Quinton Jackson came in at a career-high fighting weight against Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 237, and it didn’t translate into a positive result.
Jackson (38-14 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) suffered a first-round knockout loss to Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) in Saturday’s headliner at Saitama Super Arena in Japan, marking the first time since 2005 that “Rampage” had been stopped with strikes, and the first time in his career a stoppage loss stemmed from punches.
The former UFC champ took to social media after the fight to react to the loss (via Instagram):
“Sorry guys we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but you know what, I knew one of us was going to get knocked out,” Jackson said. “But I didn’t know it was going to be (expletive) me. But you know what? I ain’t mad, though. You win some, you lose some. You get paid for all. Y’all remember that.”
In the cage, Jackson was slow and plodding, hardly landing a strike on the former longtime PRIDE champ. Jackson received an outpour of criticism for his physique from fans, media and fellow fighters, and he made it clear he wasn’t happy with it, either.
Jackson’s team told MMA Junkie ahead of Bellator 237 that there’s a plan in place to get him back down to light heavyweight, where he had his best years. Despite tipping the scale at 265 pounds ahead of the encounter with Emelianenko, it appears as though Jackson will follow through on that goal.
“It’s all good – I’m not in a bad mood,” Jackson said. “I just know what I got to do. I got to get my damn weight down. I felt like a hippopotamus out there. But that’s my fault. No excuses. It’s all right. I’ll be back. But I ain’t coming back at heavyweight. I’ve got to lose this weight.”
'Rampage' Jackson 'felt like a hippopotamus' in Fedor loss, says he's done at heavyweight
