Scott Coker says Rampage Jackson is now a free agent, Bellator committed to younger direction

Bellator president Scott Coker says that Rampage Jackson was released from the promotion and is an unrestricted free agent.

Jackson last fought at Bellator & RIZIN: Japan in December 2019 and he suffered a first-round TKO loss to Fedor Emelianenko that night. Now 42 years old, we haven’t heard anything from Jackson all year in regards to fighting again for Bellator. That’s because according to Coker, the final fight on Jackson’s Bellator contract was the Emelianenko fight. With that final bout completed, Jackson’s contract with Bellator concluded and the promotion released him. He’s now free to sign anywhere else.

“I mean, Rampage Jackson, again, he’s another legend. And when he fought his fight in Tokyo a year ago, that was his last fight with Bellator. So I mean we haven’t even talked to him or engaged in any sort of conversations. But I think he’s a complete free agent to sing wherever he wants to,” Coker said (Via MMAjunkie.com).

Jackson signed with Bellator in 2013 and has fought for the promotion eight times since then with a 5-3 overall record. His wins in Bellator came over Wanderlei Silva, Muhammad Lawal, Satoshi Ishii, Christina M’Pumbo, and Joey Beltran, with losses to Emelianenko, Chael Sonnen, and Lawal mixed in. Jackson has lost three of his last four fights with his last win coming over Silva by knockout in September 2018.

With Bellator recently releasing many of its veterans including Roy Nelson and Frank Mir, the promotion is committed to a more youthful approach to building its roster going forward. Although Jackson could theoretically re-sign with Bellator still, Coker said that the organization is headed towards a different direction in that regard.

“If you look at the direction the company is head, it’s headed in a different direction,” Coker said.

Do you think Bellator and Scott Coker made the right call letting loose Rampage Jackson?