us be clear that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is under an exclusive contract with #BellatorMMA. We will protect our contractual rights
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) December 21, 2014
On the brink of an expected heated legal battle, Rampage released a statement on his website “so Scott Coker can shut up”.
Official statement on my UFC signing and what’s happening at http://t.co/2iCm2dLQDw (so Scott Coker can shut up)
— Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) December 21, 2014
Here is Rampage’s statement in full, explaining why he terminated his contract with Bellator:
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 U.K.-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, CA 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.”
Stay tuned to RampageJackson.com for the latest news and official updates on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
This likely won’t be the end of the Rampage saga, so stick with FightHubTV over the next several weeks as this story plays out.
