Rampage re signs with the UFC for 2015 return, but…

Yesterday Bellator CEO Scott Coker said Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is under contract and has not been released. However, multiple sources said the fighter has signed with the UFC.

“I’m hearing Rampage just signed a deal with UFC for announce Sat,” tweeted MMAJunkie’s Steven Marrocco for example. “I’m skeptical. He’s under contract with Bellator.”

Jackson left the UFC in 2013 shortly after losing to Glover Teixeira at UFC on FOX 6. It was one of the most bitter partings in league history. Jackson signed a deal with Bellator parent company Viacom, that offered a leading role in Bellator, appearances on TNA Impact Wrestling, opportunities in reality television, and points on a PPV.

Things were initially positive, but slowly soured until the comments were eerily similar to those previously directed at the UFC. TNA and Spike parted ways, the reality television series never materialized, and reports suggest that Rampage is alleging that he was not providing PPV figures. Simultaneously, Rampage ran up a three-fight win streak, and was one of the biggest stars in Bellator’s roster.

Last month UFC president Dana White spoke warmly about ‘Page.

“I like Rampage Jackson,” said White. “Rampage and I have a very unique relationship in that all the stuff that goes on publicly, behind the scenes we square away. He’s a good dude.”

Jackson, 36, has signed a contract to return to the Octagon in 2015. Simultaneously, top Bellator officials are saying that the fighter remains under contract.

“Let us be clear that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is under an exclusive contract with #BellatorMMA,” tweeted Bellator CEO Scott Coker. “We will protect our contractual rights.”

Right now, it looks like MMA stands for Many Many Attorneys.

However, whether by design or serendipity, the image of the UFC fighting against the leviathan Viacom to allow a famous figure to get back into the UFC is something like genius in terms of public relations, given the class-action suit launched earlier this week.

UFC president Dana White offered a simple reaction to the (re)signing.

Dana White @danawhite

🙂

Jackson appeared on FOX Sports Live, and explained why he switched leagues.

“I haven’t been happy with my contract at Bellator for awhile, since after the pay-per-view with King Mo,” said Jackson, as transcribed by Marc Raimondi for MMAFighting. “Bjorn Rebney, I don’t know what happened. He left Bellator, got fired — I don’t know. The contract just wasn’t right. My manager and I, we were trying to fix it. Bellator, they didn’t want to fix it in 45 days. I terminated the contract.”

“It’s just one of those things where people don’t honor their contracts and it’s just not cool. You can be a big company and that means you don’t have to honor your contracts?

“The UFC, the one thing about them, they did honor their contract no matter what things went wrong with them. At least they did honor their contract. You sign a contract for a reason. You’re bound by law to do what you say you’re going to do. If you can’t honor your contract, that’s the type of company I don’t really want to be associated with.”

“I want to come back and fight as soon as possible. I’ve been missing the training camps and getting out there. I only got a few more years left in me. I want to put on some exciting fights.”

Jackson also talked about his relationship with UFC president Dana White.

“We were always cool,” said Jackson. “I understand, it was just business. I didn’t like that the UFC kind of changed the picture, like I retired, saying I got cut from UFC. But I didn’t take it personally. I don’t take business personal most of the time. I didn’t have any bad blood with Dana White. I just wished that things were a bit different.”

Wish granted – things are definitely different.

Rampage also released an official statement “so Scott Coker can shut up.”

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.

Next round may be in court.