Bader next for King Mo, ‘Page plans to get really drunk

Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal defeated Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson at Bellator 175 on Friday night, and it was announced immediately that he would fight Ryan ‘Darth’ Vader at Bellator 180 on June 24 in New York. The fight will be Bader’s Bellator debut, and he had hoped for an immediate title shot at light heavyweight champion Phil Davis; Bader beat Davis via Split Decision early in 2015, when both fought for the UFC.

Lawal has had a busy schedule lately. He took a unanimous decision over Satoshi Ishii at Bellator 169 on December 16, 2016 in Dublin, Ireland. Then just under two weeks later he fought Mirko CroCop in Japan for RIZIN, and got knocked out. Now he has defeated Rampage in March. And he fights Bader in June.

It is less clear what’s next for Rampage. This was the final fight on his Bellator contract, one he tried bitterly to get out of, with mixed success. He also has a contract with the UFC, and will presumably fight that out.

That’s the confusing part of this relationship, said Bellator president Scott Coker, as transcribed by MMAjunkie. I know this is our last fight with ‘Rampage’ Jackson, and I currently don’t even know what his status is over there. I’ve heard rumors that he has a couple fights left over there.

So I think he’s got to go finish his obligations, and then I don’t know if he’s a free agent after that or what his situation is. But he guy is a legend – he’s done so much. … I’m happy to have him fight for us … He’s definitely in the fourth quarter of his career, the people love him. The fans love him.”

Jackson had some immediate plans.

What’s next now is, I’m going to go eat me some pizza, probably get really drunk,” he said. “Then go back home and play some video games. I’ll take it one day at a time.